"Beep, beep" The alarm rang at exactly 7pm in the evening.
I quickly jumped out of bed. I was supposed to be working at exactly 6pm at my work place serving customers and guests but I had mistakenly set the alarm at 7pm and I was terribly late.
"Urgh! That crazy supervisor would yell at me". I said while washing my face. I quickly dressed up and left the house while running and at the same time walking.
I walked into the Grand Haneul Hotel that glittered, decorated with expensive shiny chandeliers and too expensive for someone like me. I knew I didn't belong there but I had to work to make hands meet.
Tonight I was supposed to serve drinks, keep quiet and disappear into the walls. But, somehow while serving, I tripped over the hem of my own dress and the champagne drink spilled on a woman's dress.
"You idiot!!". She said landed a quick dirty slap on my chin.
I wince in pain. "I…i'm so sorry ma'am".
"Let me take it to the laundry. It's on me".
I offered to pay for the cleaning of the dress.
"Get out! Stupid fool. You want to ruin my dress? Take your filthy self away from here and I hope your boss sacks you because I don't know why he should hire blind people like you".
She ranted.
My supervisor noticed the commotion and pulled me aside whispering apologies that sounded fearful instead of sympathetic.
Then he ordered me to stay out of sight for the rest of the day.
I ran.
Not out of the hotel but to search for a place where I could rewind because what happened was so embarrassing.
I climbed the carpeted stairs with my heels clicking on the marble. I was too tense.
"How could that just embarrass me that way. Don't rich people make mistakes?" I said while rushing.
I walked past two doors in the hall way before stopping at the third one
Room 207
Or at least I thought it was 207
I didn't notice any small details.
I pushed the door open and closed it as quietly as possible behind me.
The room was dark.
"This might be some lounge". I whispered to myself".
I whispered a sigh of relief and dropped my handbags on the chair near the only.
Then I looked up and froze.
There was a man sitting on the edge of the bed.
Tall with dark eyes. He looked dangerous.
"Ooh, um… Hi." I tried to muster up courage. "I didn't mean to intrude".
"Yura?" He said. "You're late".
The name hit me hard. He must have mistaken me for his girlfriend. I thought.
"I'm sorry, I need to go. I'm so sorry".
I pleaded with him.
"No, stay. You are not Yura?"
"No, I'm not. I don't even know her".
I said.
He came closer to me and held my wrists.
He pressed my back to the wall.
His body was too close to mine that I could feel his heart beat.
I was scared that I was going to have a night stand with a stranger.
He rubbed his fingers on my body. I felt a cold shiver run down my body.
My body wanted it but my heart disagreed.
I was still standing there scared but I didn't scream. I stepped closer instead and I didn't stop myself.
In a matter of seconds, we were unclad on the bed.
_____
The next morning, I woke up to silence but a smell of familiar scent.
I wasn't in my tiny apartment as I thought.
I remembered the whole thing that happened the previous night and I felt the feeling of regret and guilt. I quickly got up and wore my clothes.
"Running already?"
I froze.
I turned slowly and saw Cassian standing opposite the room with a cup of coffee in his hands.
"I'm going". I said without looking at him.
He urged me to stay but I instinctively lied to him that I was going to work but deep down, I didn't know where I was going.
I was just avoiding my guilt. Sleeping with someone I didn't know.
As I was about to step out he said .
"You shouldn't be working here. You don't deserve the treatments you get from here".
I gasped, turned and looked at him
No one has ever told me that not even my parents, siblings or even my friends. But a stranger just did.
"I…er…" I stuttered. "I'll get going".
I said as I hung my bag over my shoulders.
I rushed out of the room but I still had that feeling that he was still staring at me.
I got home and fell on my bed with the thought of everything replaying in my head.
The thought of getting pregnant, the thought of contracting a disease got me scared.
"Oohhh, Elowen, how could you be so reckless?"
I said, hitting my head.
I jumped out of bed, made breakfast.
Across the cities.
Cassian Blackwood stood near the window in his penthouse suite holding a glass of wine he had barely finished.
He pestered me last night.
She had vanished.
No name
No number. Nothing
"Damn it". He mustered to himself.
He replayed everything that had happened.The fear in her eyes when he pressed her to the wall. The way she left without asking for money or even promises.
"Argh! Cassian, what did you do? He murmured.
"Buzzz". His phone vibrated.
It was Yura
He didn't answer. He just stared blankly at the phone and let it ring severally until he finally muted the phone.
He decided to let go of the past and continue with work but one thing kept haunting him.
The way she had left made him want to find her more.
—---
A few weeks later, I started having the urge to puke. Food disgusted me. Even the smell of my soap made me gag.
"This is not normal". I whispered.
I wasn't sick. I didn't have a fever and I was not really stressed.
I walked to the small calendar I taped to the wall and I gasped like I was being betrayed.
My period has been late before but not this late.
"No, no. It can't be. It's too late." I said almost about to sob.
But deep down, I knew the truth. I was just not ready to face it.
I quickly grabbed my purse, went to a nearby pharmacy and bought a pregnancy test kit.
I was scared but I had to try.
I swallowed hard.
For a second nothing happened until cruelly two lines appeared.
Positive!!
"No!
I cried. Laughed and cried again.
It was just a stupid, beautiful, reckless night with a stranger.
"This can't be".
I protested.
I grabbed my purse and left the house to go to a little clinic near my apartment.
The doctor was a kind woman.
She has ordered blood tests and ultrasound.
I waited impatiently in the room that smelled like fear and medicine.
Finally, the doctor returned.
She smiled gently.
"Congratulations, you're pregnant".
The words felt like a sledgehammer on me.
"What?" I whispered.
She leaned closer and smiled widely.
"There are two heart beats".
"Hmmm?"
I passed out.