Room 327: An unforgettable night

A ray of light falls on Coral's face making her winch. Slowly, she first rolls to her left side and when her hand finds the bed cold, she feels weird. Fluttering her eyes open, she finds the other side empty. She gets up in horror and the memory of last night plays in her head like a tape recorder. ’Was it a dream? ’ she wonders but when she finds herself naked and her lower body sore, she is sure it isn't a dream.

Her face reddens thinking about the man and how amazing he was. Her eyes then avert to the mask that is lying on the nightstand of her side. She scrutinizes and takes the mask in her hold. It is the one she wore but how come it is there? She clearly remembers wearing the mask throughout the night while they had s*x.

‘Wait, did he remove it?’ Just the thought makes her chest thump and her belly fill with dread. It isn't fair that he is the one who got to see her and not the other way around.

She sighs and puts it away and checks the time. She does not have her phone with her. She kept it at the reception area before coming here. But luckily there is a clock on the wall and the time says it is nine. Shit! She is supposed to return home before ten. She hastily steps down from the bed and wears the maxi dress quickly. Done with dressing up, she wears the mask again and leaves the room.

“Hello, may I have my belongings?” she politely asks the receptionist. She is not the one she met. She has dark hair and a crooked smile, different from the blonde.

“Your room number?” she enquires.

“Room 327,” Coral says. She is surprised at how well she remembers the room number without taking a moment to think.

The receptionist goes behind the curtains and after a few minutes returns with Coral's belongings.

A thought comes to Coral and she asks, “The man...when did he leave?”

“Sorry, Ma'am. We aren't allowed to give out any information about the guests.”

“Oh, okay. I see.” Coral smiles awkwardly and takes her belongings, she starts to leave when the receptionist calls her.

“You need to keep the mask here,” she tells. Coral quickly puts the mask on the other shelf beside the telephone and leaves once and for all.

Once she is out of the Hotel, she dials Chloe's number. Finding more than ten missed calls from Chloe, she is expecting a scolding from her.

“You dumbass! You finally are awake for God's sake! I have assumed you are dead!” Chloe yells through the other line, too pumped for a Friday morning.

“The phone wasn't with me so I couldn't call you. Anyway, let's meet? I have a lot to say!”

“You better spill everything! At the Hot Slurp then, at ten” Chloe says.

With that, she ends the call. Coral then waits for the cab she booked before ringing Chloe. Ten minutes later, the cab stopped in front of her and she step in.

“To the Shen Residency,” she tells the driver the address and he follows it. All through the way, Coral can only think of the man and the night they spent together. Just thinking about his words makes her toe curl. She wonders how he looks without that mask. ‘Must be gorgeous. ’ If he can make her heart flutter with his body and sensual voice, his beauty will not surprise her either. She wants to meet him again but she is aware she can't. Fuck, she doesn't even know his name either.

“We have arrived,” says the driver and stops the car in front of the Shen Mansion. Coral thanks him and steps out of the cab. Before entering, she takes a deep breath to calm her nerves and think of an excuse of where she was yesterday night.

She checks herself in a small mirror of her compact powder and gives a light toss to her already ruffled hair.

The Shen Mansion is a glorious Italian designed Mansion designed by her great grandfather. One of the richest houses in NYC.

Coral enters inside and walks along the wide path, the bushes on either of the paths along with beautiful flowers blooming.

She notices the gardeners who also notices her. They smile and greet her good morning. She returns the same warmth to them.

The front double door is open and Coral is getting nervous again. She once again checks her dress to see if it looks obvious that she had sex. Not her dress but her face definitely looks she had sex. The glow on her face tells it all.

She steps inside and casually looks around.

“Coral” she hears her father from across the living hall, where is seated and reading a newspaper. She flinches and meekly turns to her father.

“Morning, Dad” she greets with a wry smile. Her father gestures her to come and seat with him. She wonders what he will ask because she is not prepared yet.

She sits on the couch opposite her father, her curled-up fingers resting on her lap. Right then, Coral's mother comes out from the kitchen and towards them carrying a tray of tea and other essentials.

“Oh! Coral! You finally remember to come home” Jade, her mother scolds her lightly. Coral reaches to give a kiss on her mother's cheek along with a good morning.

“Where were you last night?” she asks, serving the tea to Coral's Dad.

The questions make Coral panic and she lets out a nervous smile. “Mom, I told you. I was with Chloe.” In a way, she said the truth as she was with Chloe yesterday. The night does not count.

“I must have forgotten,” Jade says, offering the tea to her daughter.

Coral takes a sip of the tea. Her knees shake as she is nervous about what question will be thrown in front of her.

“You remember the date, yes?” her Dad asks. Coral fakes a smile and nods. She has no interest in going on a date with that man, what's his name? Yes, Lucian Anders. The youngest son of the Anders family. Coral has met him only twice when they were 5 or 6. She doesn't remember anything about him.

“I have already chosen the dress for you! You will look pretty in that” Jade exclaims with excitement. Then, please go and visit him by yourself.

Coral bit back the comment and rises from the couch. “I will be going to my room to take shower.” She disperses and takes the stairway upstairs to where her room is situated.

Reaching upstairs, she takes the left turn when her Aunt comes out of her room. “Oh Coral! Morning honey.”

“Morning, Emily” Coral greets back. She is mastered calling her by her name instead of Aunt which she used to call her before. Emily believes it is rude for someone like Coral's age to call her Aunt. She is only 34!

Emily flips her short hair and her eyes avert from Coral's face to her toes. Her one brow rises and Coral gulps. Emily is one hell of a detective.

“Wild night huh?” her aunt teases. Coral blushes and hisses at her aunt to lower her voice.

“No! How do you know anyway?”

Emily smirks and folds her arms before her chest. “Oh honey, I have been in this field for a long time. Your sudden glowy face, the blush, and your creased dress. It tells it all.”

Damn! How can she guess that just by looking at her face?

“Please, don't tell anyone. Please, please?” Coral begs her aunt. If anyone knows that she slept with someone else, her parents will wed her off the next moment to Lucian.

“Fine” Emily sighs, done with teasing her niece. “But is it your blonde boyfriend?”

“Yes, yes” Coral lies. It will be best if she thinks it was him. Her aunt is the one who knows about her relationship in the family. And it isn't because Coral can trust her or anything, it is because her aunt is too good at poking her nose in her business.

“Your secret is safe with me, hon” Emily assures with a playful wink and goes downstairs to greet Coral's parents.

Coral heaves a sigh of relief and hurries to her room. Closing the door securely, she goes straight to the bathroom. She needs a shower. Her body is sore and she can smell his intoxicating scent. Liquid heat pools in her apex just thinking about his lips on her skin. She removes her cloth and starts the shower. Warm water pours on her, rejuvenating her skin alive.

She should stop thinking about him because it is turning her on. Her nipples harden and the water is giving another element to tease her skin.