Chapter 10

The next morning, when Christopher was woken up by the alarm clock, his head throbbed with the dull ache of a hangover. He instinctively patted the person in his arms. "Brooklyn, do we still have any painkillers at home?" There was no answer. Christopher opened his eyes. First, he saw a pale shoulder, then the back of the couch. Only then did he realize he had fallen asleep in the living room. His gaze shifted left, and the moment he saw Samantha's face, his expression changed instantly. He shot up from the couch. Seeing Samantha about to slip off the couch, he quickly caught her in his arms. In the daylight, the marks on her body were all too clear. He froze. As his hand trembled, he almost let go of her. Just then, Samantha slowly woke up. They stared at each other in silence for a moment. She saw regret on Christopher's face. Samantha bit her lip and said softly, "Yesterday, you were in a bad mood and drank too much…" As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears. Yet, she fo