Misunderstandings and Consequences

Henry took a deep breath, pushing the confused thoughts from his mind. The kiss was a blur, but it had left a mark on him that he couldn’t shake. After standing there in the hallway for far too long, his first instinct was to find Lily. To confront her, understand what had happened, and why she'd kissed him in such a reckless, impulsive moment. He couldn't let her leave in this state—especially not after what had happened.

As he stepped outside into the cool night air, he spotted her. Lily was swaying slightly, visibly intoxicated, and standing by the side of the road, trying to hail a taxi. But no cars were stopping. It was late, and the streets were quiet. He knew she couldn’t be left alone, especially in her condition.

He quickly approached the security guard at the entrance of the hotel and told him, "Please, keep an eye on her until I get back." The guard nodded, understanding the situation, as Henry turned to retrieve his car.

Henry drove back to the hotel’s parking lot, a deep sense of concern for Lily pressing on his chest. When he parked in front of her, he saw her step forward, thinking it was a taxi. She opened the door and slid into the back seat. "Take me to 5th Avenue," she slurred, as if she had booked a ride.

Henry didn’t correct her. He was still unsure of the situation, but he felt a strange protectiveness toward her now. He started driving, silently, taking her home, allowing her to drift in and out of sleep in the backseat. The night air through the slightly cracked window seemed to settle her, and he couldn’t help but glance back at her occasionally.

When they reached her apartment, Lily reached into her purse to grab cash, only to realize she was empty-handed. Panicked, she glanced at Henry. "Oh, I’m sorry," she muttered, fumbling with her phone, only to find it dead.

"It’s fine," Henry said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You don’t need to pay."

"No, I insist," Lily said, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. "Let me transfer the money. Can I have your number?"

Henry paused for a moment, then pulled out his business card from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. She took it, confused but grateful, and stepped out of the car.

Henry watched her stumble slightly as she made her way to the entrance of the building. Her drunk walk made him smile, even laugh quietly to himself, shaking his head at how adorable yet awkward she looked. She disappeared inside, and he sat there for a moment, reflecting on the strange and unexpected evening. As his thoughts lingered on the kiss—the softness of her lips, the unexpected spark—it left him yearning for more, but he shook it off and drove back to his place.

Later that Night

Once at home, Henry sat on the couch, still processing the events. The kiss replayed in his mind like a vivid dream, and every moment felt like a sudden, unspoken connection. His pulse quickened at the memory of it. He found himself wishing it had lasted just a little longer, but he didn’t know why. Maybe it was the way she kissed him—so boldly, so impulsively. Or maybe it was the mystery surrounding her.

But the situation was complicated. He was the CEO, she was a consultant. He couldn’t afford to let his emotions get tangled in this. He had to focus.

But for now, he closed his eyes and decided to sleep on it. He couldn’t think about it any more tonight. Tomorrow, he would face the consequences. And maybe, just maybe, try to figure out what Lily’s kiss had meant—if anything.

The Morning After

Lily groaned as the harsh sunlight hit her face. Her head throbbed mercilessly, and her stomach felt like it was twisting in knots. She tried to recall the events of the previous night, but everything was a fog. Bits and pieces flashed in her memory: the party, her conversation with Kate, the drunken laughter, the kiss with Henry.

The kiss.

Her heart skipped a beat as she shot up in bed, suddenly feeling more awake than ever. What had she done? Her hands scrambled around her bedside table, seeking her phone for some clarity. As she grabbed it, a business card slipped from between the pages of the drawer, catching her off guard.

She stared at the card. Henry James. CEO.

Lily's stomach dropped. Her breath hitched. What the hell?

"How did I get this?" she whispered to herself, staring at the card like it was a foreign object. She tried to recall the events from last night—fragments came back. A kiss. His lips on mine. Then, him taking me home. The shock of it all hit her like a ton of bricks. Her heart raced.

Suddenly, she remembered more vividly—the way she had kissed him. The way his mouth had been warm, and the way he had felt so... real. The embarrassment hit her like a wave, and she buried her face in her hands. "Lily, what have you done?!"

She paced around her apartment, muttering under her breath. She felt a mix of anger and shame. How could I do this?

She grabbed her phone and checked for messages, but there was nothing—nothing except that damned card. She didn’t know how she would face him at work.

At Work

Lily arrived at the office, still mortified, trying to pretend nothing had happened. Fortunately, she didn’t run into Henry, which was a small relief. She quickly dove into her work, deciding to skip lunch to avoid any chance of a confrontation with him.

But when her colleague, Sara—the office gossip—approached her later in the afternoon, Lily’s heart sank.

“Sara, what is it?” she asked, her voice betraying a hint of panic.

“You haven’t heard the news?" Sara grinned mischievously, "There’s a video online of Henry kissing a girl. Everyone’s talking about it in the cafeteria!”

Lily’s eyes widened. A video?

Her thoughts raced as Sara pulled out her phone and showed her the video. Lily could hardly believe her eyes. It was her. It was me. But the camera angle was perfect—her face wasn’t visible.

"Who posted it?" Lily demanded, her voice shaking.

Sara scrolled through her phone. "It was posted by... Kate."

Lily’s stomach twisted. Kate?

With a quick excuse, Lily rushed to the restroom and immediately called Kate. When her friend picked up, Lily barely contained her anger. "Kate, are you out of your mind? How could you post that video?"

Kate, on the other end, sounded slightly tipsy, a little too carefree. "Calm down, Lily. I saw you two in the hallway, and I didn’t think it through. I was drunk, and when I saw the kiss, I just... filmed it and posted it. I didn’t think anyone would care."

Lily could feel her heart sinking. “Do you know how bad this could be for me? For both of us?”

"Look," Kate said quickly, "I didn’t think about the consequences. And now it’s viral. Henry’s face is clear, so deleting it won’t make a difference."

Lily’s panic only grew. "What now?"

Kate sighed. "I just got a call from the company. They want to meet me, but don’t worry—I’ll never tell them we’re friends."

Lily felt a small sense of relief. "Thank you," she whispered.

Meanwhile, Henry

At the same time, Henry was dealing with his own version of chaos. He had seen the video, too. At first, he was relieved that Lily’s face wasn’t visible, but it still left him unsettled. He couldn’t help but wonder why she would kiss him and then let it be filmed. He started to question her intentions—whether it was all some kind of manipulation or game.

He tried to push the thoughts out of his mind as he prepared for a meeting. But then, something caught his eye. As he sat in his car, he saw Lily walking toward Kate outside the office building. When he watched the exchange unfold—Lily handing Kate money and telling her not to tell anyone that she knows her—it all clicked in his mind. He misunderstood, thinking Lily had kissed him for money, or some other ulterior motive.

Lily hadn’t just handed Kate money for no reason—Kate didn't have cash to give it to the taxi driver who insisted on taking cash, so she asked Kate to lend her some and that's why Lily came out of the office. Henry, however, took it the wrong way. He saw it as an attempt at extortion, something that only deepened his frustration.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***