CHAPTER 004

~THE NEXT MORNING~

Anna’s eyes slowly opened to a ceiling that wasn’t hers. The room was quiet, except for the low hum of the air conditioner and the soft rustle of sheets underneath her. Pale light slipped through thin curtains, cool against her skin. Her body felt heavy, aching in places she hadn’t expected.

She lay still for a moment, her breathing shallow and uneven. Then the memories from last night came crashing in—the heat, his hands, the way he had touched her.

Her heart raced, and her chest tightened as a sudden wave of panic swept over her.

She pushed herself up the bed, feeling the cold air brush over her bare skin. The rough sheets slipped away from her body as she moved. Across the bed, the stranger she had a one night stand with lay still, asleep with deep and steady breathing, unaware that she was already awake.

Anna came down from the bed slowly, her legs shaky beneath her. Her hands trembled as she reached for her dress on the floor and pulled it on quickly.

Next, she picked up her heels on the floor and held it in her hand, then grabbed her purse from near the bed.

Every movement carried a sense of urgency, as if time was slipping away. She didn’t pause to think or glance back. The air still held a faint scent of sweat and something musky, a lingering trace of the night before.

Her throat tightened, and her breaths grew quicker as she searched the room and spotted a door leading to the hallway. She made her way toward it, her bare feet brushing the black marble floor with quiet, hurried steps.

Anna paused just before opening the door, her eyes flickering once more to the man lying there. His chest rose and fell slowly, calm and peaceful.

She swallowed hard and slipped out quietly. The door clicked softly behind her as she stepped into the still hallway. The cool morning air brushed against her skin immediately.

Anna quickly slipped on her heels and walked down the hallway without looking back.

The elevator hummed nearby, but she took the stairs instead. Each step felt heavier than the last, her legs trembling beneath her. When she reached the floor below where the club was, soft light spilled in from outside, pale and calm against the pounding bass inside. Neon lights flickered over bodies slumped on couches, some drunk and passed out. The air smelled of beer and smoke, filled with low murmurs and distant laughter. She walked past them and went outside.

Outside, the city was waking up. The smell of fresh coffee mingled with damp concrete in the cool breeze. Cars moved slowly along wet pavement, their tires whispering against the rain-soaked streets.

She waved her hand, flagging down a passing cab. As it pulled over, Anna opened the door and slipped into the back seat without hesitation, then gave the driver her home address.

The cab moved smoothly through the streets as soft sunlight cast long shadows. Trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the city sounds grew quieter, with a distant honk, birds calling, and footsteps echoing on the sidewalks.

When the cab finally stopped in front of her apartment building, Anna stared up at it as if it might crumble at any moment. The worn bricks and faded paint looked fragile in the pale morning light. She took a shaky breath, paid the driver quickly, then opened the door, stepped out and closed the door behind her. The cool air brushed her face again. Stepping onto the sidewalk, she hesitated for a moment before entering the building.

The elevator was broken so she took the stairs.

Anna dragged herself up four flights of stairs on unsteady legs, each step feeling heavier than the one before, until she finally reached her flat.

ROOM 42.

She opened the door, stepped inside, and locked it behind her as the stillness of her apartment closed in around her. She took out her phone and plugged it in, dropped her purse on the bed, slipped out of her dress, and walked to the shower.

After a few minutes, she stepped out of the shower, dried herself, then pulled some clothes from her wardrobe and got dressed. She then lay down on the bed when her phone suddenly buzzed on the nightstand. Her fingers shook as she reached for it.

Anna stared at the glowing screen, stunned by the message she’d just seen.

James: I miss you. I want you back. I’m sorry. I made a big mistake.

Her thumb hovered over the phone, but she didn’t reply.

She turned off the screen, then turned it back on.

Her chest ached in that same familiar way it had last night. Sad, angry and confused. She hated how fast her heart beat just seeing James name again and hated how part of her still wanted to believe him.

Her phone buzzed again.

James: Please, Anna. Just talk to me. I still love you.

Then another message came quickly after.

James: Let’s meet one last time okay? Just to clear everything up. I’m not asking for anything else. Just one conversation. Please.

He dropped the location.

James: Riverside Park, 7 p.m. tonight. I will explain everything.

Anna closed her eyes as her fingers tightened around the phone.

She didn’t know what scared her more. Letting him back in or realizing she still wanted to.

Anna exhaled softly and lay flat on her bed with her phone still in her hand.

**************************************

~SOME HOURS LATER~

A cab had dropped Anna off at the edge of the park five minutes ago and she still wasn’t sure why she’d come. She’d told herself not to, over and over again, reminding herself he wasn’t the man she once loved.

Still, something pulled at her. A quiet thread of hope knotted tight with fear. She’d stood frozen on the sidewalk at first, watching the wind move through the trees, debating if she should just turn around. She almost did.

But she didn’t.

Anna checked the time on her phone. It read 7:34 p.m. She let out a soft sigh and kept her phone in hand as she began walking into the park. The trees whispered in the breeze, and somewhere in the distance, a dog barked once and then fell silent.

She spotted James near the old fountain, sitting alone on a bench. The water barely trickled behind him. His eyes scanned the park restlessly until they found her. His expression shifted. First came the flicker of surprise, followed by a look that almost resembled relief.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” James said, standing up quickly.

Before Anna could speak, he closed the distance and pulled her into a tight hug. His arms wrapped around her like he was trying to hold onto something fragile and slipping away.

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

Anna froze for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden closeness and the warmth of his body. But the weight in her chest reminded her why she was here. She had come for closure, not comfort.

Pulling back just enough to look at James, she forced her voice to stay steady. “You missed me? After you shattered me? After you looked me in the eyes and said you didn’t want me anymore?”

James held her gaze, his voice low and steady. “You know everything I do is for you, right? Only I know what’s best for you.”

Anna’s breath hitched. The confidence in his tone sent a shiver down her spine, but it also set off alarms deep inside her. She wanted to push him away, to say something, but her body stayed still, caught in the moment.

Then he leaned in slowly, lips brushing hers. The kiss was soft at first, almost apologetic. When he pulled back, his eyes searched hers.

“I—” Anna started, voice barely above a whisper.

But James didn’t let her finish. His mouth found hers again, firmer this time. The kiss was brief, cutting off her words, leaving her breathless and more confused than before.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered against her mouth.

Anna stepped back and stared at him, shock spreading through her like ice.

“I don’t understand,” she said, her voice trembling.

Before she could say more, two large men emerged silently from the shadows behind her, closing in. Then, without warning, one of them pressed a thick cloth over her mouth, soaked in a sharp chemical scent that burned her nose and made her eyes sting.

Anna’s eyes flew open in shock.

“James!” she mumbled into the cloth as tears slipped from her eyes.

But James didn’t move. He just stood there, watching with a smile on his lips.

She struggled, arms thrashing as her phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a dull thud. She clawed at the hand pressed against her mouth, but the grip was too strong. Her strength drained quickly, limbs growing heavy, knees buckling as James, the men, the soft glow of her screen and everything blurred. Her lungs burned for air. The edges of her vision pulsed.

Everything spun.

And then it all went dark.