CHAPTER TWO THE AFTERMATH

The night breeze fluttered through the open window, stirring the white curtains gently as dawn approached. In the dim light of the room, scattered clothes littered the floor like discarded memories of a night gone awry. Hana awoke with a pounding headache and a sense of disorientation that left her dizzy. As she slowly regained consciousness, she became aware of the weight of a man's arm around her, his warm breath tickling the nape of her neck. Panic surged through her veins as she realized the intimate closeness between them. With trembling hands, Hana extricated herself from the man's embrace and sat up, her heart pounding. The realization dawned on her with a jolt of horror—she had spent the night with another man, the question being, who? She felt the pain between her legs, breasts, and lips, a dull soreness that rang like a Catholic cathedral bell, What had she done, succumbing to passion and desire in a moment of weakness? But as the fog of sleep lifted, Hana's panic turned to confusion. If she was right and the man beside her was her fiance, why had he taken advantage of her? He had never pressed her for intimacy before, respecting her wishes to wait until their wedding night. So why had he crossed that boundary now? Her thoughts raced as she tried to piece together the previous night's events. She had been exhausted, on the verge of collapse from the stress of wedding preparations and her demanding job. Perhaps she had let her guard down and let herself be swept away by his charm and affection. But even as she rationalized her actions, Hana couldn't shake the feeling of guilt and betrayal that gnawed at her conscience. She had promised to save herself for marriage, to uphold the values instilled in her since childhood. And now, in a moment of weakness, she had broken that promise. As she moved to get out of bed, Hana winced in pain, her body protesting against the previous night's exertions. Every muscle ached, and a sharp discomfort pulsed between her legs, a reminder of the intimacy she experienced last night with Gary —or whoever he was. Luke stirred beside her, his deep voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "Morning, sleepyhead. Does it still hurt?" Hana's heart skipped a beat at his voice, her mind racing to make sense of the situation. But before responding, she raised her head and froze in horror. It wasn't Gary in the bed. Panic surged through her veins as she pushed the man away, scrambling to cover herself with the thin blanket. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend how she had ended up in bed with a stranger, his presence a stark reminder of her recklessness and folly. Luke blinked in confusion as he watched Hana's panicked movements, his mind still foggy from the remnants of alcohol-induced sleep. He tried to piece together the previous night's events, his memories chaotic and fragmented. He had been stood up, drowning his sorrows in a sea of whiskey and self-pity. And then, in a haze of drunken stupor, he had heard a knock at the door—a familiar knock belonging to the woman who had left him stranded and alone. But the woman who entered his room was not his date. She was a stranger, her eyes wide with shock and fear as she recoiled from his touch. "What's going on?" Luke muttered, his voice rough with sleep and confusion. Hana said nothing, her eyes wide with panic as she scrambled out of bed and fled to the bathroom's safety, locking the door behind her. James watched her retreat, a frown creasing his brow as he tried to make sense of the situation. He glanced down at the bed, his eyes falling on a telltale bloodstain marring the pristine white sheets. His heart skipped a beat as realization dawned on him—had he taken her virginity? The thought sent a shiver down his spine, and guilt gnawed at his conscience. He had hurt a lot of people, but they always deserved it. He always tried not to unintentionally hurt anyone, especially not a stranger caught up in the chaos of his stupidity. As Hana emerged from the bathroom, her face flushed with embarrassment and shame, Luke knew he owed her an explanation. But as he opened his mouth to speak, the words caught in his throat, lost in a sea of uncertainty and regret. For both Hana and Luke, the morning brought with it a cruel joke that neither of them could laugh at; an awkward silence fell in the room before Luke rubbed his chin and stood up, " I'm Luke. Can I get your name?" Luke asked. Hana, face bright red Like cherry tomatoes, pointed at Luke and replied. "Put something on." Luke looked down and realized that he was going commando, He looked around the room and found his pants on the couch; he rushed up and picked them up before throwing them on. With a slight flush coating his ears. Hana waited till he was partly decent before giving her name, "Hana, Hana Lee." As Luke and Hana sat across from each other in the room, the tension between them was palpable. Both struggled to find the right words to say, their minds racing with conflicting emotions. Hana's eyes bore into Luke's, her expression a mix of anger, hurt, and confusion. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. "You raped me," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "You took advantage of me when I was vulnerable and violated me." Luke's heart sank at her words, her accusation hitting him like a sledgehammer. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat, his mind reeling with disbelief. "I... I'm so sorry, Hana," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I never meant to hurt you. I thought... I thought you were someone else, and in my defense, I was very drunk." Hana's eyes flashed with anger as she shook her head, her fists clenched. "That is not an excuse," she spat. "You took away my choice, my autonomy. You had no right." Luke bowed his head, his heart heavy with guilt and shame. He knew he had crossed a line. He wished he could take back what had happened and erase the pain he had caused her, but he knew it was impossible. "I know I can never undo what I've done," he said, "But please, Hana, believe me when I say I never intended to harm you." Hana's eyes softened slightly at Luke's words, but her expression remained guarded. She wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that he was genuinely sorry for what he had done, but she did not even know him; he just gave his first name. "I need time," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "I'll give you all the time you need," he said softly. Hana then gasped as she looked down at her lap before looking at Luke. Fear was evident in her eyes as she spoke in a barely-heard whisper. "Did you use protection?"