“Ah….. my head!” Ana whispered, staring at the city lights beyond the window, she finally sat upright, noticing the nackedness of her body as she remembered the previous night, she suddenly began battling the storm of regret rising inside her. She knew for a fact that moment, that she had to leave.
She turned to the other corner of the bed to meet the man she had committed to unconsciouly lying on the bed, so comfortable, so without a problem. She hastined up to leave before it became something more. Before he woke up and realized. The sheets were twisted around her body, the scent of Fred’s cologne lingering in the air. She stared at the pale light seeping through the floor-to-ceiling windows, her heart hammering in her chest. She shouldn’t have done it. The sheets, it had a deep red stain bloomed beneath her, stark against the white silk, it was her blood. Fred Lancaster had taken something from her tonight. Something she could never take back. And he didn’t even know it yet. Ana felt so much shame, she panicked from the thought of what she had given a way, somthing she had done all because she was at debt. She couldn’t let him find out, she couldn't let anyone find out. Couldn’t bear to see the look on his face when he realized. Carefully, she slipped out from under his arm, her movements were slow and calculated. She gathered her dress, her heels, barely daring to breathe as she backed toward the door. She took one last glance. He was still asleep, he looked so strong with steady breaths. Her heart clenched. Then she turned, and ran, praying not to ever meet the man that had made her feel so ashamed. Few moments later, Fred woke up in a haze, his body still aching from the intensity of the night. Fred’s lazy hand reached for the warmth that had been beside him. But the he realised as his hands went searching that the corner was empty. His heart raced, the remnants of passion and desire still clinging to him like a drug. The scent of her, her softness, was all around him. And yet, she was gone. His brows furrowed, eyes cracking open. He sat up, pushing the dark strands of his hair away from his forehead, confusion clouding his thoughts. He hadn’t expected to wake up alone. He dragged out his wallet to check if his money was still intact, everything seemed the way he had left them, his money was intact, his cell phone and every valuable. Fred didn’t panic. His life had been filled with beautiful women, none of them ever stayed the night. But there was something about her, something different. Something that made him uneasy. He threw the sheets off himself and stood up, pacing the room. Fred ran a hand through his tousled hair, trying to shake off the nagging feeling creeping up his spine. Something felt off. He could still smell her, a mix of vanilla and something uniquely hers, clinging to the sheets, haunting the room. But she was gone. No note. No trace. Just a ghost of her presence. His gaze drifted down, and that’s when he saw it. A deep red stain, against the white silk sheets. His breath stopped for a while, his body going still as he stared at it, noticing for a fact that it was blood. His heart pounded even harder, a strange mix of confusion and concern settling in his chest. Had she been hurt out of his pleasure and drunkeness? Had something happened that he hadn’t noticed? Fred sat back down on the edge of the bed, running a hand over his face as his mind raced. She had been a mystery from the start, slipping into his world for one night and vanishing without a trace. But now, this wasn’t just about intrigueit. He had never disvirgined a lady before, who was she? His mind began to race. It hadn’t been a one-night stand for him and he knew that. It had been something else, something more intense. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt, grabbing his jacket before heading out of the penthouse. His fingers brushed over the sleek surface of his phone, scrolling through his contacts, but he hesitated. No, he didn’t want to get her number that way. He didn’t want to force her into anything. Instead, Fred called his security team. “Find her. Find out everything you can. I need to know who she is.” He didn’t wait for a response. He didn’t have time. There was something in him, a need, an obsession, that was starting to take root. Ana had left before he woke up, slipping away like a shadow. But Fred didn’t like it, especially with what he had seen. He couldn’t let it go. Ana stood in front of the cracked mirror in the small bathroom, her stomach churning. She looked at herself, wild hair, smudged makeup, and eyes that were far too tired for a girl her age. What had she done? She wasn’t the kind of woman who gave herself away so easily. She wasn’t like the others, the women who lived for nights like that, in luxury houses with billionaires. But she had been caught in something more than just his touch. It was like Fred had somehow slipped under her skin, made her forget the rules she had set for herself. But no matter what, she was determined. No more stripping. No more living in that world. She would find a way to live honestly, she had to. The money she made was the only thing keeping her afloat, but it wasn’t worth the damage it was doing to her. She couldn’t keep doing it. The thought of it made her stomach twist in disgust. “I’m done,” she whispered to her reflection, wiping of tears of pain, pain of loosing something she could never get in this world again “I’m done with all of it.” She turned away from the mirror, her mind was made up. Ana would find a new job, a way to earn a living that didn’t make her feel cheap or empty. She didn’t know how, but she would.It was a raining morning, with thunderblights everywhere. The rain fell on Ana’s coat as she stood frozen in front of the glass doors of Majesties HQ as her fingers clutched the folded umbrella she hadn't bothered to open. She felt too numb to care.Her hand slipped into her coat pocket and wrapped around the now-worn business card. Her last resort. She had nowhere else to go, she had no home, no friends, no family. Just a baby growing inside her.She pushed the door open and stepped into the marble-floored lobby, her wet shoes squeaking as she walked toward the front desk."Can I help you?" the receptionist asked, her voice was smooth and polite, but her eyes scanned Ana from head to toe.Ana forced a smile. "I'm here to see Fred Lancaster."The receptionist's expression shifted subtly, like she had heard that line too many times. "Do you have an appointment?"Ana shook her head. "No, but… I.. I have…""I'm sorry," the woman cut her off quickly. "Mr. Lancaster doesn’t take walk-ins.
