4. Just One Night

When he leaned in, Daphne flinched ever so slightly and instinctively pulled back.

Their eyes met. Alexander held her gaze, silently weighing something in his mind.

"If you want me to stop, then I will."

Several seconds passed, yet Daphne gave no response. All he could see in her eyes was fear.

Alexander immediately pulled away. He didn't need an answer anymore. From the very beginning, he had sensed that something was off. At first, he had convinced himself that Daphne was simply nervous. But now it was clear that she was uncomfortable, even frightened by what they were doing.

"I'm sorry. I messed everything up. I'll try again. I'll do better." Daphne blurted out.

Alexander grabbed the blanket and tossed it toward Daphne. "Cover yourself." His expression hardened, every trace of warmth disappearing from his face.

Several minutes passed.  The two of them sat in silence. 

Alexander sat at the edge of the bed with his back facing Daphne. His gaze was fixed on the view outside the window as he took a slow drag from his cigarette.

Daphne sat in the middle of the bed, her bare body tightly wrapped in the blanket. She kept her head lowered, her hands clutching the fabric tightly. All Daphne could think about was how Rosaline would react.

After gathering what little courage she had left, she finally broke the silence with the one question she needed answered. "Will I still get paid?" she asked, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper.

Alexander didn't answer right away, making Daphne silently curse herself for having the nerve to ask that after what had just happened.

"How old are you?" he finally asked.

Daphne hesitated, afraid that whatever answer she gave would only make things worse. "Twenty-two."

The answer made Alexander close his eyes for a brief moment. He remained silent for a while, as if weighing something in his mind. "Can you give a massage?"

"Massage?"

"My shoulder has been bothering me lately."

Alexander was lying. The massage was just an excuse. He knew that if they walked out of the room too soon, she would likely be questioned.

"I'll try," Daphne replied before moving closer to him.

Although she had no experience giving massages and doubted whether she could do it properly, Daphne tried her best. More than anything, she hoped it would help Alexander forget what had happened between them.

Alexander closed his eyes as he felt Daphne's touch. The events from a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind. Every detail of her body. The way her full breasts contrasted with her slender waist. The innocent look in her eyes.

He forced the thoughts away. As a man, he was undeniably attracted to her. But he couldn't bring himself to take advantage of someone in that situation.

Several minutes passed in silence before Alexander finally spoke. "You can go now."

Daphne hesitated, but eventually climbed off the bed and quietly put her clothes back on. Alexander watched her in silence. It felt as though something was caught in his throat, words he couldn't quite bring himself to say.

"Do you need a job?" he asked at last, just as Daphne was about to reach the door.

Daphne fell silent for a moment. "Thank you, but I have a contract here." 

"Wait," Alexander called before Daphne could leave. 

He rose from his seat and got dressed. He reached into his wallet and took out a business card. After a brief pause, he picked up a pen from the nightstand and wrote something on the back before handing it to Daphne.

"Come to this address tomorrow. Don't come back here," Alexander said one last time before leaving the room. He told himself it wasn't his place to interfere, yet he couldn't ignore the concern growing inside him.

As Alexander made his way through the main building, he crossed paths with a woman.

"Leaving already, Mr. Harrington?" she asked politely. A bright smile curved her lips as she extended her hand. "Madam Rosaline."

Alexander accepted the handshake with little enthusiasm, his expression unreadable. "I'll send the payment. There's extra for her. Make sure she gets it.

A knowing smile tugged at Rosaline's lips. "I take it my lovely Daphne did a good job."

Alexander's gaze instantly hardened. "You knew."

"Knew what?"

"You knew she was terrified, and you still sent her in there." He paused, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "You took advantage of someone when she was at her most vulnerable."

Rosaline didn't flinch. The smile never left her face. "I'm sorry. I'm just an old lady trying to run her business. Maybe if I were a billionaire, I'd have the luxury of compassion."

She tilted her head slightly. "Mr. Harrington, you may be an actor, but you're also the heir to the Harrington Group. So let's not pretend either of us doesn't understand how this business works."

Alexander fell silent.

"You want to know something, Mr. Harrington?" Rosaline continued. "When she walked through those doors this morning, she was terrified. Ashamed, too. I almost turned her away, but her determination softened this old woman's heart."

She paused, studying the change in Alexander's expression. "And then, of all people, you called me this very night." A faint smile returned to her lips. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"Make sure she doesn't come back here."

For the first time, Rosaline looked directly into his eyes, searching for something beneath that cold exterior. "I'm afraid that's a difficult request, Mr. Harrington. A girl like her doesn't come along twice. Besides, she's under contract."

"She doesn't belong here. She's not cut out for this."

"That's not for you to decide."

Alexander's jaw tightened. "Just name your price."

Rosaline let out a soft laugh. "Judging by the way you're reacting after only one night, I'm afraid she's become rather expensive. Who knows? Other men might want her too."

"Tomorrow." Alexander's gaze hardened, leaving no room for doubt. "I don't want to hear that she's still working for you."

Without another word, Alexander walked away. The thought of an older woman exploiting someone's vulnerability disgusted him.

Rosaline watched his retreating figure until he disappeared from sight. "It always starts the same way. Just one night. Then suddenly, they're willing to move mountains for one girl."