TWO - Sex and Scandal

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Aurora jumped up screaming,her heart slamming so hard it hurt. White sheets tangled around her waist and the cold air kissed her bare skin.

Bare.

Her breath stopped at the realization. She looked down.

Nothing. She had nothing on.

Her hands flew to her body as panic exploded in her chest. “What what the hell?!” she choked, immediately scrambling backward until her spine hit the headboard.

Her mind spun wildly. The room was strange. Large. Luxurious. It looked like a high-end hotel room, clean and expensive with tall windows letting sunlight flood the space.

Aurora pressed a hand to her temple. Her head throbbed, and her body felt heavy and sore, the kind of ache that made her stomach tighten with fear. Then suddenly fragments of memory rushed back without warning.

Someone’s weight pressing her down. Her bare feet stumbling across a hallway. Fear burning in her chest.

Then a kiss.

An overpowering one. It had stolen her breath, made her knees weaken even as her thoughts screamed for her to run. The memory sent a shiver through her.

“No…” she whispered.

She forced herself out of bed and stumbled toward the mirror. The moment she looked up, her breath caught painfully in her throat.

Her reflection stared back at her : Dark hickeys covered her neck, her collarbone, her shoulders. Faint bite marks traced her skin. Proof that yesterday really happened.

Aurora’s vision blurred with fear. If this got out… if even a rumor escaped these walls… she was finished.

Her career was already hanging by a thread. Directors avoided her. The media loved tearing her apart. And her stepsister : oh, her stepsister would feast on this.

A scandal like this would be the final nail. Headlines. Whispers. Cancelled contracts. Disgusted looks.

She pressed a hand over her mouth to stop another scream.

“This can’t be real,” she whispered

Then a low groan came from beside the bed.Aurora froze.

Slowly, painfully slowly, she turned her head.

A man lay sprawled across the bed, sheets draped loosely over his hips. His hair was messy and his body relaxed in sleep. He shifted, one arm moving as if searching for something.

Her.

Her face burned with embarrassment.

“Do you plan to keep screaming,” he muttered roughly, his voice was deep “or do you want another round to shut you up?”

Aurora’s entire face turned red.

Her mind betrayed her instantly. Flashes surfaced : the way his tongue had claims hers,his hands on her boobs, his hot dick piercing into her vagina. She could still feel it all.

She shook her head hard. No. This was not the time. She needed to take control of the situation.She spotted her gown on the floor. Or what was left of it.

The fabric was torn, the thin straps broken and the dress ruined beyond saving. Her chest tightened as she picked it up with trembling hands. That dress had been expensive,but it was now ruined .

Aurora knew she had to leave. Now.

Her hands shook as she struggled into the torn gown, the fabric barely holding together under her fingers. Her heart pounded as she moved toward the door, praying he wouldn’t wake.

“Tch.” The sound froze Aurora in her steps

The man shifted behind her. He was now pushing himself up on one elbow. His voice was irritated. “Damn headache…” He pressed his fingers to his temple, even though his eyes still half-closed.

Aurora barely reacted to his words,fear was coursing through her entire body. She slipped through the door, barefoot, heart lodged painfully in her throat, and pulled it shut behind her without looking back.

Inside the room, the man frowned.

“Hey,” he called lazily. “Woman?” There was silence.

His eyes snapped fully open. He looked at the empty doorway. “…Damn it.”

Aurora never heard the curse. She was already running.

The hallway was long and confusing. But her fear was driving her forward as she grabbed a wide-brimmed hat from a decorative stand and shoved it down over her face.

She snatched a scarf from another display and wrapped it tightly around her neck, hiding the marks she refused to think about.

Don’t stop. Don’t think. Just go. Aurora told herself

She entered the elevator and then the hotel lobby finally came into view.She rushed to the reception desk breathless. “i need help please"

The receptionist looked up slowly. Very slowly. Her eyes dragged over Aurora from head to toe. There was clear judgment in her eyes. Her lips curled.

“…Wow,” she said“You crawl out of a gutter, or is that your usual look?”

Aurora swallowed hard. “I need a cab”

The receptionist laughed “That’s cute. You don’t need anything. You wait. That’s how this works.”

Aurora’s hands pressed flat against the counter. “Call. A. Cab.”

“Excuse you?” the woman snapped, leaning back in her chair. “You think you can barge in here half-dressed and start barking orders? Get some dignity please”

Aurora reached over and slammed her hand down on the desk. “NOW.”

The receptionist flinched, then scowled. “Tch. Psycho.” She jabbed a button hard. “Fine. Cab’s on the way. Take it and dont hover.”

Aurora didn’t wait another second.The moment she heard the confirmation beep, she spun around and bolted for the doors.

Behind her, chaos erupted.

“What do you mean she left?!”

A furious male voice echoed through the lobby. The sound alone made people flinch. Evey single Conversation died and the air went tense immediately.

The man from the room stormed forward wearing only trousers. His presence was fucking terrifying. He locked his sharp gaze locked onto the receptionist and she immediately peed her pants.

“M-Mr. Reuben,” the receptionist stammered,her rude tone vanishing instantly. “T-the woman you described… I—I just called a cab for her.”

Reuben’s jaw tightened. The muscles in his face hardened,there was anger flashing in his eyes. “Which way?” he demanded.

The receptionist lifted a shaking hand and pointed toward the entrance.At that exact moment, Aurora glanced back. Her blood ran cold.He was there.

Reuben stormed through the lobby doors, his steps heavy and furious, his presence filling the space like a coming disaster. His eyes searched the entire area, locking onto her in an instant. The look on his face was dark and dangerous.

Aurora didn’t think. She ran.

Her shoes slapped against the pavement as she jumped for the waiting cab. The driver looked startled, barely having time to react before she yanked the door open and threw herself inside.

“Drive!” she shouted in fear

Behind her, Reuben burst out of the hotel doors. “Stop!” he roared, striding toward the cab with angry steps.

The engine revved.The car lurched forward just as Reuben reached out, missing the door by inches. Aurora slammed back against the seat and her heart pounded wildly as the cab sped away.

Reuben stood there for a moment his eyes dark with frustration. Then his expression hardened into something colder. He turned sharply and walked back inside the hotel.

The lobby went silent once again as he passed. Staff avoided his gaze. Conversations died. He grabbed a phone from the reception desk. The receptionist stiffened but didn’t dare stop him.

The call connected almost instantly.

“Eli,I want answers,” Reuben said“At all costs, find out who drugged me yesterday. Every guest. Every staff member. I don’t care how small the detail is bring it to me.”

He paused

“The girl from last night should be found,” he continued,it was the voice of a man used to command. “run a detailed background check on her. No mistakes. No delays. This is not a request.”

The line went dead.