The sky was still dark, and the entire city of T was enveloped in silence, like a woman who had yet to sober up from a drunken stupor—languid, disoriented, and swaying with a sense of lost abandon. At the stone steps of the Grant Building, a delicate figure stood, her hair tousled by the wind, her eyes vacant, and her face pale. She gazed at the hazy dawn before her, like a lamb that had lost its way.
After waking up, Charlotte Hayes—Lottie—picked up her clothes from the scattered mess on the floor and fled almost in a panic. Last night felt like an unreal dream—his kisses, his caresses, his scent, his wild and unrelenting possession. It had been so intense, so forceful, leaving no room for refusal. The heat of his body, the fire in his eyes—it all felt like a brand seared into her heart. Last night’s indulgence had happened so naturally, without giving either of them a chance to regret it.
Now, thinking back, Lottie didn’t regret it, but she was restless, unsure of how to find balance within herself. Was it a one-night stand? A moment of passion? She had lost not just her body but also her confused and flustered heart.
“Miss, are you okay?” a cleaning lady asked with concern. She had arrived before dawn and had been watching Lottie for a while, worried that something was wrong.
Lottie looked up and smiled weakly at the woman. “I’m fine, thank you.” With that, she stood up and walked into the dawn. Behind her, hidden behind the glass doors of the Grant Building, Alexander Grant—Alex—stood tall, his eyes fixed on her swaying figure in the wind. He felt a pang of regret and the urge to chase after her, but he suppressed it.
Alex couldn’t believe it—she had been a virgin. Last night, he had taken her first time, and to make matters worse, the haze of alcohol had blurred his memory of the details. When he woke up this morning, the sight of the bloodstain on the beige couch was a stark reminder of what had happened.
Cursing under his breath, he followed her out, heading to the underground parking lot. He started his car and drove onto the road, instinctively searching for her figure. But in the thick morning fog, she was already gone. Eventually, his black car sped away from the Grant Building with a wild intensity.
Where had Lottie gone? She had boarded an early bus, the only passenger in the cold, empty vehicle. Her disheveled hair and vacant eyes caught the attention of the bus driver, who couldn’t help but glance at her a few times before striking up a conversation.
“Miss, you’re up early. Where are you headed?” he asked.
Lottie looked out the window at the passing scenery and smiled faintly. “Just stop up ahead.”
It was a little past six, and because it was the weekend, there were already joggers on the streets. Lottie wandered aimlessly along the riverside, the cool morning breeze brushing against her face as she gazed at the endless, beautiful scenery. The memories of last night lingered in her heart, refusing to fade. After walking for about a kilometer, she realized she was hungry and stepped into a small diner for breakfast.
At the table next to hers sat a couple—a slightly chubby boy and a delicate-looking girl. The boy clumsily set the table for the girl, a warm smile on his face, while the girl happily accepted his gestures. The entire diner seemed to fade away as they focused only on each other. The tender scene made Lottie’s heart ache.
She was hungry but couldn’t eat much. After hurriedly paying the bill, she stepped out and stood on the riverside bridge, her hair tousled by the wind. She walked slowly, her calm and composed face betraying no emotion. She wasn’t the type to wallow in self-pity or regret what had happened. She wouldn’t cry or fall apart. She would simply accept it, though she needed time.
At exactly seven, her phone rang. It was her mother. “Lottie, where are you? Why didn’t you come home last night?” her mother’s worried voice echoed through the phone.
“Mom, I was at a friend’s place. My phone died,” Lottie replied, taking a deep breath of the fresh air, her tone regaining some life.
“You should’ve called to let us know! Your father and I were worried sick. It’s Saturday—when are you coming home?” her mother scolded, clearly upset that her daughter had stayed out all night.
“Alright, I’ll be home for lunch,” Lottie said with a smile, trying to reassure her.
After hanging up, Lottie took another deep breath. Yes, it was Saturday, and she needed to relax. She was someone who could endure and keep things to herself, so she would forget last night’s madness as quickly as possible. She would treat it as a one-night stand, a game that was popular these days. If anything, she had come out ahead—she hadn’t lost much, considering she had been with such a handsome man.
With that thought, her steps lightened, and she hailed a cab to head home. On the way, she received a call from her best friend, Olivia Johnson—Liv. Liv teased her for bailing on them last night, leaving them almost short on cash. Lottie laughed and offered to treat them to lunch as compensation. The three quickly agreed and decided to meet at their usual mid-range restaurant.
When they met, Liv kept pressing Lottie about where she had been last night, as they had called her several times but got no answer. Lottie vaguely remembered hearing her phone ring, but she had been too busy at the time to answer.
As they chatted and laughed, Emma Smith—Em—sighed about her job search. Lottie mentioned that her department was hiring for sales and business roles and encouraged both of them to apply. When they found out Lottie worked at Grant Group, they were stunned. Everyone knew how high the standards were at Grant Group—they rarely hired fresh graduates, let alone someone straight out of college. The fact that Lottie had landed a position as an executive assistant left them in awe. When they asked how she had managed it, Lottie simply smiled and said she had applied like anyone else.