Strange Desires

Chapter 2: The Morning After

**Emma**

The gentle morning light shone through the curtains, making the room feel cozy and inviting.

I woke up, smelling cologne and fresh laundry that I didn't recognize. My head hurt a little as

I opened my eyes and saw the stylish room that wasn't mine.

I felt scared when I remembered what happened last night. I felt my heart beating fast when I

saw Nick, the stranger from the bar, lying next to me with his eyes closed in sleep. I took a

moment to look at him closely—his strong jawline, messy dark hair, and the sheet covering

his strong chest. He appeared calm now, which was very different from the passionate man I

had encountered earlier.

I got out of bed quietly, making sure not to disturb him. My clothes were all over the floor,

reminding me of the hectic journey that had led me here. I hurriedly collected them, my

thoughts moving fast. What had I accomplished? This wasn't like me—I didn't normally go

home with people I didn't know, especially not after something as terrible as last night.

I got dressed quietly, feeling my heart beat fast with every step. I had to get out before I

faced the truth of my situation. I looked at Nick, who was still asleep, before I left.

When I got to the door, I paused, feeling like something was missing. The night before had

been a distraction from the hurt Marcus and Susanne had brought. But now, in the morning

light, it seemed like I had just made things worse in my already messed up life. I breathed in

deeply and walked out of the room, gently shutting the door after me.

---

**Nick**

I woke up when I heard the door softly close. I felt confused for a moment but then

remembered what happened last night. It was Emma. Her name stayed in my head while I

looked at the empty spot next to me.

I sat up and ran my hand through my hair, realizing she had left. No shocker there. They

always sneaked away before the sun came up and showed what we had done. I was okay

with that. I liked it that way.

But last night was unlike the others. She stood out. She had a vulnerability that reminded me

of something in myself. I usually don't let emotions affect me or think too much about

one-night stands, but for some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about Emma.

I tried to ignore these thoughts and told myself it was just another ordinary night, another

meaningless meeting. I had more pressing matters to deal with. I got out of bed and grabbed

my phone from the nightstand.

While looking through my texts, I saw one from my assistant reminding me about a meeting

with investors later in the day. I let out a sigh, feeling the heaviness of the day settling on my

shoulders. Getting up, I walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain to bring in

more light. Looking out, I saw the city below bustling with energy, which only made the inner

chaos I was feeling seem even more intense.

I had to calm down and concentrate again. Last night was unusual, just a brief mistake. It

wasn't important. I let out a tired breath and moved away from the window towards the

bathroom. I had to prepare myself, leave last night behind, and become the cold and tough

CEO I always was. That's who I am. That's who I have to be.

---

**Emma**

As I walked outside, the chilly morning air made me shiver. I hugged myself, feeling

vulnerable in the black dress I picked out carefully yesterday. It felt silly now, showing how

much I had changed in a short time. I hurried down the street, not knowing where I was

heading, but knowing I had to keep walking.

I heard my phone vibrating in my bag, so I quickly grabbed it to see a text from my sister,

Angela, asking, "Hey, where are you? I'm feeling anxious. Can you please give me a call?"

My stomach felt all twisted up with guilt. I didn't tell her what happened, and I didn't talk to

anyone about it. I couldn't bear to go through the painful experience again or hear the

sympathy in their voices. However, I knew I couldn't avoid her forever.

I discovered a calm bench and sat down, unsure of what to write on my phone screen. How

could I explain that I saw Marcus cheating and then left with someone I didn't know? I felt

lost in a city that seemed too big and unfriendly all of a sudden.

I let out a sigh and quickly typed back, saying, "I'm okay, just needed to get some fresh air. I

will give you a call later."

The idea of lying left a bad taste in my mouth, but I wasn't ready to confront the truth. I

needed more time to process it on my own. While I sat and saw the city come alive, I felt like

something inside me had shifted after last night. It wasn't only about Marcus and Susanne

now. It was about me, about my desires, about the person I would become now that

everything I believed had vanished.

---

**Nick**

I got out of the shower, feeling the warm water rinsing off the leftover bits from the night.

While getting dressed, I couldn't stop thinking about Emma. It was weird how she stayed on

my mind. Normally, I would have already forgotten her name and face by now. However,

there was something unique about her that made me feel uneasy.

I pushed away the feeling as I put on my cufflinks, focusing on the busy day ahead of me. I

had important meetings to go to that needed my complete focus. I couldn't let myself get

sidetracked by a woman I might never meet again.

However, as I walked away from the apartment towards my car, I couldn't resist looking back

at the building. I wondered if she had felt the same strange connection, if she was thinking

about me like I was thinking about her.

The idea made me uneasy, so I tried to forget about it as I got into the driver's seat. I had

structured my life around being in control and not showing my emotions. I was worried that

one night could disrupt that.

However, as I drove to work, I couldn't stop thinking that something had changed, and last

night wasn't just a brief moment of weakness. I tried to convince myself that it was just a

distraction that I couldn't deal with right now. However, deep down, I knew it wouldn't be

simple to ignore this time.

---

**Emma**

I returned to my apartment and felt a bit better being in my familiar space. But when I walked

in, the truth of what had occurred hit me hard. The room seemed changed, marked by the

memory of Marcus and Susanne, knowing that everything I trusted was false.

I put my bag down and sat on the couch, feeling the heaviness of the past day weighing on

me. I felt like crying, screaming, and getting upset at how unfair everything was. However, I

just sat there feeling numb and tired.

Then, my phone buzzed once more, and I made myself check it this time. Angela sent

another message, expressing her worry and asking me to call. "Please inform me if you are

doing well."

I looked at the screen, tears filling my eyes and making the words blurry. I wished to share

all my feelings with her, to let out the hurt and frustration that was breaking me. However, I

was unable to do so at the moment.

So, I decided to quickly type a response instead. "I'm fine. I just need a little time."

It wasn't exactly true, but it was the best I could do. I felt really bad, not at all okay. I had to

find a way to handle this by myself before I could talk to anyone else.

As I sat, looking at the wall, I started thinking about Nick again. He was a stranger who came

into my life just when I needed a break. But he was more than that. He reminded me that

there was a world beyond my pain, a world that was moving forward and full of opportunities.

I wasn't sure if I would ever see him again, and maybe that was okay. But I couldn't ignore

how much he had already affected me, how he made me feel so alive, even if just for a little

while.

As I sat there, trying to figure out my life that felt broken, I couldn't help but think if he was

also thinking about me.