Chapter 2: A Morning of Regret

Chapter 2: A Morning of Regret

Sunlight streamed through the huge windows of Sophie’s fancy apartment, lighting up the room in a soft golden glow. The city was buzzing outside, but the sound was muffled, making everything inside feel too quiet. Sophie groaned, squeezing her eyes shut as her head throbbed. She felt sluggish, her whole body heavy with exhaustion.

She shifted slightly—and froze. Someone was next to her.

Her heart pounded as she noticed the warmth beside her. A faint scent of cologne filled the air—one she didn’t recognize. Slowly, she turned her head.

Jake.

His dark hair was messy, his skin tanned, and his arm rested lazily over the sheets. He looked completely comfortable, like he belonged there. Sophie, on the other hand, was panicking. Her hands gripped the silky sheets tightly as her face heated up.

Memories from the night before hit her in flashes—laughing, champagne, sneaking away from the party, the feeling of Jake’s hands on hers, his breath near her ear. Her stomach twisted. What had she done?

Carefully, she tried to move without waking him, but Jake stirred. A soft groan escaped his lips, and his eyes blinked open sleepily. They locked onto hers, and for a second, neither of them spoke.

Then, his lips quirked into a lazy grin. “Oh,” he mumbled, voice still thick with sleep. “Morning.”

Sophie swallowed hard. “Morning.”

Jake stretched, running a hand through his already-messy hair. “So… last night happened.”

Sophie let out an awkward laugh. “Yeah, I guess it did.”

A silence settled between them before Jake smirked. “Well, I gotta say, I make great coffee, but I don’t usually wake up in a Hollywood star’s bed.”

Sophie groaned, covering her face with her hands. “Please don’t say it like that.”

He chuckled, completely unfazed. “Relax, I’m not the type to sell a story to the press.”

Sophie peeked at him through her fingers. “You better not.”

Jake just grinned and stretched again, making the sheets shift. Sophie quickly looked away, her face burning with embarrassment. This was so awkward.

“I should probably get going,” he said, swinging his legs off the bed. “Before your team busts in here with a crisis plan.”

Sophie exhaled slowly, trying to pull herself together. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

As Jake grabbed his shirt from the floor, Sophie noticed a small scar on his shoulder. Her eyes lingered on it for a moment longer than she meant to. There was a story behind it—one she had no business being curious about. But she was.

Jake buttoned up his shirt, then looked at her. “For what it’s worth, I had a good time.”

Sophie’s throat felt dry. “Me too.”

He flashed her a lopsided grin, like this whole situation was no big deal. “Guess I’ll see you around, superstar.”

And then he was gone.

As the door closed behind him, Sophie collapsed onto her pillows, staring up at the ceiling. What had she just done?

She glanced around the room, half-expecting an answer to appear. But all she saw was the empty champagne glass from last night, the crumpled sheets, and the reminder that she had just made a huge mistake. This wasn’t a scene from one of her movies. This was real, and she had no script to follow.

A knock at the door made her jump. “Miss Carter?” her assistant, Mia, called. “Your schedule is packed today. Do you need me to move anything?”

Sophie sighed, rubbing her temples. She had to focus. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be ready in an hour.”

She forced herself out of bed, her body protesting every movement. A hot shower, a strong coffee, and her best PR smile—that was all she needed. Maybe, just maybe, she could pretend last night never happened.

As she stepped into the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, her eyes tired, but there was something else there too—something unfamiliar. For the first time in years, Sophie Carter didn’t know who she was supposed to be.

She turned on the shower, hoping the steam would clear her head. It was just one night. A mistake. A moment of weakness. And yet, Jake’s face lingered in her mind longer than it should have.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Sophie’s stomach dropped as she picked it up, eyes widening at the notifications—calls from her manager, texts from Mia, and a message that made her breath hitch.

Tabloid Alert: Hollywood’s Darling Spotted Leaving Gala with Mystery Man – Who Is He?

Sophie scrolled down, heart pounding. There, in a blurry photo, was her and Jake stepping into a car together.

Panic surged through her veins.

This was exactly what she had feared.

And this was just the beginning.