The golden sunlight of a summer morning in the United States filtered through the heavy curtains, casting a warm glow over the two figures tangled in the sheets.

Emilia Carter stirred, her eyelids fluttering open as exhaustion weighed on her limbs. The unfamiliar stillness of the room made her pause, a dull ache spreading through her body.

"Awake?"

A deep, husky voice rumbled near her ear, sending a sharp jolt through her system. She turned her head slightly, her gaze landing on the man beside her. He was breathtakingly handsome.., almost unreal. Sharp features, chiseled jawline, and dark eyes that lazily fixed on her, unreadable.

"...Good morning." Emilia forced a stiff smile, though a storm of emotions churned within her. Then, like a crashing wave, the memories of last night surged back.

She had lost her virginity.

Tiana had set her up with a "hot guy" in room 406 of the luxurious Regent Hotel, promising it would be an experience to remember. Tired of being the odd one out, Emilia had finally given in. She’d walked into that hotel room, finding a man oozing confidence and mystery. They had silently studied each other for ten minutes, no words, just raw intensity… before surrendering to their desires.

But now, in the morning light, she realized something else. This man hadn’t just taken control; he had been impatient, almost desperate, like someone who hadn’t touched a woman in a long time. And judging by his looks, he was in his late twenties, right?

"What’s your name?"

His strong arms tightened around her waist, his lips grazing the curve of her neck as he spoke in a low, commanding tone.

Emilia tensed, ignoring the soreness spreading through her body. She let out a dry chuckle. "Does it matter? We won’t be seeing each other again."

"Hm?" His deep voice held a sharp edge of displeasure. "Your name."

Emilia frowned. Was he serious? "Didn't Tiana explain the rules to you? This is just a one-night thing."

His expression darkened, his gaze drilling into hers as he effortlessly flipped her beneath him.

"Who the hell is Tiana?" Sebastian Hayes narrowed his eyes, his mind working at lightning speed.

At twenty-five, Sebastian Hayes had never touched a woman before, making him an anomaly among his friends. In his elite social circle, men of his status had their first encounters as teenagers, indulging in excess without a second thought.

Finally, during a rare break on his business trip, he decided to change that. He had someone find a decent girl for him, young but attractive. Aside from her annoying golden curls, her eyes were strikingly clear. He hesitated at first but ultimately chose her.

The experience had been much better than expected. No wonder men like him treated women as disposable pleasures. However, her act was too forced. He’d seen this before, women pretending to be indifferent, playing hard to get. She was too inexperienced to pull it off.

"What the hell are you pretending?" Emilia scoffed, arms crossed as she sat up. "Don’t tell me you stumbled into the wrong room. This is room 406 at the Regent Hotel! If Tiana didn’t send you, how the hell did you end up here?"

Sebastian’s dark gaze sharpened, his expression turning unreadable. "Didn’t you know there’s another Regent Hotel on Lexington Avenue?"

Emilia froze. A chill ran down her spine. Did I… get the wrong man?

She stammered, her mind racing. "Then… then you didn’t even ask? You just… just slept with a random woman who showed up at your door?"

Sebastian let out a low chuckle, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He grabbed his shirt from the floor and stood, heading toward the bathroom. "You said it yourself… a woman came to me willingly. Do you always jump into bed with a stranger without asking questions?"

His mocking gaze lingered on her before he disappeared behind the bathroom door.

Emilia groaned, pressing her palm against her forehead. What the hell did I just do?

She had two options:

One, stay and deal with the painfully awkward aftermath.

Two, get dressed, slip out, and pretend this never happened.

The second option won without debate.

Ignoring the soreness in her body, she sprang from the bed, grabbed her clothes from where he had tossed them last night, and quickly dressed. The sound of running water still filled the room as she scribbled a note, placed it on the nightstand, and tiptoed toward the door.

The moment she stepped out, a stoic-looking man leaning against the wall outside glanced at her before shutting his eyes again, uninterested. Emilia controlled her pace, forcing herself to walk calmly. But as soon as she turned the corner, she bolted.

Did losing her virginity really make her feel this guilty?

When Sebastian emerged from the bathroom, the bed was empty. His eyes darkened as he strode over, picking up the note she had left.

"Dear Sir,

Although our encounter was unplanned, it was my first time, and you didn’t lose anything. Consider it a one-time fling. I assume you don’t like women who cling to you.

We won’t meet again. Bye."

Sebastian clenched the note between his fingers, his expression unreadable. His jaw tightened as he yanked open the door.

The man outside, Ryan Grant, immediately straightened, sensing the shift in his boss’s mood.

"How long has she been gone?"

