he sunlight filtered through the curtains of the large window, casting golden lines over the tangled sheets. The distant murmur of morning traffic barely disturbed the silence of the room. Estrella opened her eyes slowly, feeling her body numb, her mind foggy from the remnants of alcohol and the echo of memories.She blinked several times, trying to orient herself. The hotel room was in intimate disarray: clothes scattered across the floor, the sheet barely covering her nakedness. She instinctively reached out her arm to the other side of the bed… empty.The young stranger was gone.An involuntary sigh escaped her lips. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. What she had experienced the night before was unlike anything else. It was impulsive, irrational… and perhaps that was why it felt so powerful. She brought a hand to her chest; she could still feel her heart racing, the trembling in her legs.Fragments of the night returned like lightning flashes: the warmth of his caresses, the touch of his skin against hers, the broken moans, the husky whispers in her ear, the way their bodies sought each other with an almost savage need. As the memories enveloped her, Estrella felt a thick, urgent heat rekindle in her lower belly, slowly descending to her center, where an intimate pulse began to beat with its own strength.Almost without thinking, as if drawn by an invisible current, her hand slid down her bare belly and slipped beneath the sheet. She brushed her skin gently, and when her fingers caressed her still sensitive femininity, a soft moan escaped her throat. She closed her eyes. She imagined his lips, his firm hands, the deep voice calling her "precious." She let herself go.Her fingers moved slowly at first, exploring, remembering. Then with more certainty, trying to recreate the rhythm that had carried her to ecstasy. Her breathing grew heavier, her back arched. Her whole body reacted as if he were still on top of her, as if every movement brought her back to that night of total surrender.The climax hit her suddenly, a warm wave that tore from her a muffled moan and left her trembling, panting, her heart pounding fiercely.She opened her eyes slowly, feeling the damp skin, the relaxed body… and a strange emotional calm. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel guilty. She had given in to an impulse, to a fantasy… and had been free.She sat up slowly, covering herself with the sheet. It was then that she saw it: on the room's table, carefully arranged, a hot breakfast awaited her. Freshly brewed coffee, orange juice, fruit, rolls, eggs with bacon… all served neatly.Next to the tray, a small note written in black ink on elegant paper:"Thank you for the night. If you ever want to repeat it… or just talk.C. R.+34 7XX XXX XXX"Estrella held the note between her fingers as if it were a delicate object. There wasn't an extra word, nor an empty promise. Just an open invitation. C. R.? She had no idea what his name was. Nor his story. She only remembered his dark gaze and how he made her feel desired… real.A faint smile curved her lips. She brought the coffee to her lips and took a long sip, letting the aroma fully awaken her. Maybe she wasn't as lost as she thought.She was twenty-four. A broken heart. A company that might be hiding secrets. A father she didn't trust. A venomous stepmother. A treacherous half-sister.And now… a new unknown in her story: C. R.The game had only just begun.
