Twins and the billionaire

Isla's Pov. I woke up to the soft light filtering through the curtains, the kind of light that made the whole room feel peaceful. For a moment, I didn’t remember where I was. I didn’t remember how I’d gotten here or why I felt so... tangled. Then, I shifted, and that’s when I saw him. He was lying next to me, his body sprawled out on the bed, one arm resting behind his head like he hadn’t moved all night. His hair was messy, but in a way that looked effortlessly perfect. I blinked, trying to clear the fog in my mind, and then it all came rushing back. The night. The drinks. The way his eyes locked with mine across the bar. The pull between us that neither of us could resist. We’d talked, laughed, and before I knew it, we were back at my apartment. And now... here we were. Him. Me. A one-night stand I never expected. I couldn’t remember much about the details of our time together, just flashes, of his lips, his touch, and the way his voice had made my heart race. It had been so good. Too good, maybe. But now that I was sober, reality was creeping back in. He was a stranger. A gorgeous, mysterious stranger who I would never see again. I shouldn’t have let it happen. I shouldn’t have let myself get swept away in the moment. But I had, and now I was lying next to a man who would probably forget me by the time the sun fully rose. I sat up slowly, trying not to wake him. His breathing was steady, deep. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. It was early, much too early to be thinking clearly. I needed to get out of this situation, quietly, and quickly. I swung my legs off the bed and stood up, careful not to make any noise. My body ached in the best way, a mix of satisfaction and soreness that told me I had definitely gotten more than I bargained for last night. I glanced at him once more. His face was peaceful like he didn’t have a care in the world. It almost made me feel guilty. But I didn’t know him. I couldn’t stay here. I grabbed my robe from the chair and slipped it on, trying to avoid looking at his sleeping form. I couldn’t let myself get caught up in the idea of what might have been. I wasn’t the type to do this, fall into someone’s arms for a night of passion and then let it linger. It was a mistake. I had to move on. I went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face in an attempt to clear my head. The mirror reflected a face I barely recognized, disheveled hair, wild-eyed as if last night’s whirlwind had left its mark on me. But I wasn’t the kind of woman who did one-night stands. At least, I hadn’t been. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the emotions I didn’t want to feel. I had a busy day ahead of work, meetings, and responsibilities that didn’t involve sleeping with strangers. I had to forget about him. There was no other choice. When I returned to the bedroom, I found him still sleeping, the covers barely moving with each breath. I could hear the faint sound of his heartbeat, steady and calm, but it didn’t comfort me like it had last night. No, today I felt... exposed. Vulnerable. This was exactly why I didn’t do these kinds of things. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand, trying to keep my hands steady as I texted my best friend, Caroline: "I did something stupid last night. I’ll tell you everything later." It wasn’t like I had a choice. I wasn’t going to stay and let him wake up next to me. That would be awkward. I wasn’t sure what would be worse, him leaving quietly, or us having to face each other after a night that meant nothing to him. I glanced at him one more time, this time noticing the way his dark hair fell over his forehead, the sharp line of his jaw, and the muscles that rippled under his shirt as he shifted in his sleep. He was gorgeous. In the light of day, it almost hurt to look at him. He was the type of man women fantasized about. The kind that didn’t settle for anything less than perfect, and I was just... a mistake. A distraction. I couldn’t let myself get caught up in his allure, in whatever magic he had. This was not my life. I grabbed my purse and quickly headed for the door, moving as quietly as possible. My heart was racing—not because I was running away, but because I knew I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about him. This was just supposed to be a night of fun, a break from my reality. But now it felt like I was trying to escape something that wasn’t really mine to escape. I opened the door, pausing in the hallway to make sure I wasn’t leaving anything behind. My phone, my purse, my keys, all accounted for. Then, I took one last look back at the bedroom door, my fingers gripping the handle. I hesitated. Something in me wanted to go back in, to wake him up, to see if we could talk, just for a moment. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. I stepped out of the apartment, pulling the door shut behind me. Outside, the cool morning air hit my face, and I took a deep breath, letting the reality of the situation sink in. I had just left a man I knew nothing about, after a night I would probably regret. But there was nothing I could do now. I was a career-focused woman. I had my future planned, and this? This was a distraction. Nothing more. I would forget about him. I’d focus on my job, my life, and the things that really mattered. I had to keep moving forward, even if the memory of last night lingered at the edges of my mind. I would never see him again, and that was fine. This was just a story, a short chapter in my life that would be easy to close. Or so I thought.