Chapter 56: Was I that terrible?

Dominic had no idea how long he had been sitting in his office with the same foolish smile on his face.

Fortunately, he was alone.

Otherwise, the employees of Sterling Group would have witnessed their cold and intimidating CEO grinning at nothing like a lovestruck teenager.

His fingers absentmindedly tapped against his desk before reaching for his phone.

Clara’s name filled the screen.

"Should I check on her?" he murmured, his thumb hovering over the call button.

Just as he was about to press it, another thought crossed his mind.

"...What if she doesn’t remember anything?"

His hand froze. Considering how much Clara had drunk the previous night, there was a very good chance she had forgotten every single thing she’d said.

The compliments and flirting. Calling him my man. Calling him my handsome husband.

Dominic leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"...She probably remembers nothing."

A strange feeling settled in his chest. Part of him hoped she had forgotten. The other part... really hoped she hadn’t.

His lips curled despite himself.

"If she remembers..." he paused.

"...I’ll never let her live it down."

A second later, he shook his head.

"No."

"Knowing her... She’ll bury herself alive from embarrassment."

The image of Clara hiding under the blankets flashed through his mind. Then another memory surfaced.

Last night, after bringing her home, he had somehow managed to slip away long enough to take a quick shower.

Unfortunately... the moment he returned to the bedroom, Clara had rolled over in her sleep, wrapped both arms around him like a koala, and refused to let go for the rest of the night.

He hadn’t dared move. Not because he couldn’t. Because he hadn’t wanted to wake her.

Dominic cleared his throat. "...Focus." He placed the phone back on the desk.

"I’ll let her be."

If she had a hangover, the last thing she needed was her husband reminding her of last night’s disaster. His gaze drifted toward the office door.

"...Where’s Mark?" His brows slowly knitted together.

Dominic glanced at the clock.

Mark was never late. Never. Not once in all the years they had worked together.

Dominic narrowed his eyes. "Did he quit?" the thought crossed his mind, but he quickly shook it off.

"No. He wouldn’t," then he paused until another thought clicked in.

"...Was he kidnapped?"

"Tsk. No."

"...Food poisoning?"

"...Hospital?"

He stared at the silent office. Then he muttered to himself, "...Did Hannah kill him?"

The possibility was high knowing how drunk his sister was the other night, and the one who was taking her home was his assistant.

"I hope he’s not dead yet," Dominic muttered to himself as he took the file from the side and began his work.

***

Meanwhile, inside Mark’s apartment the morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains.

The room was quiet. Too quiet until Hannah’s eyelashes fluttered before she slowly opened her eyes.

For a few blissful seconds, her mind was completely blank. Then... fragments from last night rushed back one after another.

The bar. Her crying over Eric. Laughing with Clara. Meeting Dominic...and...

Her eyes widened. "I kissed Mark..."

Heat instantly rushed to her face. She buried half her face in the pillow. "...Oh no."

But soon, very slowly, she became aware that someone was sleeping beside her.

Her heartbeat quickened as she carefully turned her head.

Mark was still asleep. His breathing was slow and even, completely unaware that she had woken.

Hannah’s face grew even hotter. "So..." she whispered internally.

"I really stayed here."

The blanket was pulled securely over both of them, but that only made the situation feel more real.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, remembering how she kissed him even after he had brought her to his house. But, before it could escalate, he stopped.

"What was I thinking?"

She had broken up with Eric... gotten drunk and somehow ended up spending the night with her brother’s assistant.

If Dominic ever found out...

"No." She immediately rejected the thought. "He can never know."

Embarrassment washed over her again. Yet... despite everything, she didn’t regret kissing Mark, and that surprised her the most.

Hannah stole another cautious glance at the sleeping man. Without his usual formal suit and composed expression, Mark looked much younger and more relaxed.

His hair was slightly messy. His features, which she had somehow never paid attention to before, were surprisingly handsome.

She blinked. "...Since when is he this good-looking?"

Had she really never noticed? Or had she simply never looked?

She remembered how gentle he had been the previous night.

He did not exploit her tears or cross the line despite her request, instead remaining by her side.

Listening. Comforting her. Making sure she wasn’t alone.

A small smile unknowingly appeared on her lips.

"He’s..."

Before she could finish the thought, Mark shifted slightly in his sleep. His brows twitched.

He was waking up.

Hannah’s eyes went wide. "Oh no!"

In complete panic, she immediately shut her eyes and lay perfectly still, pretending to be asleep.

Yes. That was the solution.

Maybe...just maybe if she stayed still enough...this awkward morning would somehow disappear on its own. Unfortunately for her, her racing heartbeat suggested otherwise.

Mark slowly opened his eyes.

Years of discipline had trained him to wake up the moment he sensed movement around him.

The first thing he noticed was Hannah lying beside him.

The second...was how stiff she suddenly was.

His gaze lingered on her tightly shut eyes before moving to her fingers, which were gripping the edge of the blanket just a little too hard.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

She’s awake.

He didn’t expose her. Instead, he quietly looked at her sleeping face for a few moments before slowly getting out of bed and walking away.

Click

As soon as the bedroom door clicked shut, Hannah’s eyes flew open. She bolted upright and stared at the closed door in disbelief.

"D-Did he just... leave?" Her mouth hung open.

For several long seconds, she simply sat there, blinking at the empty doorway as though Mark might suddenly walk back in. He didn’t.

"...That’s it?"

She hugged the blanket tightly around herself, her mind immediately spiraling into countless scenarios.

Did he regret last night?

Was he too embarrassed to face me?

Did I scare him away? Or...

Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red.

Was I that terrible?

She buried her face in the blanket with a muffled groan.

"Oh, Hannah... what did you do?"