Chapter Three
1542 Words
Olivia’s POV
The doctor snapped his medical case shut and offered me a reassuring smile. “I don’t think there’s anything seriously wrong with you, Miss Hayes,” he said.
That was the first bit of good news I’d heard all evening.
“You’ve probably overworked yourself,” he continued. “An empty stomach, a long day on your feet, and champagne aren’t exactly a healthy combination.” I managed a small smile.
“When you put it like that, I sound rather irresponsible.”
“You sound human.” His words eased the knot in my chest a little.
He turned to Alexander. “And you, Mr Kingston.”
Alexander looked up from where he stood near the window overlooking the city. “I’m alright.”
The doctor chuckled. “I’ve been treating executives for thirty years. That’s always the first thing they say.”
Alexander’s expression barely changed. “I’ll survive.”
“I’m sure you will.” The doctor stepped closer and checked his pulse. “Although I wouldn’t mind seeing you take a day off once in a while.”
“I wouldn’t know what to do with one.”
“I believe that’s the problem.”
I couldn’t help smiling.
The doctor glanced between us. “Both of you need water, food, and rest. No more champagne tonight.”
“I think I’ve had enough to last a lifetime,” I muttered.
That earned a soft laugh from him.
A knock sounded at the door. Claire stepped inside before anyone answered. She looked as though she’d spent the last twenty minutes worrying herself sick.
“Oh, Olivia.” She hurried over.
“I’m so sorry.”
“For what?”
“I should’ve realised you weren’t feeling well.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“It feels like it was.”
She looked at Alexander. “I’m terribly sorry, Mr Kingston.”
He met her anxious gaze. “The guests?”
“They’ve moved on.”
“Good.”
“I can stay here if you need me.”
“You can’t; the event still needs you.”
“But Miss Hayes…” She blinked.
“Will be looked after.”
Claire looked at me for confirmation. “You’ll be alright?”
“I think so.”
“You’ll call me if you need anything?”
“I promise.”
She still looked reluctant.
Finally, she sighed. “I’ll check on you as soon as everything downstairs settles.”
After she left, the room became surprisingly quiet. The doctor picked up his case. “If either of you still feels unwell after you’ve rested, don’t ignore it.”
“We won’t,” I replied.
He smiled. “I’ll hold you to that.”
The suite door clicked shut behind him. Silence settled over the room, and for the first time all evening, there was nothing to distract me. No music, no conversations, no rushing staff. Just the faint hum of the air conditioner and the city lights beyond the windows.
Alexander crossed to a small cabinet and poured two glasses of water. He handed one to me. “Thank you,” I muttered.
“You’re welcome.”
I took a careful sip. The water should have helped, but instead, it felt as though the strange warmth inside me only grew stronger.
I frowned.
That was odd. “You still don’t look convinced,” Alexander said.
“I’m trying to decide whether tonight actually happened.”
“It did.”
“I’m hoping it didn’t.” That almost made him smile.
“I suppose collapsing in front of half of London’s business community wasn’t how you planned to spend your evening.”
“It definitely wasn’t on my schedule.”
He nodded once. “Mine either.”
I laughed quietly. “I’ve apologised far too many times already, haven’t I?”
“Four.”
I stared at him. “You’ve been counting?”
“I notice things.”
“I can see that.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke, but it wasn’t uncomfortable, just… unfamiliar.
“You know,” I said, “I still don’t know who you are.”
“You know my name.”
“Of course, you’re Alexander.”
“And?”
“And apparently, everyone downstairs obeys you without asking questions.”
He looked out towards the skyline. “I work for the company.”
I laughed. “I’d already guessed that.”
He didn’t offer anything more.
“I’m Olivia.”
“I know.”
“Clearly.”
“Then we’re making progress.”
A smile tugged at my lips. “You do have a sense of humour.”
“I’ve been told it’s difficult to find.”
“I think I just found it.”
His expression softened for a fraction of a second, but it disappeared almost immediately. I lowered my glass. My hand wasn’t as steady as before, and the room suddenly felt warmer. Almost stuffy.
I reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “You alright?” Alexander asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” He loosened his tie. “I suddenly feel…” He stopped.
“Tired?” He frowned.
“No.” He searched for the right word. “…Strange.”
I looked at him. “So do I.”
The air between us seemed unusually heavy, and Alexander pulled his phone from his pocket. The screen lit up, and several notifications appeared. He stared at them for a long moment.
Then frowned. “I can’t focus.”
“What do you mean?”
“The words keep moving.”
I blinked. “I thought it was just me.”
He locked the screen and slipped the phone away. Neither of us spoke. A quiet uneasiness settled over the room. I stood, intending to gather my things. The instant I took a step, the floor seemed to tilt beneath me.
“Oh…” My knees weakened.
Alexander reached for my arm before I could stumble. Only this time, he lost his balance as well, catching himself against the arm of the sofa. We both stopped.
Neither of us laughed, and it felt as though something wasn’t right.
“I should call the doctor back,” he said. He reached for the room phone. Halfway there, he stopped.
His brow furrowed. “I…” He looked at the receiver as though he’d forgotten why he’d picked it up.
I opened my mouth to call Claire. The thought disappeared before I could say her name.
My heart began to race. “I can’t think properly.” His expression tightened.
“Neither can I.”
He picked up the phone anyway, but after a long pause, he slowly set it back down.
“I don’t remember the number I was going to dial.” The admission hung heavily between us.
Outside, London carried on as though nothing had changed, but inside the suite, time felt strangely uncertain.
I sat down because I suddenly wasn’t sure my legs would hold me. Alexander lowered himself into the chair opposite. Neither of us spoke again; the silence wasn’t peaceful anymore. It felt wrong.
I tried to remember the last clear thing I could think of. The ballroom, Claire, the broken champagne glass. Everything after that came in scattered pieces.
Alexander looked as though he was trying just as hard to stay focused. “I’m…” His voice faded before the word could reach me.
The room tilted again. I blinked. Once. Twice. Then darkness rushed in.
***
The shrill ringing of a phone pulled me awake. A dull ache pounded behind my eyes. I frowned and opened them slowly.
The ceiling above me wasn’t mine. It was too high, too white, too unfamiliar. Confused, I pushed myself upright. The movement sent another wave of dizziness through me. I pressed a hand against my forehead until it passed.
As the duvet slipped from my shoulders, my breath caught. I wasn’t wearing the black dress Sophie had insisted I borrow. Instead, I was wrapped in a white hotel robe.
“No…” The word escaped before I realised I’d spoken.
My pulse quickened, and slowly, I turned my head. Someone else was in the bed. Still asleep, dark hair, broad shoulders.
On the bedside table sat a silver watch that caught the morning light. The same watch I’d noticed in the ballroom.
My stomach dropped. Alexander!
Fragments of the previous night rushed through my mind. The gala, the champagne, the doctor’s visit. Then… Nothing, not a single clear memory.
I looked around the suite. My dress lay folded over a chair, and his jacket rested nearby. The room was tidy, yet every unanswered question seemed to press in around me.
“What happened?” I whispered. As if he’d heard me, Alexander stirred.
His eyes opened slowly. He looked at the room, then at me, then at the watch. Confusion crossed his face. It was followed by something I hadn’t expected: shock.
Neither of us spoke. Neither of us seemed to know how we’d ended up there. And judging by the look in Alexander’s eyes… he remembered no more than I did.
- Writer
