The Night We Forget

Amelia Carter had always believed the worst decisions were the ones people made when they were too tired to think clearly.

That belief would change before sunrise.

For now, she stood outside a hotel ballroom in downtown Chicago, staring at her phone with twenty-three unread messages and a headache pulsing behind her eyes.

"You're thinking too loudly."

Amelia looked up.

Nora Bennett leaned against the wall beside her, holding two glasses of sparkling water.

"I didn't know thinking could make noise."

"With you, everything makes noise." Nora handed her a glass. "Your face is practically shouting."

Amelia accepted it.

"My face is tired."

"Your face is annoyed."

"I'm always annoyed."

"Exactly."

Amelia laughed despite herself.

Behind them, the hotel ballroom was filled with people dressed in expensive suits and elegant dresses. It was the kind of place where everyone seemed to know which fork to use, how to greet important people, and exactly how much a bottle of champagne cost without checking the menu.

Amelia had never belonged in places like this.

She worked as a junior administrative clerk for a large corporate company. Her salary was decent, but not enough to make designer clothes magically appear in her closet.

Tonight, she wore a simple black dress she'd bought during a clearance sale six months ago.

Nora had insisted she looked beautiful.

Amelia had insisted Nora was lying.

They had compromised by agreeing that the dress was at least presentable.

"You've checked your phone five times in ten minutes," Nora said.

"I have a family problem."

"Your mother?"

"My aunt."

Nora winced. "That's worse."

Amelia sighed.

The problem wasn't really her aunt.

It was everything surrounding her family.

Her grandmother's old house had become the center of an ugly dispute. Someone had suddenly produced documents claiming ownership of the property, and Amelia didn't trust the paperwork. Her relatives were arguing, her mother was overwhelmed, and everyone wanted Amelia to return home.

She couldn't leave tonight.

She had promised herself she'd get through the event first.

"I'll call Mom tomorrow," she said.

"You're sure?"

"No."

Nora stared at her.

"At least you're honest."

The ballroom doors opened.

A waiter stepped outside.

"Ms. Bennett? They're looking for you inside."

Nora groaned.

"Of course they are."

Amelia smiled.

"Go."

"What about you?"

"I'll be here."

"You hate parties."

"I don't hate parties."

"You hate people."

"I don't hate people."

Nora raised an eyebrow.

"You once told me rich people invented unnecessary problems because they had money left over after solving the necessary ones."

Amelia considered that.

"I stand by it."

Nora laughed and disappeared through the ballroom doors.

Amelia remained outside.

She took a slow breath.

Chicago glittered beyond the hotel's glass entrance. Cars moved through the wet streets, their headlights reflecting off the pavement.

For a moment, everything looked peaceful.

Then her phone vibrated.

Amelia looked down.

Mom.

She hesitated before answering.

"Hello?"

Her mother's voice was tense.

Amelia's expression changed almost immediately.

"What happened?"

She listened.

"No. Don't sign anything."

Another pause.

"Mom, listen to me. Don't sign anything until I get there."

Her fingers tightened around her phone.

"I know what Uncle Daniel said, but that doesn't mean he's right."

She closed her eyes.

"I'll come home."

A pause.

"Tomorrow morning."

She listened again.

"Yes. I promise."

When the call ended, Amelia stood silently for several seconds.

"Bad news?"

The deep voice behind her made her turn.

A man stood several feet away.

He was tall.

Very tall.

His black suit fit him perfectly, the kind of suit that probably cost more than Amelia's monthly salary. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, as if he'd run his fingers through it several times.

His expression was controlled, almost unreadable.

But his eyes were different.

There was a quiet amusement in them.

Amelia looked at him for a second too long.

Then she looked away.

"Family."

He nodded.

"That's usually worse."

She glanced at him.

"Exactly."

He came closer but stopped at a polite distance.

"Waiting for someone?"

"My friend."

"So you were waiting."

"For my friend."

"Still waiting."

Amelia stared at him.

"Do you always argue with strangers?"

His mouth almost curved.

"Only when they make interesting arguments."

She took a sip of her water.

"Then you must have a very boring life."

That earned a genuine reaction.

His eyes brightened.

"You don't know anything about my life."

"And you don't know anything about mine."

"Fair."

He leaned against the wall beside her.

For some reason, Amelia didn't feel uncomfortable.

"You work here?" he asked.

"No."

"Guest?"

"Yes."

"Important guest?"

She laughed.

"Definitely not."

"What makes you say that?"

"Important guests don't spend half the evening hiding outside."

