Louis's upper body stirred as he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze landing on an unfamiliar ceiling.
Blinking in confusion, he surveyed the unfamiliar room around him. Something wasn't right; he had never been in this place before.
As he sat up, his attention was drawn to a figure lying in an awkward position on the bed – half on and half off, without a blanket.
Questions flooded his mind: why was he here, and why was she in such an odd state?
Gradually, his memories of the previous night started to resurface. He had invited Verena over, and she had indeed joined him in the wine cellar.
A wave of regret washed over him as he replayed the events in his mind. He rubbed his hands over his face, recalling the mixed feelings of the night—Verena's refusal of the kiss, the unspoken tension between them.
He felt a strong urge to escape the room, to distance himself from whatever had transpired between them. But his gaze returned to Verena, lying there in her white and pink floral dress.
He remembered her concern for him and her presence throughout the night.
Awareness of time and responsibilities tugged at his thoughts. He had a board meeting at 9:50.
The board meeting was very important; he wouldn't be given the seat of CEO, and his brother Alexander would take it happily.
Yet his preoccupation with Verena outweighed his usual punctuality. He wished for a few more moments to just observe her in this peaceful slumber.
Verena stirred, rousing from her sleep; her surroundings were unfamiliar. Memories flooded back as she remembered leaving her old home, only to find herself in this vast mansion—a place that still felt foreign to her.
As her gaze settled on the still-sleeping Louis, she couldn't help but frown. Despite her uncertainty, she found herself drawn closer to him. Yet an invisible barrier held her back.
Clutching the towel she had brought, she hesitated for a moment before gently placing her hand on his forehead. The fever that had gripped him the night before seemed to have subsided.
A sigh escaped her lips, tinged with a touch of irritation. She muttered, "You owe me for this, making me take care of you."
Her words were laced with a mix of frustration and concern, revealing the complex emotions she held for him.
Louis, though wanting to smile and express his gratitude, was trapped in his immobile state. Verena left the room, presumably in search of a staircase she vaguely remembered from the previous night.
Her thoughts danced between doubts—had she been here before? But the fear of the unknown eventually drove her back to the room.
As she reentered, she found Louis awake, his attention caught by the telltale towel that betrayed her intentions. Stealing a glance at it, she hesitated before finally speaking. "How are you feeling now?"
Misunderstandings hung in the air, prompting Verena to clarify her actions.
Verena took an exasperated sigh before launching into the tale. "Louis, let me paint you a picture of the chaos that unfolded after you decided to have your little dramatic episode last night. I was here trying to haul your unconscious self to your room, and suddenly, your mansion turned into a maze."
Louis looked at her with a mixture of surprise and amusement on his face. "You got lost in my own house?"
Verena nodded vehemently. "Believe it or not, yes! I asked one of your maids for directions, and she confidently told me your room was on the third floor, room number six. So, I dragged you up there, only to find out that room number six was locked! Can you believe the absurdity?"
Louis chuckled, shaking his head. "Locked? That's utterly bizarre. I've never heard of a locked room in this place."
Rolling her eyes dramatically, Verena continued. "Well, my luck, right? So, with the locked room situation, I couldn't exactly leave you in the hallway like a sack of potatoes. That's how we ended up in this room."
Louis's lips curved into a grateful smile. "I can't thank you enough for taking care of me, even if it led to this... interesting scenario."
Verena playfully shot him a faux-annoyed look. "Don't think this means you're off the hook. You owe me big time for the trouble."
Louis chuckled again. "I promise I'll make it up to you."
Verena exhaled, relenting just a bit. "You better. Anyway, after the locked-room fiasco, I couldn't just leave you sprawled out in some odd position. So, I made myself comfortable here."
Louis smirked. "Waking up to find you in my room is a surprise I wasn't prepared for."
Verena narrowed her eyes playfully at him. "Don't even think about it. This was purely a humanitarian effort to prevent you from waking up feeling like you've been hit by a truck."
Louis raised an eyebrow. "Of course, purely humanitarian."
Verena nodded in mock seriousness. "Exactly. And just so we're clear, this doesn't change anything between us."
Louis's warm smile softened his features, he said. "Noted. And honestly, thank you for looking out for me."
Verena's expression softened in response. "You're welcome, Louis. Just... try not to make it a habit to need rescuing, okay?"
Louis chuckled. "I'll do my best. But having you here does make the situation a little more bearable."
Verena's playful annoyance resurfaced, she remarked. "You have a way of getting under my skin, you know that?"
Louis laughed. "I've been told I have that effect on people."
Verena smirked. "You're trouble, that's for sure."
Louis's grin remained, and he remarked, "Trouble you secretly enjoy, I suspect."
Verena couldn't help but smile. "Maybe a bit too much. Anyway, you better start getting ready for your work."
"I don't to go to the work. I will be soon CEO of the company."
"Soon.. not right now." Louis dismissed the thought with a wave, his initial concerns now replaced with gratitude and understanding.
He rose from the bed, his eyes landing on the makeshift bandage around his hand. It was then that he fully appreciated her care and concern. The bleeding had stopped, a testament to her careful attention.
Meanwhile, Verena stood at the doorway, got confused, her anxiety palpable. Her heart raced as she watched Louis approach her. Instinctively, she moved aside, expecting him to exit the room.
But then his arms encircled her, catching her off guard. She held her breath, her body tensed, torn between reciprocating the embrace and maintaining her boundaries.
"Thank you." As he thanked her, a mix of emotions surged within her, and in a moment of conflicting feelings, she pushed him away gently.
Louis staggered, his confusion evident as he looked at her. Her expression had shifted from uncertainty to fierce determination.
With an accusatory point, she declared, "I told you not to touch me!"
Without further hesitation, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Louis standing there, stunned by the unexpected turn of events.
In the wake of her departure, realisation washed over Louis. He comprehended the gravity of his actions and chastised himself for crossing the line. He run a hand in the locks of his head as he stared at the floor.
Respect for her boundaries echoed in his mind as he contemplated his misstep. The encounter served as a reminder that actions could speak louder than intentions.
He kicked the door and gaze outside of the door from where she had gone.