Chapter Four
1477 Words
Olivia’s POV
Silence stretched between us until it became unbearable, and finally, he sat up and rubbed both hands over his face.
“What time is it?” he asked.
I blinked.
Out of everything he could have asked… That wasn’t what I’d expected.
I looked at the digital clock beside the bed. “Eight twenty-three,” I said.
He let out a slow breath. “I’ve got a board meeting.”
I stared at him. “A board meeting?”
He nodded once, though he still looked pale. “In less than an hour.”
For one ridiculous second, I almost laughed. My whole world was falling apart, and Alexander was worried about a board meeting. Then I realised maybe he wasn’t worried about the meeting at all. Maybe he was reaching for something normal because nothing else made sense.
I looked down at my hands; they were trembling. I quickly folded them together, hoping he hadn’t noticed, but he had.
“Are you alright?”
Such a simple question, but how was I supposed to answer it? I had woken up in a luxury hotel beside a man I’d met less than twenty-four hours ago.
I couldn’t even remember how we’d ended up there or when I'd fallen asleep.
Was I alright?
“I… I don’t know.” It was the only honest answer I had.
He paused before speaking again. “I don’t remember anything after the doctor left.”
My head snapped up. “You don’t?”
He slowly shook his head. “I’ve been trying.”
“So have I.”
“I remember the ballroom. The champagne. The doctor.” He frowned. “After that… nothing.”
Relief washed through me. For a terrifying moment, I’d thought I was the only one who couldn’t remember. Seeing the same confusion in his eyes eased that fear, if only a little.
“I thought…” I stopped.
“What?”
“I thought maybe something was wrong with me.”
He looked at me for a long moment. “I think something was wrong with both of us. Neither of us drank enough to lose an entire night.”
His words settled heavily between us. It felt like we were both standing in the middle of a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
I pulled the duvet closer around me, suddenly aware of how exposed I felt.
Alexander noticed.
Without saying a word, he looked away and swung his legs over the side of the bed, giving me the privacy I didn’t even know I needed.
It was such a small gesture, yet somehow, it eased the tightness in my chest. Maybe he wasn’t as cold as he’d first seemed.
“I’ll…” I cleared my throat. “I’ll get changed.”
He nodded without turning around. “Take your time.”
I climbed out of bed carefully. My legs felt unsteady, but they held.
Picking up my dress from the chair, I hurried into the bathroom and quietly locked the door behind me.
I barely recognised the woman staring back at me. My hair was tangled, dark circles shadowed my eyes, and fear lingered in every line of my face.
“What happened?” The mirror offered no answers.
My hands trembled as I checked for anything unusual. There were no bruises. No pain. Nothing that explained the panic clawing at my chest.
After changing back into my dress, I took one last deep breath before opening the door.
By the time I returned, Alexander had changed too. He’d become the man I’d first seen at the gala again, perfectly dressed, composed, impossible to read.
He turned when he heard me. “You look better.”
“I don’t feel better.”
A faint smile touched the corner of his mouth. “I was hoping you’d say yes just to make this easier.”
“I wish I could.”
“So do I.”
His expression softened, but neither of us knew what to say. Finally, he broke the silence. “I ordered breakfast.”
I blinked. “You did?”
“You haven’t eaten.”
“I’m really not hungry.”
His eyes drifted to my face before settling on the hand resting against my stomach. “You said the same thing yesterday.”
I frowned. “Did I?”
“You insisted you were fine.”
“I thought I was.”
“You weren’t.”
I let out a small sigh. “You make it sound like I never know what’s good for me.”
“I’m beginning to suspect that’s true.”
I couldn’t help laughing. It came out quietly, but it was real.
“You don’t know me well enough to make that judgment.”
“No,” he admitted. “I don’t.”
The words lingered between us.
No.
He didn’t know me at all. He didn’t know how carefully I counted every pound, or how often survival came down to the next freelance payment.
And I didn’t know him, not really.
I only knew he wore expensive suits, spoke with quiet confidence, and somehow managed to stay calm even when his world made no sense.
A knock interrupted my thoughts.
Alexander opened the door just enough for a hotel employee to wheel in a breakfast trolley.
The young man kept his eyes politely lowered, though I noticed the brief flicker of surprise when he realised I was still there.
“Good morning, Mr…”
Alexander accepted the tray before he could finish. “Thank you.”
The door closed again, and I noticed it immediately. The employee had recognised him, of course; he had. Somehow… I felt like I was the only person in London who didn’t.
Alexander poured tea into two cups before placing one in front of me.
“I promise it isn’t poisoned.”
I winced. “That's a terrible joke.”
“Not my finest.”
We both laughed softly. The sound surprised me.
How could two people who woke up in such a strange situation still find something to laugh about? Maybe because laughing was easier than thinking.
I picked up a piece of toast, more to be polite than because I wanted it. After the first bite, I realised how hungry I actually was.
Alexander noticed. “I thought you weren’t hungry.”
“I changed my mind.”
“So I see.”
Heat crept into my cheeks. “Don’t look so pleased with yourself.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“You already did.”
Another quiet smile crossed his face. Before I could stop myself, I smiled back. That frightened me more than waking up in his bed.
When breakfast was over, reality returned. I placed my cup back on its saucer.
“I should leave.”
He nodded. “Probably.”
Neither of us moved, and it suddenly felt as though walking away was harder than it should have been. Which was ridiculous.
We’d only known each other for one evening. Most of it neither of us could even remember.
Alexander walked towards a small leather folder resting on the desk and picked up a business card.
“If the hotel contacts you… or if there are any questions about last night…” He held it out to me.
“Use this.”
I accepted it without really looking at it. My mind was still somewhere between confusion and embarrassment.
“Thank you.”
“I don’t imagine you’ll need it,” he said.
“I hope not.”
Silence settled between us again. Not uncomfortable, just… unfinished.
“I suppose this is goodbye,” I said quietly.
He studied me briefly. “I suppose it is.”
I smiled, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “It was… nice meeting you.”
He gave a small nod. “I think under different circumstances, I would have said the same thing much sooner.”
That made me laugh. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as one.”
He walked me to the door, and the lift arrived almost immediately. I stepped inside and turned back.
For a brief moment, we looked at each other. Two strangers connected by a night neither of us could explain.
“Take care of yourself, Olivia.”
Something about the way he said my name made it sound different. More personal than it had any right to.
“You too…” I hesitated. “…Alexander.”
The doors slid shut between us. As the lift began to slowly descend, I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding.
I dropped the business card into my handbag without thinking.
One night. One mistake. One man I would probably never see again.
Or at least… that's what I believed.
- Writer
