CHAPTER FOUR: THE MORNING AFTER
1232 Words
Sarah spent the entire drive home telling herself it had been a mistake.
A stupid one.
A reckless one.
A mistake she would never make again.
By the time she pulled into the driveway, she had repeated the word mistake so many times that it had almost lost its meaning.
She switched off the engine and sat there.
Her hands were still on the steering wheel.
Her wedding ring caught the morning sunlight.
Sarah stared at it.
For the first time since Michael had slipped it onto her finger, it didn’t feel like a promise.
It felt like an accusation.
She quickly looked away.
“Get yourself together.”
She grabbed her handbag and stepped out of the car.
The front door opened before she reached it.
Michael stood inside.
His hair was slightly messy, and he was wearing the same shirt he’d had on the night before.
Sarah stopped.
“Where were you?”
His voice wasn’t angry.
That made everything worse.
“I told you I needed some air.”
“You were gone all night.”
“I stayed with Maya.”
The lie came too easily.
Michael studied her face.
“You could have called.”
“I know.”
“I was worried.”
Sarah looked down.
Guilt twisted painfully in her stomach.
“I’m sorry.”
Michael stepped closer.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then he reached for her.
Sarah instinctively stiffened.
Michael noticed.
His expression changed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re acting strange.”
“I didn’t sleep.”
Neither did I, she thought.
But for completely different reasons.
Michael gently touched her cheek.
“I missed you.”
Sarah’s heart cracked.
Because those were the words she’d wanted to hear last night.
And now that they had finally come…
they didn’t feel the same.
Michael leaned down to kiss her.
Sarah closed her eyes.
And immediately remembered another pair of lips.
Another man’s voice.
Tell me to stop.
Her eyes opened.
She turned her face slightly.
Michael’s lips touched her cheek instead.
He pulled away.
“Sarah?”
“I just need a shower.”
She walked past him before he could ask another question.
The moment the bathroom door closed, Sarah leaned against it.
Her breathing was uneven.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
“What have you done?”
She removed her wedding ring.
Then immediately put it back on.
She didn’t know which part frightened her more.
That she’d cheated.
Or that she couldn’t stop thinking about doing it again.
⸻
At the law firm, Sarah was determined to bury herself in work.
It lasted exactly forty-three minutes.
She had read the same paragraph six times.
Her mind kept wandering.
Daniel’s face.
His voice.
The hotel room.
The way he’d looked at her that morning as though he already knew she would leave.
Her phone vibrated.
Sarah froze.
Unknown number.
She stared at the screen.
Then opened the message.
You left something behind.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
She typed:
Who is this?
The reply came almost immediately.
You know who.
Sarah’s fingers tightened around her phone.
She looked around the office.
Nobody seemed to be watching.
She typed again.
How did you get my number?
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Then appeared again.
You gave it to me.
Sarah frowned.
She didn’t remember giving Daniel her number.
She had been too distracted.
Too careless.
Too—
Another message arrived.
Your earring.
Sarah’s hand immediately went to her ear.
She felt nothing.
Her stomach dropped.
She opened her handbag and searched through it.
Nothing.
She looked at her reflection in the dark screen of her phone.
One earring was missing.
She hadn’t even noticed.
Her fingers trembled.
She typed:
Keep it.
Daniel replied:
I could bring it to you.
Sarah stared at the words.
Don’t.
His response came seconds later.
Relax, Sarah. I won’t tell your husband.
She locked her phone.
Her heart was pounding.
How did he know she was worried about Michael?
She hadn’t told him she was afraid of being caught.
She hadn’t told him anything.
Sarah looked toward the office door.
For the first time, a thought entered her mind that she didn’t want to entertain.
Daniel knew more about her than he should.
⸻
“Sarah?”
She looked up.
Richard stood in the doorway.
“We’re ready for you.”
She straightened.
“For what?”
“The meeting.”
“What meeting?”
Richard gave her a confused look.
“The Blackstone case.”
Sarah’s stomach tightened.
“Oh.”
“You forgot?”
“No. Sorry. I’m coming.”
She grabbed her files.
As she followed Richard down the corridor, she tried to steady her breathing.
The conference room was already occupied.
Victoria sat at the table.
Two other associates were reviewing documents.
Sarah took her usual seat.
Richard placed a folder in front of her.
“Our client has made some changes to the agreement. We need to review them before the afternoon.”
Sarah nodded.
“Okay.”
Richard glanced at the door.
“He should be here any moment.”
Sarah opened the folder.
She forced herself to focus.
She could do this.
She was a lawyer.
She was professional.
She was married.
Last night didn’t matter.
Daniel didn’t matter.
It was over.
The conference room door opened.
Sarah looked up.
And forgot how to breathe.
Daniel walked in.
Dark suit.
White shirt.
Perfectly composed.
Not the man from the hotel.
Not the man who had kissed her.
Not the man who had stood outside her hotel room door.
This Daniel looked like someone who belonged in this room.
Someone powerful.
Someone untouchable.
Sarah’s fingers went cold.
Richard smiled.
“Perfect timing.”
Daniel walked toward the table.
His eyes met Sarah’s.
For half a second, something flickered there.
Recognition.
Amusement.
Then it disappeared.
Richard gestured toward Sarah.
“Daniel, this is Sarah Mitchell. She’ll be handling the legal side of the case.”
Sarah couldn’t speak.
Daniel extended his hand.
His expression remained perfectly professional.
“Nice to meet you, Sarah.”
Her heart nearly stopped.
She stared at his hand.
Then at his face.
He didn’t blink.
He didn’t smile.
He didn’t acknowledge the night they’d spent together.
Nothing.
As though they were strangers.
Sarah slowly placed her hand in his.
His fingers closed around hers.
Warm.
Firm.
And for one brief second, his thumb brushed against the inside of her wrist.
A tiny movement.
Invisible to everyone else.
But Sarah felt it.
Daniel released her hand.
He took the seat directly across from her.
Richard began discussing the case.
Sarah heard none of it.
Her eyes remained fixed on the documents in front of her.
Then her phone vibrated beneath the table.
She looked down.
One new message.
Daniel: You look beautiful when you’re nervous.
Sarah’s eyes widened.
She slowly lifted her gaze.
Daniel was reading through a file as though nothing had happened.
Another message appeared.
Daniel: And don’t worry.
A pause.
Then:
Daniel: I’ll give you your earring back later.
Sarah’s heart pounded.
She looked across the table.
Daniel finally lifted his eyes.
Their gazes locked.
His mouth curved into the faintest smile.
And Sarah suddenly understood something terrifying.
Last night hadn’t been the end.
It had been an introduction.
And Daniel had just walked into her life.
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