Chapter 8 – Cold Morning
817 Words
Ann stirred slowly. Her body ached in the sweetest way, her skin still warm from his touch. For a moment, everything felt perfect like a dream she didn’t want to wake up from.
She smiled softly to herself, eyes still closed, remembering the way he held her. The way he whispered to her in the dark. The way he made her feel like the only person in the world. But when she opened her eyes, her heart sank. She was alone.
The room was quiet. The blanket covered her, but Richard was gone. No sound, no footsteps, no note and no message. Just empty space where he had been. Ann sat up slowly, her chest tight. She looked around. His suit jacket was gone. His laptop wasn’t on the table anymore. He had left. Without a word. Without waking her or without saying goodbye.
She dressed quietly, trying not to cry..Maybe he had a meeting, she told herself. Maybe he didn’t want to wake me. But deep down, she knew. Something was off. She could feel it. The warm magic of the night before had vanished. Now everything felt cold. Quiet. Lonely.
She stepped into the hallway and walked to her desk like nothing had happened. No one noticed anything. To the outside world, she was just another intern with a stack of files and a tired face. But inside, her heart was screaming.
At 10 a.m., she saw him. Richard walked out of the elevator, suit perfect, face unreadable. He didn’t look at her. Not once. He spoke to his assistant, gave quick orders, and walked straight into his office. The door shut behind him. Like she didn’t exist. Like the night before had never happened.
Ann’s hands shook as she tried to type. She made mistakes. Spilled coffee. Dropped her pen. Her mind was a mess, her heart worse. Why was he acting like this? He had kissed her like he needed her. Held her like she was everything. Whispered things that made her believe it wasn’t just passion it was real. So why now? Why the cold silence?
By noon, she couldn’t take it anymore. She walked to his office and knocked. “Come in,” he said. She opened the door, nerves dancing in her chest. He looked up from his laptop, cool and calm. Like a stranger. “Do you need something?” he asked, voice flat.
Ann blinked. “Can we talk?”
He glanced at the clock. “I’m busy.”
“Just five minutes.”
He sighed but nodded. “Fine. Sit.”
She sat on the chair across from him, heart pounding.
“I woke up and you were gone,” she said softly.
“I had meetings,” he replied.
“You didn’t leave a note.”
“There wasn’t time.”
She frowned. “Not even a message?”
He didn’t answer.
She leaned forward. “Richard, what’s going on? Last night… it meant something. Didn’t it?”
His jaw tightened. “It was a mistake.”
The words hit her like a slap.
She blinked hard. “A mistake?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you kiss me?”
“I lost control.”
“And when you held me? Whispered to me?”
“I didn’t think.”
Her voice broke. “So that’s it?”
He looked away. “It can’t happen again.”
Ann stood up, her hands trembling.
“I see.”
She turned to leave but paused at the door.
“I wish you hadn’t kissed me,” she whispered.
He didn’t reply.
Back at her desk, Ann couldn’t stop the tears. She locked herself in the bathroom, holding her mouth shut so no one could hear her cry. She felt used. Foolish. Heartbroken. How could he be so warm one night and so cold the next morning? Was it all just a game to him? A moment of weakness? Or was he scared and pushing her away because of it? She didn’t know. And not knowing hurt the most.
The rest of the day passed like a blur. She did her work. Avoided eye contact. Smiled when she had to. But inside, she felt hollow. Like something had been taken from her.
That night, she lay in bed again. Her phone didn’t ring. No message came. She stared at the ceiling, just like before. But this time, she didn’t smile. This time, she cried.
And somewhere across the city, in a dark penthouse, Richard stood by his window watching the rain fall. He held his phone in his hand. Her name was on the screen. But he didn’t press call. He wanted to. God, he wanted to. But fear held him back. He wasn’t good at love. He wasn’t good at feelings. And Ann deserved someone who was. So he stayed silent. Even though it killed him.
- Writer
