Chapter 97: Waking Up in Amelia's Room
James woke up with a splitting headache, his mind still foggy.
Sensing the emptiness beside him, he instinctively turned to reach for Mia's body.
He wanted to pull her back into his arms and sleep a bit more.
He'd gotten so used to it—waking up every morning with her in his arms. The moment he opened his eyes, he'd see her sweet, sleeping face, completely trusting and relaxed.
A happy smile playing at the corners of her lips.
Whenever he saw it, his heart would melt.
These past few days without her in his arms, he'd been sleeping less and less, waking earlier and earlier.
His long arm reached out, embracing nothing but air.
Finding no one there, James's consciousness slowly cleared.
His brain started working normally again, and he immediately sensed something was wrong.
This wasn't the room at Luxe Haven!
In the darkness, James's pupils contracted violently, his mind going completely blank for a moment.
Then an overwhelming panic swept over him, drowning him.
He suddenly sat bolt upright in bed, his hands on the covers trembling uncontrollably.
The curtains weren't drawn, and though it wasn't yet dawn, the scattered lights outside barely let him see.
He looked at the completely unfamiliar room, the unfamiliar bed.
The scent still lingering in the air—the kind that only comes after sex.
All the signs pointed to one thing: he had betrayed Mia.
……
Amelia, lying some distance away from him, heard the movement and slowly opened her eyes.
Last night she'd wanted to sleep holding James, but drunk as he was, he'd acted like he was sick—rough and violent. If she hadn't reacted quickly and dodged most of the force...
That kick from James would've left her unable to get up.
After that, she stubbornly tried several more times, but never succeeded in holding him.
Finally she had to give up and lie on the other side of the bed.
Waiting quietly for him to wake up.
Amelia, who'd barely slept all night, acted as if he'd woken her, moving toward him with languid grace.
Her voice hoarse, dripping with seduction, she cooed softly and playfully, "James, why are you up so early? Aren't you tired? I'm so exhausted."
Every word implied that last night they'd been wild together.
That he'd worn her out completely.
James was still reeling from the shock and panic of having betrayed Mia. Suddenly hearing Amelia's voice, he didn't catch what she said at all.
He just saw her moving closer to him.
The instant she tried to embrace him, he was horrified.
His body instinctively recoiled at lightning speed.
He wasn't far from the edge of the bed, and his retreat was so fast and sudden that he fell right off onto the carpet.
In the darkness, Amelia's expression changed instantly, her eyes turning dark and stormy.
Last night he was drunk and didn't know it was her, so he wouldn't let her near.
But now he was awake.
Hearing her voice, how could he still react this way?
Impossible!
He'd gotten what he'd always dreamed of—her. There's no way he wouldn't be thrilled.
He was just shocked at suddenly finding he'd had her, that's all.
Amelia quickly composed herself, turned on the bedside lamp, and moved toward James with a worried expression, asking anxiously, "James, are you hurt?"
Both her expression and tone were perfectly performed.
James had taken the covers with him when he fell, leaving Amelia wearing only a black silk nightgown—no robe, just the slip.
She was half-kneeling on the bed. While not exactly exposed, the hints of what lay beneath were even more alluring.
Didn't they say that men, when looking at women...
If a woman is completely covered up, men want to see that bit of skin showing.
But if a woman dresses revealingly, men want to see what's hidden, their imaginations running wild.
James, sitting on the floor, felt the pain, but that pain also made his mind even clearer.
Clear enough to realize this wasn't a dream.
This had really happened.
He had truly betrayed Mia.
Done something unforgivable to Mia.
The moment Amelia turned on the light, what he saw wasn't her current seductive appearance, but the marks visible on her neck.
Just one glance, and James shut his eyes in avoidance.
The moment of confirmation.
That suffocating panic made it hard for James to breathe. Fear and dread followed immediately, plunging him into endless despair.
He knew all too well how deeply Mia despised infidelity in marriage.
If she found out, she would never forgive him.
But even with his eyes closed, those glaring marks kept appearing in his mind.
He'd left countless such marks on Mia's body before.
Her skin was smooth and delicate.
The slightest touch would leave obvious marks.
He loved covering her body with his marks.
Like stamping her as his—she belonged only to him.
That psychological satisfaction was even more pleasurable than physical satisfaction.
But now, those marks he'd left on Amelia's body only brought him unbearable pain.
"James?"
Amelia had already moved to the edge of the bed. Seeing the expression on James's face that she couldn't believe, she reached out again to help him up.
Her hand met empty air once more.
James recoiled as if from a snake, backing away again.
Still not looking at her, he wrapped himself in the covers and got up from the floor.
Without a word, his fingertips trembling, he picked up his clothes from the floor and headed to the bathroom.
The sliding door closed with a sharp sound. Normally it wouldn't seem loud, but to Amelia's ears now, it was piercing.
So piercing it ground away her gentle, caring smile inch by inch.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her hand still frozen in the position of reaching to help James.
Barely holding herself together.
She'd originally planned to use pulling him up as an excuse to fall right into his lap.
Early morning was when men's energy was at its peak. Once she got close...
He would definitely pull her right back to bed.
But...
How could this be happening?
James was a complete mess.
He desperately wanted to calm down, but he couldn't.
Almost mechanically, he changed his clothes.
He didn't leave immediately. Instead, he pulled out his cigarette pack from his pocket, sat on the toilet, and took one out.
His hands were shaking badly. He tried to light it, the lighter sparking several times before finally catching.
The moment it lit, he took a deep drag.
The harsh taste of nicotine flooded his lungs, tearing at him.
He wasn't a regular smoker. He only smoked when his emotions were unstable, using the nicotine to calm himself down.
Usually the smoke just circled in his mouth before being exhaled.
But today, James seemed to be torturing himself, inhaling the entire cigarette into his lungs.
Each drag was like being cut to pieces.
When the cigarette was finished, James stubbed it out and tossed it in the trash.
He stood up and walked out.
The door slid open again with a sound, and James emerged from the bathroom.
Hearing the noise, Amelia, who had her back to him, turned around.
She'd already put on a robe, looking at him with gentle eyes.
Meeting Amelia's gaze, James spoke with some guilt in his tone, but his eyes were firm, clearly having made a decision. "Amelia..."
He'd barely started when Amelia gently interrupted him, "James, don't be like this. Last night was just an accident. Don't take it too much to heart. Don't worry, I won't use this to make things difficult for you. Let's just pretend... nothing happened."