Chapter 4

Morning light slipped through the parted curtains, painting golden stripes across the rumpled sheets. Warmth kissed my bare skin, but it was the ache: the deep, satisfied throb in my thighs that woke me first.

I shifted slowly, my legs heavy, as the sheets clung to my skin. It smelled like sex, like sweat, like him.

Shawn.

A soft smile tugged at my lips. My hand reached instinctively across the mattress, searching for the weight of his arm, the steady rhythm of his breathing... something.

But my fingers met only cool fabric. Wrinkled. Empty.

Gone.

I stilled. The room felt quieter than it had last night. My eyes drifted up to the ceiling, tracing the lines there.

Of course he was gone.

He’d said it plainly... one night and he had meant it.

Still, a quiet ache bloomed in my chest. Not the kind between my legs this time, but one a little higher, a little deeper. I swallowed it down.

As I sat up, the sheets fell around my waist and I winced slightly, rubbing my thighs. My body was exhausted, but in the best way possible. Last night had been… unforgettable. No regrets.

Then I saw it: a folded note on the nightstand with my name on it.

I reached for it, heart thudding a little too fast.

Kitten,

You were incredible. Thank you for letting me be your first. I meant what I said. One night. But I won’t forget you.

Shawn.

My eyes dragged over the messy handwriting again and again, each pass sinking heavier in my chest. He could’ve waited, at least until I woke up, not slipping out like he was never here at all.

“Asshole,” I muttered with a bitter laugh, even as my eyes stung.

My body was steady, my breath even. No tears, no trembling. The sheets still smelled faintly of him, but when I brushed my hand across the mattress, I didn’t flinch. A slow heat stirred in my chest, not from the memory of his touch, but from the fact that I had chosen it. I had chosen him. And for the first time in a long while, I felt sharp, awake, and alive.

It was worth it.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand, jolting me out of my thoughts.

A new email.

I blinked at the screen, still a little out of it, and then—

Subject: Job Offer – Assistant Role at ASHWELL GROUP

I sat up straight. Opened the message. Read every word.

I got the job.

I got the job.

A squeal bubbled out of me, hands covering my mouth as if to contain the joy exploding in my chest. Gray & Wilde. My dream firm. After all the rejections, all the doubts, they picked me.

I laughed, blinking back happy tears this time. Maybe Jason had left, maybe last night was just a memory now, but this? This was real. This was mine.

I jumped out of bed, ignoring the ache in my legs, and quickly gathered my things. Showered. Dressed. One last glance at the bed, the sheets still messy from our night together.

Then I walked out of the hotel room with my head high, and heart full.

By the time I got home, I practically burst through the door.

“Liam!” I shouted, running into the living room. “Liam!”

My brother peeked out from the kitchen, a spoon in his mouth and a confused look on his face. “What? Why are you yelling like someone died?”

I grinned so hard my cheeks hurt. “I got it.”

“Got what?”

“The job. The job. ASHWELL GROUP.”

He blinked, then his eyes widened. “Wait… what?! Shut up. Shut up!” He dropped the spoon. “Are you serious?”

I nodded, bouncing on my toes. “I start Monday.”

He crossed the room in two strides and picked me up, spinning me around like a lunatic. “My sister is gonna be a badass queen!”

I laughed through it, warmth blooming in my chest again. It felt like a new beginning. Like maybe, just maybe, things were finally falling into place.

______

Monday morning came with clear skies and a nervous buzz in my chest.

I checked my reflection in the rearview mirror one last time. My white chiffon shirt fit just right, and my hair was tucked into a high bun. I also had a light touch of makeup to keep things professional. I looked like someone ready to start her dream job.

With a faint smile tugging at my lips, I grabbed my bag and headed out. In the dining room, a neatly toasted sandwich waited on a plate, beside it a note in my brother’s familiar handwriting: You’ve got this. Proud of you.

A soft laugh escaped me. The sandwich was cold; he must’ve left early for his hospital shift.

Sigh. The doctor life, I thought, biting into it anyway.

I finished eating quickly and slid into my car. The engine rumbled to life beneath my hands. With a deep breath and one twist of the key, I was off.

Traffic, for once, was kind. The roads were clear, almost like the universe was working in my favor. I reached the company gates at exactly 8:55 a.m.

Exhaling loudly, I stepped out of the car, my gaze flickering to the tall glass building of ASHWELL GROUP. My dream company. My new beginning.

The lobby was sleek, humming with quiet conversation between the workers and the occasional clack of heels as I stepped in. I approached the receptionist, smiling with practiced confidence.

“Hi. Nora Keane. I’m starting today as the new executive assistant.”

The woman gave me a polite smile and tapped a few keys on her computer. “Yes, you’re expected. One moment, please.”

Not long after, a tall man in a gray suit approached. Sharp features, salt-and-pepper hair, and an air of authority that told me this had to be someone high up.

“Miss Voss? Welcome. I am Elias, General Manager.” He offered a firm handshake. “We’re excited to have you on board. Let me show you to your office.”

The walk through the corridor was lined with modern decor and quiet power. Daniel offered small talk: the history of the firm, a few comments about the recent changes in leadership, and compliments on my resume.

When we reached a glass-panelled corner on the 15th floor, he gestured toward a tidy little office space tucked right beside a double oak door.

“This is your office.” he smiled. “You’ll be supporting the CEO directly. He likes things sharp and quiet, so I think you’ll do just fine.”

Before I could ask more, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then looked at me.

“Ah — perfect timing. The new CEO just arrived. Give me a moment.”

I nodded, adjusting the papers in my hands, heart fluttering with anticipation. New CEO? I’d heard they were changing leadership, but no one mentioned who. Maybe someone impressive: an industry veteran, or some genius prodigy.

A few minutes later, I heard the soft murmur of voices before the manager reappeared… and with him—

My breath caught.

No.

It couldn’t be.

Shawn.

Shawn.

My Shawn.

Well… clearly not mine.

He stepped beside Elias, dressed in a tailored black suit that looked like it was built for him. Confident, composed, unreadable. His jaw was freshly shaved, his hair pushed back neatly — the same man who’d kissed me breathless and whispered filth into my skin just two nights ago.

I stood frozen. My mouth might’ve dropped open. My brain was screaming, what the actual hell...

“Miss Keane, this is Mr. Shawn Ashwell” Elias said casually. “Sir, this is your executive assistant.”

Shawn eyes flicked to mine.

And that was it.

A flick.

No smile. No double-take. No trace of recognition in his expression. Just a polite, distant nod.

“Miss Keane,” he said coolly.

And just like that, he turned and disappeared into his office, the door shutting quietly behind him.

I blinked. Still frozen.

Did he just...?

“Settle in,” Daniel said with a smile, not noticing the internal chaos unraveling inside me. “I’ll check on you in a bit.”

He walked away.

And I just stood there, staring at the door Shawn Ashwell, my one-night stand, had just walked through like I didn’t exist.

Like I was nobody.