Always next to you

Chapter Fifteen

NICOLE

The ceiling looked nothing like mine. It was grey with a halo of blue light to help with sleep. This wasn't my room. I quickly jerked my body up when I noticed I wasn't wearing the clothes I had on yesterday.

I searched my brain and pulled the basic information without triggering the looming headache. Last night, I drank with Jonas, so how did I get here?

My body ached with curiosity, and I climbed down from the bed to investigate. The bed vibrated, making me aware of the other person on the bed. When he turned to face me, I sighed in relief.

It was Aiden.

I had no memory of leaving with him, but my guess was that Jonas called him to pick me up. When he was asleep, he looked innocent and peaceful, not the problematic CEO he really was.

Before my heart could grow any fonder, I got up and looked around the room. It looked like a typical bedroom, which meant it was probably his house. I found my phone on the dressing table where he pulled it to charge.

How cute!

When I unlocked it, there was a new message from Jonas which I opened. I don't remember giving him my number, but I guess he had his way of getting things too. Jonas was only Co-CEO with Aiden, but I could tell he came from Money too. It wasn't hard spotting them when I spent four years making sure I was different from them.

"Sorry, he was the one I could trust," his text read.

A soft smile graced my lips as I realised he made the right call. Aiden had changed my clothes, cleaned my makeup, and loosened the ties on my hair to help me sleep comfortably.

I was still upset with him, but I couldn't ignore how sweet he was acting like boyfriend material. I took my phone and left the room for Aiden to sleep alone. If I lay next to him, I would remember why I was upset with him. I had to help him find another sleep partner.

When I came out of the room, there was a sitting room and nothing else. I realised this wasn't his house, but a hotel suite. This room had a TV and a big couch. Why didn't he just take me home?

On the couch, I found the bag I took to work the previous day. Yesterday was really the worse. I was grateful to Joas for helping me. Harvey called an emergency meeting at the office to talk about the testing I had done for the software.

There was a fault I didn't notice when I tested it and he tried to make it seem like I wasn't thorough enough. Harvey did his best to discredit the programmer's trust in me as a workmate by making suggestions on my relationship with Aiden. I was very embarrassed and the only thing that helped me calm down was music.

Unfortunately, my eyes were clouded with so much rage that I bumped into Jonas. This is why I wanted to end things with him. I had to stay strong and stand my ground, and staying in the same room with him would shatter my resolve.

The only way forward would be to prove myself to everyone. I still had to prepare a formidable pitch. I checked the time on my phone to see it was nearly 4 am. Mia would still be up. I face-timed her to tell her what happened at work.

"He's such an asshole!" she exclaimed when I told her.

"I know right? Not to mention he keeps rejecting our ideas. I want to win so bad but I'm running out of time,"

"Or you could get the man and become his boss,"

"Don't joke about something so serious Mia,"

"Aiden came to pick you yesterday,"

"I know, can't you see I'm not at home,"

"He took you home?!"

She teased, laughing at my shyness.