"Ugh…"
Elise groaned as she rolled onto the soft mattress, clutching her head in pain. Her body ached, every throb intensifying the pounding in her skull. What time was it? And why was the bed so soft?
Questions swirled in her mind, but her eyes remained shut, refusing to open against the relentless pain. That is, until someone's phone started ringing.
Elise groaned again as she reached blindly for her phone on the side table, her body still heavy with exhaustion. Her hand finally found it, and she brought it to her ear, not bothering to check the caller ID. She didn't speak, still trying to adjust herself on the bed, her eyes half-closed and her head pounding.
A voice on the other end, sharp and professional, broke the silence. "Sir, I've just emailed you the information about the BDSM club as requested."
Elise's eyes snapped open, the words cutting through her fog of exhaustion. Confusion and surprise jolted her awake as she tried to process what she'd just heard. She quickly brought the phone closer to her mouth and, still disoriented, spoke up. "Excuse me. What?"
Elise's grip tightened on the phone as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Her heart raced, each word from the assistant sending her deeper into a state of confusion. She blinked rapidly, glancing around the room for the first time, realizing she didn't recognize her surroundings at all. Panic started to bubble up inside her.
"Did Sir already call you to get laid?" the assistant continued, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather.
Elise's breath hitched, her throat tightening as tears welled up in her eyes. "What… What are you talking about?" she managed to whisper, her voice shaking.
She looked around the room again, the unfamiliarity of it all crashing down on her. The soft mattress, the luxurious sheets, the modern decor—none of it belonged to her. Where was she? How did she end up here? And why did this person think she was… She couldn't even finish the thought.
The assistant, seemingly oblivious to her distress, misinterpreted her silence. "I apologize, ma'am, if I've overstepped. I'll hang up. Please enjoy your time with Sir."
Elise's mind raced as she tried to piece together the events that led her to this moment, but all she found was a terrifying blank. The tears that had been threatening to spill over finally did, sliding down her cheeks as she whispered into the phone, "This has to be a mistake… I don't know what's going on…"
But the assistant had already hung up, leaving Elise alone with her confusion and the growing sense of dread. She dropped the phone onto the bed, staring at it as if it were a foreign object, her tears blurring her vision. She wasn't just confused; she was terrified.
Where was she? Why couldn't she remember? Did she actually sleep with someone she didn't know? Did someone mistook her for a prostitute?
Elise curled up on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest as she tried to calm her racing heart.
Dietrich entered the room, muttering under his breath as he looked for his phone. "Of all the times to forget something... I swear..." He paused when his eyes landed on the bed.
There, curled up with her knees to her chest, was Elise. She was trembling, tears streaming down her face, her phone lying abandoned next to her. The sight of her like this made his heart clench with guilt. He'd been so caught up in his own turmoil that he'd completely overlooked how vulnerable she might be feeling.
"Elise?" he called softly, stepping closer, careful not to startle her.
Her head jerked up at the sound of his voice, and she quickly wiped at her tears, though it did little to hide her distress. "B-Brother?" Her voice was small, filled with confusion and fear.
He was by her side in an instant, placing a bottle of headache medicine on the nightstand, but his focus was entirely on her. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
Elise looked up at him, her eyes wide and brimming with fresh tears. "Where am I? What happened? Why... why did that man think I was someone you... you..."
Dietrich's heart sank as he realized what must have happened. He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Elise, you're safe. You're at my penthouse. You got really drunk, and I brought you here to take care of you. Mom had to go to the hospital due to some work."
She shook her head, trying to process everything, but the pieces weren't fitting together. "But he said... something about a BDSM club. And he thought I was..." Her voice broke, and she looked at him with a mix of fear and betrayal while pointing at Dietrich's phone.
Dietrich cursed silently, realizing the awful misunderstanding. "Elise, listen to me. That call wasn't meant for you. My assistant must have thought you were me when you answered. It's... it's nothing you need to worry about. I swear, I would never... take advantage of you like that."
She searched his face, looking for any sign that he might be lying, but all she saw was the same guilt and remorse that had been gnawing at him. Her tears slowed, but she still felt lost, the emotions from the night overwhelming her.
"B-Brother, I'm scared," she whispered, her voice trembling as she reached out for him.
Dietrich's heart broke at her words. He sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her into a comforting embrace, hiding her face in his chest even though it made his heart thump like crazy. "I'm so sorry, Elise. I should have been more careful, more considerate. You're safe here, with me. I promise you, nothing bad is going to happen."
She buried her face in his chest, her body still trembling as she clung to him. "I don't understand what's happening. I don't even remember how I got here."
"You don't have to worry about any of that right now," he murmured, gently stroking her back. "Just rest, okay? I'll be right here. You're not alone, Elise. Does your head hurt too much?"
Elise nodded weakly in Dietrich's chest as her sobs began to subside and her breathing steadied, before innocently gazing up at him. It was already hard for Dietrich to control himself from pinning Elise down to the bed. But, his heart stopped at Elise's next question.
"What is a BDSM club, Brother?"