He was holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a glass in the other. The dude was shirtless and apparently in shock because he just stood frozen.

"What are you doing here?" came his perplexed voice.

"I don't know. You brought me here," I retorted, trying to stand up but sitting back down because I still felt dizzy.

"This wasn't the room they put you in..." he started, his voice laced with annoyance.

"Why are you stripping?" I blurted out nonchalantly.

"Because this is my room!" he yelled, now getting angry.

"Wowww! Who pissed in your cereal?" I said, raising my hands in surrender.

He sighed, dropped his bottle and glass on the table, then ran a hand down his face, obviously in no mood to entertain me.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, genuinely feeling like I'd found my kin.

I saw him cock his head to the side as if he was taken aback by the change in my tone.

"I had a shitty day too...more like a shitty life," I continued with a scoff. "I'm in a dark hole that may become so endless if I don't come up with a solution tonight."

"Was that why you were at the bar with those men?"

I looked up at him in surprise.

"Yeah," I nodded, sighing.

He heaved a sigh, then picked up the shirt he'd dropped on the couch, threw it back on, and walked over to the bed, plopping down beside me.

I looked at his side profile. The man was gorgeous. Although I still couldn't see clearly, I could make out enough to know he was breathtaking.

"I'm in a mess too," he said with a humorless chuckle, leaning back and supporting himself with his two arms on the bed.

"It's that bad, huh?"

He nodded.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I saw him turn to look at me.

"Why do you have so much makeup on? You look like a clown."

I widened my mouth in shock, then we both burst out laughing.

"It's not my strong suit. I needed to look the part."

"For the circus, you mean?"

"No!" I said, laughing, slowly feeling my tense muscles relaxing.

He sighed again, turning to stare into the distance. "One of our resorts caught fire, harming a lot of people."

I gasped, covering my mouth immediately with my palm. "Oh my God."

"Five of my staff lost their lives. A lot were injured, including guests. I don't know what to do. I'm lost. For the past three weeks, my legal team, PR team and myself have been trying to get things under control. Visiting the families of the deceased, attending press conferences, having the police investigate everything... yet it's as if it'll never end."

"That was why you were at the bar."

He nodded. "That's also why I finished a bottle of champagne and am currently talking to a complete stranger...with ridiculous makeup," he added with a lopsided smile.

I smiled back, watching this handsome stranger bare his heart to me.

"Well, if I was in my right mind, I wouldn't be here, would I?"

He shook his head.

"Hey, nobody wrote the manual for how to survive a complete disaster. You're basically inventing it as you go. That's impressive... and slightly terrifying."

"That's funny because all my life, I've been preparing for this role. These situations have been drilled into me with years of studies and training, yet it's all so difficult."

"No one said the real thing would be easy. And you look young..."

"I am young..." he said with a laugh.

"See... a lot of people would've broken down. A whole lot would have fled and left it for others to handle. Yet here you are, standing strong... with an empty bottle of champagne and again... a stranger in your room."

He threw his head back and laughed.

"You're good, shrink."

"Oh, but I try," I smiled.

"Don't do it," he began with all seriousness.

"Huh?"

"Whatever you're going through... don't go down that path," he said, looking at me squarely.

I slowly stood up and walked toward where he'd dropped the bottle of champagne and glass. Right beside it was a second bottle of champagne that he'd already started on. I quickly grabbed the bottle and gulped as much as I could.

I felt his presence before the bottle was snatched from my hand. The force made me stumble backward right into his arms.

"Stop," he said curtly, returning to that stoic person I'd met in the bar.

I smiled sheepishly and turned around, wrapping my arms around his neck. I felt his whole body stiffen at our contact. My own body, on the other hand, came alive. It was as if something ignited deep within my stomach. The feeling grew, spreading throughout my body in sizzling succession.

"I just want to forget," I said with a weak shrug, tears brimming in my eyes.

I watched as his stoic demeanor crumbled as he stared into my eyes.

"You're drunk..."

"So are you."

"We shouldn't..."

I cut him off by crashing my lips against his, tightening my arms around his neck as the sizzling ignited into flames within me. I felt him return the kiss immediately, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing me closer to him.

A moan escaped my lips as he nibbled on my lower lip. That particular sound must have driven him into a frenzy because he momentarily left my lips, slid his hands down to my thighs, and grabbed them. He pulled me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist.

He took my lips again, kissing me hungrily as he made his way to the bed. Once his leg hit the edge of the bed, we both stumbled onto it, laughing hysterically at our clumsiness.

For a moment, he stopped, staring into my eyes.

"We may not remember this night. Are you sure you want to do this?"

I smiled and nodded in approval.

I believe that was all he needed to know, because right after that, he took my lips again, kissing me fervently like his life depended on it. Even while fully clothed, he savored my body, kissing every part of me as if it were his life's mission.

I'd never felt this way in my entire life. I never knew such pleasures existed. I'd heard a lot, I'd also seen a lot, but I'd never felt it. My whole body stood on edge, moving to the rhythm of his lips, hands, and body.

