Sunlight went through the drawn curtains, spilling across the floor and landing softly on the bed. Ava opened her eyes, but her vision felt blurred, everything felt strange, and unfamiliar. For a moment, she didn't even recognize the room she was in. The softness of the sheets, the polished floor, the elegant décor—it all felt different from her shabby apartment, like she had magically appeared into someone else's life overnight.
A knock at the door startled her. "Good morning, ma'am," came a gentle voice. Maria, the housekeeper, stepped in carrying a tray of breakfast. The smell of coffee and toasted bread filled the room, but all Ava could feel was the sick twist in her stomach from the night's drinking
"Breakfast is ready, Ma," Maria said politely, setting the tray on the bedside table. "Mr. Damian left early for a business meeting. He asked me to give you this." She handed Ava a card.
Ava's hand shook as she unfolded the card. As she read the words:
"I'm off for a business meeting. I dropped some money for you-it should be enough for you and whatever you need, Maria will attend to you, Damian."
Her stomach sank. Money.
She felt as if she had just sold herself out for sex and money.
why will he leave her cash-does he think she is for hire? Her hands trembled as the guilt and shame from the night before crashed down on her all at once. She can't even eat breakfast. She grabbed her bag and left.
Her mind kept replaying last night's event like a movie. The feel of his hands, the warmth of his body. She had slept with a stranger, a man whose last name she didn't even know, only his first. And now, the image of him is stuck in her memory like glue, a mixture of longing and shame that made her chest tighten.
How did I even end up here? she thought, the words echoing in her mind. I shouldn't have drunk; I wasn't ready. And yet… Her stomach churned, and she felt disgusted
By the time she reached her apartment, the familiar streets did little to calm her. She barely noticed the sounds of the honking of cars or the chatter of morning pedestrians.
Her friends were already there when she entered, sitting on the couch, chatting. Their faces lit up when they saw her.
"Sis! How was last night? Spill! , Don't tell me nothing happens, cuz I knew you got laid," Sophia demanded, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Ava stiffened. Her hands trembled as she sat down on the couch. "No…..thing nothing happened," she muttered, forcing a small laugh, but her voice cracked.
"Nothing? Come on, you've been MIA! Did you get laid or what? Just spill already," Grace asked, leaning forward eagerly.
Ava felt heat rise to her cheeks. She wasn't ready to talk to them about it yet; she wasn't prepared to admit what had happened.
"I… I just…" she trailed off, looking down at her hands. She wanted to disappear into thin air, to erase the shame coursing through her veins. How could I let this happen? she thought. How could I give myself to someone I barely knew, and this is why I don't drink !!
Her friends' chatter faded into the background as Ava's mind wandered back to the morning, to the cash Damian had left. She felt a pang of guilt. Did I… sell myself? The thought stung, bitter and humiliating.
She has never let herself go like this before; she has always protected herself, and yet she had surrendered to a total stranger, and he cum inside her without protection.
Grace's voices pulled her back, light and teasing. "You're too quiet! What is wrong, girl! We won't judge you, besides we had our own share of fun," But Ava couldn't.
"I… I need some air," she muttered, standing shakily. She left her friends behind, stepped out into the streets. The sun hit her face, warm, and she took a deep breath.
She sat on a nearby bench, burying her face in her hands. She felt exhausted and guilty, trapped in a web of self-questioning. She thought again, and for the first time, she didn't try to answer. Whatever happened-happens for a reason, she will no longer question or kill herself over a one-night stand with a handsome stranger.