He looked toward the ballroom.

"Maybe they do."

"Do you?"

"Sometimes."

Amelia studied him.

"You're hiding?"

"Something like that."

"What are you hiding from?"

He looked at her.

"People."

She smiled.

"Then we have something in common."

For the first time that evening, Amelia forgot about the family dispute.

There was something strange about this man.

He wasn't trying too hard to charm her.

He wasn't showing off.

He wasn't asking for her number.

He simply seemed tired.

Almost lonely.

She understood that feeling.

"You have family problems too?" she asked.

"Everyone does."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one I'm giving."

She smiled.

"Fair."

A waiter suddenly appeared at the ballroom door.

"Sir, they're looking for you."

The man's expression hardened.

"Tell them I'll be there shortly."

"Mr. Reed, they said—"

"I heard you."

The waiter quickly disappeared.

Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"You're important."

"No."

She laughed.

"You just made a grown man look terrified."

"He wasn't terrified."

"He was."

"Maybe he had a difficult childhood."

Amelia laughed.

The man smiled.

It was small, but it changed his entire face.

For a few seconds, neither spoke.

Then Amelia noticed something.

He wasn't wearing a wedding ring.

She immediately looked away.

Not that she cared.

At least, that's what she told herself.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"You're staring."

"I'm not."

"You are."

She crossed her arms.

"You're arrogant."

"Possibly."

"And annoying."

"Definitely."

She laughed again.

Hours seemed to disappear.

They talked about ridiculous things.

Favorite foods.

Bad movies.

Childhood embarrassments.

The worst jobs they'd ever had.

Amelia discovered that he hated pineapple on pizza.

She considered that a serious character flaw.

He discovered that she talked to herself when she was nervous.

She denied it.

He insisted he'd witnessed it.

She accused him of imagining things.

For the first time in weeks, Amelia forgot about everything waiting for her at home.

Eventually, they left the ballroom.

Neither suggested where they were going.

They simply walked through the cool Chicago night.

Amelia folded her arms.

The man noticed.

"You're freezing."

"I'm fine."

"You're shivering."

"I'm still fine."

He removed his jacket.

She shook her head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know you."

"You've spent three hours talking to me."

"That doesn't mean I know you."

He looked at her.

"Then get to know me."

Something about those words made her heart beat faster.

At the entrance of a nearby hotel, Amelia stopped.

"This is me."

He looked at the building, then at her.

"You staying here?"

"For tonight."

Neither moved.

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable.

It was something warmer.

More dangerous.

"What's your name?" he finally asked.

She hesitated.

"Amelia."

"Amelia."

The way he said her name made it sound strangely intimate.

"And you?"

He looked at her.

"Alexander."

She smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Alexander."

"Nice to meet you, Amelia."

She should have gone inside.

He should have walked away.

Neither did.

Alexander stepped closer, slowly enough that she could have moved.

She didn't.

His fingers brushed hers.

Amelia's breath caught.

"This is probably a bad idea," she whispered.

"Probably."

"You agree?"

"Absolutely."

She looked up at him.

"Then why aren't you leaving?"

His eyes held hers.

"I don't know."

Amelia's heart beat faster.

Neither of them knew who the other truly was.

Neither knew that the stranger standing beside her was Alexander Reed—the billionaire CEO of one of the largest companies in the city.

Neither knew that Amelia would one day walk into his office wearing an employee badge.

Neither knew that this single night would leave them with something neither had planned for.

For now, there was only the night.

One decision.

One moment of weakness.

One unforgettable mistake.

Amelia looked at Alexander.

"Are you sure?"

His expression softened.

"No."

She smiled nervously.

"Neither am I."

Then she took his hand.

Together, they walked through the hotel doors.

Neither of them knew that by morning, their lives would be connected in a way neither could undo.

The first thing Amelia noticed when she woke was the silence.

The second was the unfamiliar ceiling.

She blinked several times, trying to remember where she was.

Then she turned her head.

A man was sleeping beside her.

Her heart stopped.

Memory returned in pieces.

The hotel.

The conversation.

The walk.

Alexander.

Amelia immediately sat up.

"Oh my God."

The movement woke him.

Alexander opened his eyes slowly.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then he looked at her.

"Good morning."

Amelia stared.

"Good morning?"

He pushed himself up against the headboard.

"You make it sound like I've committed a crime."

"I don't know yet."

A faint smile touched his mouth.

"Fair."

Amelia looked around the room.

His jacket was hanging over a chair. Her dress was on the floor near the bed, and her handbag sat on the table.

She closed h