Chapter 2: The man I couldn’t remember

ELENA.

The hallways outside the hotel room was quiet.

There were red soft carpets beneath my feet and a dim lightning.

I felt something strange, like I didn’t fit in anywhere, but that wouldn’t stop me from finding out the truth.

I take a walk slowly to the receptionist, she looks up at me as I approached the desk.

“Good morning ma’am. How may I assist you?” her smiles were polite.

I smile back at her before dropping the card slowly on her desk. “Good morning…I...I found myself in one of the rooms upstairs” I hesitate for a second before asking. “I’m looking for the man who ordered room 12 last night, Mr. Brandon.”

The moment I mentioned the name, her smile fades quickly and her expressions are suddenly unreadable, she looked frightened.

Then she smiles at me again but this time I could tell she was faking it. “I’m very sorry ma’am. We do not disclose information about our guest.”

My chest tightens.

“No you’ve got it all wrong. I am not asking for their personal details” I say carefully. “I just want to know if the person is still in this hotel.”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you with that ma’am” she says, trying to keep her smiles up, so I wouldn’t notice anything.

I sigh. “Please…it’s very important”

She scans from my eyes to my dress like she wanted to say something but- “I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

There’s a sudden silence between us. My stomach drops in frustration. “Okay can you just tell me how-”

“Sorry ma’am” she cuts in.

I didn’t understand why she kept on apologizing and why she felt frightened like there was something she didn’t want me to know.

What kind of man is Mr. Brandon exactly? How did I even get into this hell of a mess?

I pick up the card. My fingers grip onto it tightly as I shove the card into my bag.

“Thank you”

I don’t get a response from her.

Instead she watches me with her eyes filled with sympathy. She knows something, but why isn’t she saying anything?

The rest of the workers stare at me as well like they all know something. Except me.

…..

I step outside the hotel quickly, the morning breeze hits my face, it helped a bit but it wasn’t enough to erase my thoughts.

Why isn’t anyone saying anything?

Is he their boss?

Why did he leave me here?

My phone suddenly vibrates, dragging me out of my thoughts.

I glanced at my phone screen. It was violet, I'm sure she would have been so worried about me.

I answer the phone quickly.

“Violet?”

“Elena where the hell are you?” her voiced was loud and filled with panic. “I’ve been trying to call you since last night. You made me worried. Where are you?”

“I…I’m outside.”

“What do you mean outside? Outside where?”

I pulled the phone slightly close to my ear. “A hotel”

“A hotel?” she says slowly. “When did you leave the party last night? How did you get to the hotel? What happened last night?”

I bit my lips carefully, my gaze falls back towards the hotel building. “I don’t remember.”

“This is getting cracked up right now. Elena you’ve to come home now.”

The word home suddenly felt strange to me now.

“What’s happening at home? Is everything alright?”

There’s a pause.

Then-

“..You didn’t hear?” violet said in a low voice.

“Hear what?”

“Oh I forgot you two don’t get along, but your sister is throwing a party”

I roll my eyes. “What’s the occasion?”

“I don’t know. I should be asking you, just come home Elena. We will sort things out.”

“I’m on my way”

The call ends.

…..

By the time I got home. The loud sounds of music hits my ears before I even stepped inside.

My stomach twists as I slightly push the door open. The house is filled up with people.

Everywhere smells like liquor and for some reasons I hated the smell, it reminded me of my night at the club.

“Elena!” I look around, my eyes spotting violet walking towards me with her eyes scanning my body like she’s looking for a damage.

“Are you okay? You don’t look good”

“I’m fine violet” I say quickly.

“Are you sure? You-”

“Seriously violet I’m okay” I repeat slowly.

“Alright. Now tell me what the hell happened? How did you forget how you got to the hotel?”

“A man took me there. I don’t remember his face clearly but I know he has neck tattoos, and I can recognize his voice…” I pull out the card from my bag. “He left me in the hotel room with this.”

“Mr. Brandon?” violet said, glaring at the card.

“Yeah. I don’t know why I can’t remember everything that happened that night.”

“Elena, what matters now is that you’re okay and not hurt.” She says quickly.

“But I need to know what happened.” I mutter.

Violet glares at me. “Why? You said you didn’t want to remember your one night stand with a stranger right? So maybe it’s good that you don’t remember anything.”

I shake my head slightly. “No. this…this is different I need to know”

“Elena-”

“I need to find him. I need answers”

“It was just one night, it doesn’t have to be a big deal, Elena just let it go.”

I bite my lips. “I…I can’t”

Before violet could respond, a voice that sounded annoyingly familiar cuts in.

“May I have your attention everyone?”

Everywhere became silent, focusing on the one person who was calling for attention, my step sister, Rita.

She stands at the center of the room with a red dress, holding a glass cup on her right hand, her posture was exceptional and her expression was glowing. It was different.

“I have a big surprise to share” she said in a loud, confident voice.

Violet mutters beside me. “Here we go again.”

Rita lifts her hands slowly and that’s when I see it. A ring was attached to her forefinger.

My eyebrows pull together.

“Guys its official!” she says with a smile spreading across her lips. “I’m engaged.”

“What the hell. Is this some kind of a joke to pull people’s attention?” violet whispers beside me.

I didn’t have any words to say. I was shocked and confused.

Engaged? From what I know Rita isn’t a kind of girl who settles for only one guy, so how did it happen?

Rita gaze swirls across the room and for a moment her eyes lands on me.

She stares at me with a disgusting look, then she turns her head and smiles. “Everyone meet my fiancée. Mr. Brandon Donovan.”

The air shifts when someone steps forward. He was tall and composed, walking with calculated steps.

The room changes instantly and I could feel it, like someone powerful had just arrive.

My heart stops.

No. no it can’t be.

Everything fades away, I don’t see the people or hear the music anymore. I just see him and then my eyes fall to his neck.

Tattoos. I could forget everything from that night but not his neck tattoos.

My grip tightens around the card in my hands. My breathe catches.

“Brandon Donovan? Hell no” violet let out a sharp breathe.

I couldn’t find my voice, my hands were shaking.

None of this made sense.

“He’s the one”

Violet turns to me quickly. “What do you mean?”

I kept on staring at him with my heartbeat racing like everything was about to explode around me.

“He’s the one…the man I couldn’t remember” I repeat, my hands shaking.

Then I swallow and say the word that changes everything.

“He’s the one I had a one night stand with.”