Chapter 2 - Waking Up in a Strange Man's Bed

Selena squirmed softly, her head feeling heavy as if it had been hit by a hammer. She groaned, trying to open her eyes, but the glare from the sunlight coming through the window made her squint.

As her consciousness began to return, she felt something strange.

Wait...

The sheets under her body were warm. And... wait a minute. This wasn't her room! Her eyes flew wide open. She froze, turning her head to the side.

There, a man slept soundly with his chest exposed, displaying perfectly formed abdominal muscles. His skin was slightly tanned, his face masculine, with a sharp jawline and a perfect nose. His black hair was a little messy but still looked incredibly seductive.

But that's not what shocked Selena. She looked down, seeing herself without a single thread on her body. Instantly, her blood rushed.

When her eyes caught sight of the faint red stain on the white sheets, her heart sank.

Oh my!

A trembling hand covered her mouth. She tried to remember what happened last night, but there were only blurry fragments: the club, the alcohol, the heat, then someone.

But who?

Selena tapped her forehead in frustration. "Asshole... What did I do last night?"  

Her soft voice was enough to wake the man beside her. With a lazy movement, he squirmed and then opened his eyes. A sharp gray gaze immediately locked onto Selena's.  

Dominic blinked a few times before realizing the situation.  

"Oh, you're awake," he said casually, his voice deep and husky in the morning.  

Selena, still in shock, took a few seconds before finally hissing angrily.  

"You... Who are you?!"  

Dominic looked at her with a lazy expression. "Seriously? After last night, you were so actively flirting; now you're asking who I am?"  

Without thinking, Selena raised a hand and slapped his cheek. "What an asshole!"  

Dominic snorted. His hand came up, rubbing his cheek, which was starting to turn red.  

"Wow." He gave a short laugh, not looking surprised. "After you dragged me to bed last night, now you're acting like a victim."  

"What?!" Selena's eyes bulged angrily.

Dominic chuckled. "Yeah, don't you remember?" He raised an eyebrow. "You called me darling, but last night you didn't mind pulling me into your arms."  

Selena wanted to slap him again, but Dominic caught her wrist before she could do so.  

"Look, Miss Drunk," he said in a calm yet firm tone. "This club is mine, and my rooms are off-limits to just anyone. But last night, you trespassed, undressed yourself, and then pulled me into bed."  

Selena bit her lip, confused. Was that really the case? But if she was the one who flirted first... But no! That doesn't make sense!  

"I don't believe a word you say," she said, still adamant.  

Dominic sighed, then got up from the bed without the slightest awkwardness, making Selena hurriedly look the other way. This man is shameless!  

Dominic took something from his coat hanging on the chair, then walked over and handed Selena a card.  

"Here."

Selena glanced at the object, hesitating before taking it. She read the contents, and her eyes immediately widened.  

"What the hell is this?"  

"Consider it compensation." Dominic stuffed both hands into his pants pockets casually. "A billion is enough, right?"  

Selena looked up with a smoldering gaze.  

"Compensation?" She gripped the card firmly. "What kind of woman do you think I am?!"  

Dominic remained calm. "I don't think anything of the sort, missy. I'm just making sure you won't create drama after this. Let's pretend nothing happened."  

Without thinking, Selena slapped the man across the face again, harder than before.  

Dominic gasped, his eyes narrowing slightly.  

"Asshole!" Selena threw the card in his face. "I don't need your money!"  

She grabbed her clothes that littered the floor and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door loudly.  

Dominic rubbed his reddened cheeks and chuckled softly.  

"Interesting."

Inside the bathroom, Selena sat on the floor with her knees bent, her head bowed deeply. Her tears fell silently. How unlucky.

Last night, she had slept with a stranger. She couldn't even remember how it all happened. Her hands clenched into fists on her thighs. What had she done? How did she end up like this?

For several minutes, Selena was silent, trying to control herself and calming her ragged breathing. She knew crying wouldn't change anything.

When she felt calm enough, she got up and washed her face with cold water. She looked in the mirror, seeing her own messed-up reflection: messy hair, puffy eyes.

She took a deep breath, then grabbed her clothes and put them on.

When she opened the bathroom door and came out, the room was empty. There was no longer the strange man who had slept on the bed.

However, on the bed, the card containing one billion was still lying.

Selena stared at her for a moment, then snorted sarcastically. As if her pride could be bought with money. Without a second thought, she turned and left, leaving the card where it was.  

***

Arriving home, Selena had just closed the door when a slap landed on her cheek.  

Plak!

Selena was startled. Her head turned to the side at the blow, a stinging sensation running through her skin.  

In front of her, David stood with a dark face and piercing eyes staring at her. His jaw was clenched tightly, his expression full of anger.  

"Where were you last night?" his voice was cold, piercing like a knife.  

Selena swallowed, quickly lowering her head to hide her anxiety. She had to remain calm.  

"I was with Mom at the hospital," she replied softly.

David's eyes were still scrutinizing her face, looking for any sign of a lie.

But finally, he sighed and stepped back.

"All right," he murmured, his tone softening slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried."

Selena smiled slightly, though her heart felt heavy inside.

"I'll go to my room first," she said quietly, then turned and walked toward her room.

After entering the room, David walked to the closet and took out his wallet. He looked like he was about to check his black card, but instead, it fell to the floor open.

A small photograph was tucked inside, clearly visible to Selena's eyes. Her eyes widened when she saw the face of the man in the photo. Her whole body felt frozen.

With trembling hands, she picked up the wallet and looked closely at the photo.

"Whose picture is this, darling?" she asked in a trembling voice, her heart pounding loudly inside her chest.

David, who was arranging the cards in his wallet, took one glance and replied without thinking, "My father."

Selena's heart sank. Her legs felt weak, almost unable to stand. How could that be?

That picture...

That was the man she had slept with last night!

"So he's your father?" asked Selena incredulously.