The Aftermath

Lena woke slowly; for a moment, nothing made sense.

The room was unfamiliar, the curtains drawn halfway, letting in soft streaks of morning light.

An arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

Her breath hitched.

Memory didn’t rush back all at once; it came in tiny pieces. His voice, low. The way his hands had worshiped her body but trembled slightly, like he was holding himself back. The look in his eyes, searching for her body's reaction.

She shifted carefully to avoid waking him up, but his hold only tightened, instinctively pulling her closer against him, like he feared she might disappear if he loosened his grip.

Her back pressed fully against his chest now, his warmth seeping into her skin.

For a while, she just stayed there, letting the reality settle in.

Then slowly, she turned her head to face him.

Jayden’s face, relaxed in sleep, looked peaceful. 

The usual sharpness in his eyes was gone, replaced with something unguarded. His lashes were full and long, and his lips were plump and red as cherries; they were slightly parted.

Her gaze lingered longer, studying every detail: the faint line between his brows, the curve of his jaw, the way his hair fell messily across his forehead.

Last night, he had looked at her like she was everything.

His gentleness and admiration in his eyes—she understood where he got it from; after all her exes, Richard was the one that brought her sex fantasies to life.

A strange ache settled in her chest.

She was still looking when his eyes suddenly opened.

Her heart nearly stopped.

Instinctively, she shut her eyes, forcing her breathing to even out, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

For a second, she thought she had fooled him; then she felt his fingers caressing her waist, as if confirming she was still there. His thumb brushed absentmindedly against her arm, slow and deliberate.

A faint exhale left him, almost like a quiet chuckle.

“Lena,” he murmured, his voice thick. 

It sent a vibration down there that she couldn't understand.

Then his hand moved, sliding up her arm, fingers tracing lightly over her skin.

Still, she didn’t move.

“Oh, is someone really asleep?” he said softly, amusement threading through his tone.

Her lips pressed together, fighting the urge to react.

Then suddenly his fingers dug lightly into her sides.

She gasped, her body jerking as laughter escaped her before she could stop it.

“Jayden!” she protested, trying to push his hands away, but he only laughed, pulling her closer.

“So you are awake,” he said, his voice teasing.

She turned, glaring at him, though her expression looked like she enjoyed it.

“You’re annoying,” she muttered.

“Yeah?” he said, leaning in just a little. “You didn’t seem to think so last night.”

Her stomach dropped.

Just like that, the warmth of the moment was gone.

The weight of the guilt she was carrying.

How shameless of her to be in her lover's son's bed in a cozy manner.

Her expression changed, and he noticed.

It was subtle, but Jayden wasn’t the type to miss things like that.

“What?” he asked, his tone softening slightly.

She looked away.

“Nothing.”

She sat up abruptly, pulling the sheet with her as she tried to create some space between them.

Jayden watched her, confusion flickering across his face.

“Lena”

"We shouldn’t have…” she started, but the words caught in her throat.

He frowned, pushing himself up slightly, resting on one elbow.

“Shouldn’t have what?”

She let out a quiet, shaky breath, running a hand through her hair.

“This,” she said finally, gesturing vaguely between them.

Silence stretched.

Jayden’s expression hardened.

“You regret it?” he asked.

The question landed heavier than she expected.

Did she?

Her mind raced.

She and Richard recently had a conversation, talking about their future. Letting herself believe in something stable, something real.

And now this with his son.

She didn't know how to handle the situation.

“I…” she hesitated.

Her expression gave her thoughts away.

Jayden looked away, jaw tightening slowly.

“Right,” he muttered.

“That’s not what I meant,” she said quickly, turning to him. “It’s just that this is complicated.”

“Complicated?” he echoed, a faint, humorless smile tugging at his lips. “That’s what we’re calling it?”

“What do you want me to say?” she snapped, frustration slipping through. “That this was okay? Or that it was normal?”

He held her gaze now, his expression unreadable.

“It’s okay by me,” he said quietly.

Her breath caught.

That wasn’t what she expected.

The room felt smaller suddenly.

"Jayden," she started, softer this time.

But before she could say anything else, her phone buzzed on the nightstand.

They both glanced at it.

Her heart dropped when she saw the name.

Richard.

The screen lit up with his message.

The flight got delayed, and the meeting ran longer than expected. I’ll be back this evening; can't wait to see you. xoxo

The words blurred slightly as she stared at them.

Jayden noticed her expression.

“Who’s that?” he asked.

She swallowed.

“Richard,” she said.

The tension in the room changed instantly.

Jayden leaned back slightly, running a hand through his hair.

“When is he coming back?”

“Evening,” she replied quietly.

A bitter laugh escaped him.

And you believed, huh?

She shot him a look. “This isn’t a joke.”

“I’m not laughing,” he said, his tone flattening.

“This doesn’t just go away, Lena,” he said after a while.

“I know,” she whispered.

“So what now?” she pressed.

He didn’t have an answer.

And that scared her more than anything.

The rest of the day felt like they were keeping their distance, avoiding each other.

Lena spent most of her time trying to occupy herself with something, but her thoughts refused to cooperate.

Every time she sat alone, it was like a raging war was going on in her head.

Jayden, the way he looks at her, makes her feel alive.

And then Richard’s voice echoed in her mind. The future they both planned together.

Her chest tightened painfully.

By evening, the sound of the front door opened.

Her heart jumped into her throat.

“He’s back,” she whispered.

Jayden, who had been leaning against the counter, straightened slightly but said nothing.

Footsteps approached.

“There you are.”

Richard’s voice filled the room.

Lena turned, forcing a smile onto her face as he walked in, looking tired but otherwise unchanged.

“Hey,” she said.

He didn’t hesitate, pulling her into a hug almost immediately.

“I missed you,” he murmured against her hair.

Her body stiffened for just a second before she forced herself to relax into him.

“I missed you too,” she replied.

The words felt heavy on her tongue.

Over his shoulder, her eyes met Jayden’s.

Jayden’s expression was unreadable.

And deep down, Lena knew whatever line they had crossed.

There was no going back.