The thunderstorm outside roared like a warning, but inside the luxury hotel suite, the silence was louder. A single lamp cast a golden hue over the chaos: a crumpled silk dress on the floor, champagne glasses abandoned on the table, and her phone buzzing unanswered near the edge of the bed.
Alicia Morgan sat up slowly, the silk bedsheets slipping down her shoulders. Her head was pounding, and her mouth was dry. Her eyes scanned the room—confused, disoriented, and dangerously sober. She was naked. Alone. And the faint scent of cologne that clung to the air didn't belong to her.
What the hell happened last night?
She reached for her phone—fifteen missed calls from her mother, three from her older sister, and one from a number she didn't recognize. Her stomach dropped. A memory flickered in her mind: laughter, a pair of dark eyes, and warm hands that touched her like he already knew her body.
Panic surged through her as she wrapped the sheet tightly around her chest and stumbled to the bathroom. Her reflection told the rest of the story—smeared lipstick, tousled hair, and red marks on her collarbone. She didn't need to remember everything. The evidence was clear.
She'd had a one-night stand.
With a stranger.
"Sht," she muttered, gripping the sink, trying to breathe. "Sht, sht, sht!"
This wasn't her. Alicia didn't do impulsive. She didn't get drunk and end up in hotel beds with unknown men. Especially not the night before her sister's engagement party.
And especially not while carrying the weight of her family's name.
She checked her phone again. A new message blinked at the top.
Unknown Number: Didn't want to wake you. Last night was... unexpected. But unforgettable. – D.
Her heart stopped.
Who the hell was D?
She opened the hotel room door just as a staff member passed by. "Excuse me!" she called out, trying not to sound as panicked as she felt. "Do you know who checked in with me last night?"
The man frowned. "I'm afraid I can't give out that information, miss. Privacy policy."
"Please, it's important. I— I think I lost something valuable."
The staff hesitated, then lowered his voice. "He paid in cash. Didn't leave a name. Just… told us to give you whatever you asked for. Looked like someone important."
Of course he did.
Rich. Discreet. Dangerous.
She quickly got dressed and exited through the service elevator, avoiding the main lobby like a criminal sneaking out of the scene of a scandal. Outside, the rain had stopped, but everything inside her felt stormy.
Three hours later, Alicia stood in her sister's penthouse, dressed like a porcelain doll in pale blue, pretending everything was fine.
"Where were you last night?" her sister, Vanessa, hissed at her. "You're not answering your phone. Mom nearly had a heart attack."
"I overslept. I'm sorry," Alicia said quietly, looking away.
Vanessa's expression tightened. "You look like hell. You didn't—do something stupid, did you?"
Alicia laughed awkwardly. "Define stupid."
Vanessa gave her a glare sharp enough to cut glass. "Don't ruin this day for me. I'm finally sealing a deal with someone that could change our future. Don't be selfish for once, Alicia."
Alicia swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth. She wasn't the selfish one. She was the forgotten one. The backup plan. The girl people used to keep the family name from falling apart.
She nodded, biting her tongue. "Of course not.
The engagement party was hosted in one of New York's most exclusive rooftop lounges, filled with glittering gowns, high heels, and sharper smiles. Alicia stood near the bar, sipping a glass of sparkling water, her eyes scanning the room without really seeing.
Until she did
Him.
The man from the hotel.
Dressed in black. Tailored suit. Confident steps. And those same dark eyes that had haunted her all day.
He was here.
Among the guests.
Laughing with her father.
She froze.
Her heart thudded so loudly it drowned out the music. The world spun as he turned slightly… and locked eyes with her.
A flicker of recognition.
Surprise.
And then, a perfectly controlled smile.
He started walking toward her.
She took a step back.
Vanessa's voice cut through the fog. "Alicia! Come meet Ethan's business partner—he's the man investing in Dad's new firm. Isn't that insane?"
She turned her head slowly. Ethan—Vanessa's fiancé—stood next to the man from last night. Her father joined them, proud and glowing.
The man reached out a hand.
"Dominic Blackwell," he said smoothly.
"Pleasure to meet you, Alicia Morgan."
Dominic. D.
She didn't move.
Her hand trembled, but she forced herself to breathe. "We've… met," she managed to say, eyes narrowing.
A twitch of amusement danced in his eyes. "Have we?"
Vanessa laughed. "Oh my god, that's right! You were both at the cocktail preview last night. What a small world!"
"Very small," Alicia murmured, her face burning.
Dominic's hand dropped to his side, but his eyes never left hers.
So this was the man her father was courting.
The man investing in her family's future.
The man she'd slept with.
She turned sharply and walked away before she did something insane—like scream.
Or kiss him again.
Later that night, as she stood alone on the terrace, the city lights flickering behind her, Dominic approached quietly, his voice low.
"You left without saying goodbye."
Alicia didn't look at him. "You didn't exactly leave a note."
He stepped closer. "We should talk."
"There's nothing to talk about," she whispered. "You're my sister's future business partner. And I… made a mistake."
He reached out, brushing a hair from her face. "It didn't feel like a mistake."
She stepped back. "Well, it was."
"Alicia—"
"No." Her voice cracked. "We can't. Whatever last night was—it stays in that hotel room. It never happened."
Dominic's jaw tightened. "You're lying to both of us."
She turned and walked away again.
What she didn't see… was the way he looked after her.
Like he had no intention of letting her go.