The Next Day...
Charlotte was still lost in a dreamless sleep when the shrill beep of her phone jarred her awake.
Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and fumbled for the phone on her nightstand. As she squinted at the screen, her heart skipped a beat.
The name flashing on the caller ID was The CEO.
Clearing her throat quickly, she sat up straighter before swiping to answer.
"Good morning, sir," she said, her voice still groggy but calm.
"Did you get my message?" Ethan's deep, commanding voice came through the phone, startling her into full alertness.
"Uh... no, sir," Charlotte replied, blinking in confusion.
"Check your inbox," he said curtly and hung up before she could respond.
Charlotte stared at her phone for a moment, baffled, before scrambling to open her messages.
There it was...a text from Ethan, sent just a few minutes earlier;