Just when I thought I'd felt it all, he slid lower...

I gasped as his lips made contact with my belly button. I never knew that part of me was that sensitive. I slapped my palm against my mouth, hoping to stifle the loud moans that were sounding so strange to me.

Slowly and leisurely, he peeled all my clothing off me, then stared at me with hooded eyes. I shyly placed my hands over my breasts. I saw his lips stretch into a beautiful smile before he reached out and gently pulled my hands away.

I could've sworn I heard him visibly gulp. But alas, the thought was driven right out of me when he bent over, grabbed my breasts, and suckled on them.

Yeah, the tiny scream I was holding back escaped. I grabbed the sheets on both sides of me, arching my back as ripples and ripples of pleasure washed over me. I could feel his lips stretching into a smile against my skin.

He went from one breast to the other, nibbling and suckling like a baby starved of food. I involuntarily grabbed a handful of his hair in my desperate quest to control whatever entity had taken charge of my body.

He momentarily left my breasts, raising his head to the ceiling and moaning deeply. My eyes were shut the entire time, but when I heard him moan, I opened them and looked down at him. He had his eyes shut tightly, grimacing as if in pain.

I quickly pulled my hand from his hair, thinking I was causing him pain, but just as quickly, he grabbed me by the wrist and slid my fingers back into his hair.

"Don't stop," he said in a hoarse voice.

I gulped, nodding my head vigorously.

After that, I would say I lost my senses.

This man I knew nothing about drove me to the ends of the world and beyond. There was discomfort at first, but he was so gentle that the sharp pain left just as quickly as it came.

Afterwards, we just lay there, in each other's arms, breathing heavily.

"Do you still think we'll forget?" I asked, tracing circles on his toned chest.

"I hope not," he said, staring at the ceiling as he stroked my hair.

"Me too," I said, reaching out and touching his face. He lowered his gaze and looked deeply into my eyes.

"Let me show you something," he finally said, and slipped out of bed in all his male glory. He walked over to where his suit lay, put his hand into the inside pocket, and retrieved a shining object. Then he walked back to me and hovered it over my face.

"Wow! It's beautiful. What's this?"

"Strangely, my grandfather felt it was the right time to give me the family crest. When things are falling apart, he felt the need to mount this pressure on me."

"Why do you feel it's pressure? What does it represent?"

"He didn't say. He just said I should hold on to it. But somehow, I feel like this comes with a lot of responsibilities."

"It's beautiful."

"Yeah."

"Can I feel it?"

"Sure."

As I stretched out my hand to hold the precious gem, a bright light shone from the window. It was so bright I had to squint, covering my face with the back of my hand.

"Mum! Wake up!"

"Huh?!" I yelled, jumping up from the bed. "I'm awake, I'm awake!"

"I'm hungry," Jason cried out. "You've been sleeping for hours."

"Baby, I'm awake now. I'll go fix something for you very soon, okay?"

He nodded.

"Where's Grandma?"

"She's having a nap."

"Okay, baby. I'll be out shortly."

I watched my five-year-old son walk out, his favorite Escanor toy tucked under his arm like a tiny warrior ready for battle.

I sighed and rubbed my tired eyes. I needed more sleep. Work and school were taking a toll on me. I was in my finals and exams were near. The stress level wanted to stifle the life out of me.

I reached out to take a glass of water from my bedside table when suddenly, the dream I'd just had came crashing in confusing whirls.

It wasn't a dream.

It happened six years ago. The night I conceived Jason.

But the weird part was, for the life of me, I don't remember the dream every time I wake up. It's as if it's a memory locked deep within my head that only unlocks in my subconscious.

I do remember waking up with a migraine the next morning and finding myself alone in the room. I do remember the disgust I felt at having sex with a complete stranger who had just had his way with me and left.

I had shamefully worn my clothes and was about to sneak out when my eyes caught sight of the gem I always saw in my dream. Apparently, the gem is the only thing I remember whenever I wake up from that dream.

I cringed when the thought of what I did crossed my mind. It will forever haunt me.

I was so desperate.

The gem looked like the solution to my problem.

I stole it.

But I was going to return it. My plan was to pawn it off alongside the wristwatches and gold cufflinks I took from the dresser, get the funds I needed, save my grandma, then work my ass off to reclaim everything.

Surprisingly, just the gem was enough to cover all medical expenses, making me wonder at the gravity of what I'd done.

"Mum!"

"Coming!"

I quickly brushed my teeth and rushed out to make lunch for my son, then prepared for work.

As I entered the large gates of the Thorne Hotels and Suites, I immediately noticed the ruckus, which contrasted with the calm and elegance that is Thorne Hotels and Suites, one of the largest, top five-star hotels in Aberdeen, where I worked as a concierge.

"What's happening, Rufus?" I asked one of the gardeners who was trimming the lawn profusely.

"Oh, hey Leah. Well, It came all too sudden. We all got a call this morning that the Thorne annual fundraiser had been moved to this place last minute. So, everyone's in a frenzy to get the place in shape within a week."

I scoffed.