Ryan swallowed hard. "About ten minutes."

Sebastian did a mental calculation, estimating her escape route through the hotel. His eyes narrowed. "Did anyone else come here last night?"

Ryan hesitated before nodding. "Around ten, a woman showed up, but I turned her away. I didn’t want anyone disturbing you on your first night."

Sebastian exhaled sharply, his expression darkening.

She ran.

A slow, dangerous smirk curled his lips. She actually ran.

Emilia Carter, you better hope I never find you.

Because a man who gets what he wants doesn’t take kindly to being left behind.

Five Years Later

"See? That woman got in here through connections..."

"No wonder someone from a second-tier university managed to join our company..."

Two women in sleek mini-skirts stood by the office pantry, their whispers dripping with scorn as they eyed the young woman who had just walked in.

With middle-parted, softly curled hair framing her delicate face, Emilia Carter looked like a porcelain doll.., sweet, fragile, and oblivious to the rumors swirling around her. She poured herself a cup of coffee, her movements composed, seemingly unaffected. But she heard every word.

She always did.

Yet, she didn’t react. Keeping her head down and staying silent had become second nature to her.

"Emilia, these are documents from the company we’ve been collaborating with. Sort them by the timeline and submit them before you clock out. The director needs them for tomorrow's meeting!"

A thick stack of files landed heavily on her desk. The department director, a woman in her late thirties, looked down at her with a mix of indifference and warning.

Emilia straightened the papers, lifted her head, and smiled. "I’ll have them ready, Director."

"Double-check for mistakes. Tomorrow’s meeting is important."

Her tone was firm, but beneath it was something else… perhaps a hint of satisfaction. Menial, high-risk tasks always landed on Emilia’s desk. She was the outlier. The girl whose success wasn’t "earned."

She locked the files in her drawer before exhaling softly. She had learned long ago that the workplace was just another battlefield, and in this one, she had already been marked as an outsider.

She wasn’t naïve. She knew how she got this job.

But she also knew why she needed to keep it.

"Are you ready?"

Two women exchanged knowing glances in the break room. One smirked. "Trust me, she won’t last the week."

Their laughter was soft, almost melodic, as if they were merely discussing weekend plans instead of plotting someone’s downfall.

Emilia worked tirelessly all afternoon, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she entered the data. At exactly 4:30, she inserted the USB drive, ran a final check, and locked it away.

"Hey, Emilia, how old are you this year?"

She looked up to see Jillian, one of the women from earlier, smiling down at her. The friendliness in her voice was artificial, but Emilia returned the smile anyway.

"Twenty-three. But you look younger than me, Jillian."

Jillian giggled, pleased with the flattery, before leaning in conspiratorially. "Do you know why the director always hands you these rejected tasks?"

Emilia blinked. "What?"

Jillian tugged on her arm. "Come with me. We shouldn’t talk here."

She hesitated, glancing at her locked drawer. But if there was a chance to ease the hostility around her, maybe she should take it. With a small sigh, she allowed herself to be pulled away.

When she returned, her brows were slightly furrowed. The director was jealous of her youth? It sounded childish.

She shook her head and reached for the USB drive, inserting it into her computer. Relief flooded her as she confirmed everything was in place. No mistakes.

By the time she handed the files over to the director, her shoulders felt lighter. But she didn’t notice the way Jillian and the other woman exchanged smirks.

At home, the moment Emilia stepped inside the grand estate, she was met with the usual look of disdain from the household staff.

She ignored it.

She had long stopped expecting warmth in this place.

"Is Emilia home?"

The voice was soft, airy, almost delicate. On the plush sofa, a stunning woman barely looked up from her phone. Her features were refined, her expression unreadable.

Emilia hesitated. "Are you shopping online again?"

Tiana didn’t bother glancing at her. "Yeah, I’m too lazy to spend the money in my account, so I might as well use it online."

The air turned thick.

Emilia gripped the armrest of the sofa but said nothing.

The sound of the front door opening broke the tension.

An elegant woman entered, arm in arm with a middle-aged man in a tailored suit. They looked perfect together.., refined, powerful, and untouchable.

The woman’s warm gaze landed on her. "Emilia, you’re home. How’s work? Are you getting used to it?"

Emilia forced a smile. "I’m okay… I’m going to my room. I won’t have dinner… I’m on a diet."

She turned quickly, escaping before anyone could respond.

The middle-aged man frowned as he watched her retreating figure.

Tiana, still lounging on the sofa, glanced at her mother with a small, knowing smile.

Hidden beneath the perfect family picture was something else. Something darker.

And Emilia...

She knew she didn’t belong.

She knew she never would.