Fred spent the rest of the day searching for Ana. He’d checked his phone for messages or calls, but there was nothing. Not a single clue to where she had gone or who she really was.His frustration grew. He wanted answers, wanted to know what made her tick, what had drawn him in so completely. There was something magnetic about her, and the fact that he was her first, something that couldn’t be explained by mere attraction. He couldn’t get her out of his mind.His private investigator had nothing either. No one seemed to know who Ana was or where she had gone. It was as if she had just disappeared.But Fred didn’t give up. He wasn’t used to not getting what he wanted. And he wanted her.Days passed, and Ana’s world began to feel smaller, tighter, like the walls were closing in. She managed to find a new job, something more in line with her desire for a fresh start. It wasn’t much, just a small coffee shop, but it was a start.And yet, even in the midst of her newfound determination, F
“Ah….. my head!” Ana whispered, staring at the city lights beyond the window, she finally sat upright, noticing the nackedness of her body as she remembered the previous night, she suddenly began battling the storm of regret rising inside her. She knew for a fact that moment, that she had to leave.She turned to the other corner of the bed to meet the man she had committed to unconsciouly lying on the bed, so comfortable, so without a problem. She hastined up to leave before it became something more. Before he woke up and realized.The sheets were twisted around her body, the scent of Fred’s cologne lingering in the air. She stared at the pale light seeping through the floor-to-ceiling windows, her heart hammering in her chest.She shouldn’t have done it.The sheets, it had a deep red stain bloomed beneath her, stark against the white silk, it was her blood.Fred Lancaster had taken something from her tonight. Something she could never take back. And he didn’t even know it yet.Ana fe
Ana's fingers trembled as she held the crystal glass filled with amber liquid. She had never been a drinker, but tonight was different, tonight, she wasn’t the girl who carried the weight of her stepmother’s debt. Tonight, she was someone else, someone reckless, someone bold.Fred Lancaster watched her “You don’t have to drink if you don’t want to.” His voice was deep, rich like dark chocolate, laced with something that made her insides tight.She took a sip anyway, letting the burn coat her throat, dulling the weight of her thoughts. “I don’t usually do this.”He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Yet here you are.”Ana exhaled, she was scared. She didn’t know why she let herself be led into this secluded part of the club with him. Maybe it was the way he commanded attention. Maybe it was the way he looked at her, like she was something rare, something worth more than the handful of bills thrown onto the stage.Or maybe it was because, for once in her life, she was doi
"You’re three weeks late, Ana."Mia’s voice was sharp, cutting through the silence of the lit café. Ana bent her head, gripping the ceramic mug in her hands as if it could somehow shield her from the weight of her best friend’s disappointment."I know," Ana murmured, her voice barely above a whisper."You promised me, Ana. You said you’d pay back as soon as your stepmother was settled. But instead, you….." Mia exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "You gave her everything, didn’t you?"Ana swallowed the lump in her throat, staring at her untouched coffee in front of her. She didn’t need Mia’s judgment, she already carried enough guilt to drown herself."She needed it," Ana said finally. "She said she’d be kicked out of the apartment if she didn’t pay.""And what about you?" Mia’s voice softened, but the frustration lingered. "You’re struggling, Ana. You barely have enough to eat. You’re behind on rent. And yet, you keep handing over everything to that woman."Ana knew for a fact that her