"But the whole place is sparkling. Why the pressure? It's not like we've been idle the whole time. We've actually been working."

"Tell that to the organizers. They've become devils at this point. Going at everyone with pitchforks."

I sighed tiredly. The pressure was massive as it was; now there would be even more.

I facepalmed myself and began walking in.

"Thanks, Rufus," I said with a wave, getting a nod in response.

From then, the day spiraled out of control. We were made to check the rooms several times, making sure no duvet was mismatched nor a toiletry missing. We were re-drilled on how to act and behave professionally with the dignitaries who would arrive early.

We had to help out with setting up the large hall for the event and do loads more. Oh! It was so exhausting.

This went on for days. I almost died!

I came home at midnight exhausted, then had to wake up early to go for my classes in the morning, then spend a few hours at the library to study for my exams, after which I'd go to the hotel.

"Leah!"

"Yes, Mr. Scott?!" I squeaked, freezing on the spot.

"Why hasn't the executive suites been checked today? The guests will be arriving by next week!" Mr. Scott, our prim and proper manager, dressed in his tailored, crease-free suit, yelled in his British accent.

I had just finished going through thirty rooms! Checking, rechecking, dusting, rearranging. Give me a break, man! It's quite difficult working in heels.

"Sir, I just used the restroom."

"Don't care. Go get those rooms fixed!"

I sighed, grumbling profanities under my breath.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Nothing, sir."

"That's right," he said sarcastically.

I entered the elevator to the 30th floor and made my way to the executive suites. That should be the last set of rooms for the day before I could do other things and call it a night.

"Just one more room, one more room," I sang tiredly as I made my way to the last room.

I opened the door and walked into the already sparkling room, moving sluggishly from one place to the other. I was ready to pass out at this point.

Once I was done, I came into the bedroom for a final check.

There, on the king-sized bed, lay the fluffiest, coziest-looking duvet I'd ever seen.

I widened my eyes as the bed called out to me.

My colleague June was in charge of all executive suites, but she'd been assigned to the presidential suite earlier today because certain guests preferred bustier and curvier concierges. Bleh!

Well, she should have known that this room was for a man who had no such preferences. I scrolled through the tab and saw that I was right. The guest had requested plain, dark-colored sheets and duvet. This was why Mr. Scott yelled at us! What gets to me the most is that people like her aren't blamed for their mistakes because they have pretty privileges. We end up taking the brunt of their mishaps.

I sighed for the hundredth time that day. Thank God I had some sheets and a duvet that matched the aesthetics. I quickly got to work, replacing everything and fixing it just like we'd been drilled.

By the time I fixed the last crease, my legs gave up, sending me right onto the bed.

I wanted to scream but was too exhausted to get anything out. I simply gave in and lay there.

In my subconscious, I could make out sounds at the entrance of the door. I tried to get up, but sleep paralysis wouldn't let me. I'd exerted myself for too long.

If it were Mr. Scott walking through that door, then I was completely done for.

After several tries, I gave up, allowing my tired body the repose it greatly needed. As if in agreement, I felt warmth all around me. I sighed contentedly, succumbing to the calls of overdue sleep, and maybe a possible termination.

"Leah! Wake up!"

"Yeah, I'm awake!" I yelled, widening my eyes and springing up. I darted my eyes around but saw no one.

Was I hallucinating?

I looked around again. Everything looked normal to me...except for the duvet covering the other half of my body.

Someone was in here!

No! Someone is still in here! I gasped in realization as I heard water running in the bathroom.

"We caught the intruder in the executive room. We don't know how he got in, but he's been arrested. The police said he usually goes around huge hotels and resorts pretending to be part of the elite, then ends up seducing women and scamming people out of their money."

That was said by a male colleague of mine sometime last month when we'd had an intruder in the executive suite.

I gasped, covering my mouth. Was that what this was? Was the intruder here?!

I shuffled around, looking for anything to defend myself. I should call security! I quickly reached for the bedside phone and, with shaky hands, dialed the security line.

"Hello, Thorne Security Services..."

"Matthew! There's an intruder!" I whispered loudly.

"Leah?" came the confused voice of Matthew, one of the security men on duty.

"Yes, it's me! There's an intruder in ES 30. Come quick!"

"Leah! Get out of there! We're on our way!"

"He's in the shower. Oh! He's turned off the shower."

"Leah! Listen to me. Do not do anything. Just get out of there!"

Well, if I'm to let you in on a not-so-secret thing about me, it's that I don't listen. It's been the bane of my existence. I do not listen.

In my defense, though, I felt I needed to keep an eye out to make sure he didn't escape. It was a long way from the security post. Deep down, I also wanted to play hero.

I slowly picked up a heavy bronze figurine on the table and moved toward the bedroom entrance, then hid behind the wall leading to the passageway.

I could hear him open the glass door and walk out. I gripped the figurine tightly, ready to bash the intruder into unconsciousness. My heart thumped dangerously against my ribcage, on the verge of exploding. My breath

hitched as I heard him come closer and closer.

Then, with one swift move and a battle cry, I lunged for victory!