The hallway was quiet. Tony stood still for a moment, staring at the closed door as if it could somehow answer the questions running wild in his head.
His fists clenched and unclenched, heart thudding louder than it should. It wasn't just the alcohol on her breath earlier—it was the way she had looked at him, the way she'd kissed him like she was trying to silence every ache inside her.
He turned to leave. But his feet didn't listen.
A second later, his knuckles rapped gently against the door.
Inside the apartment, Rose sat on the floor besides her couch, shoes off, head resting against the edge of the cushion.
Her thoughts were foggy. She blinked at the sound—soft but insistent. "Ugh... Who could that be now?" She mumbled, dragging herself up.
When she opened the door, she didn't expect to see Tony still there.
Her gaze scanned his face—his red, tired eyes, the tension in his jaw, and the quiet hesitation in his stance. Before either of them could say a word, her hand reached up and touched his chest. "You came back…"
"I shouldn't have," he said, voice low, but he didn't move.
She leant in slowly, eyes searching his, lips brushing his cheek. "Then why are you here?"
Tony inhaled sharply. "Because I'm a fool," he whispered.
Their lips met again—not like before. This time slower, deeper, a collision of questions and needs neither of them wanted to answer out loud. Rose's fingers curled around his collar, pulling him inside.
The door clicked shut behind them.
In the dim light, Tony held her face gently. "Are you sure about this, Rose?" he asked, voice hoarse.
She nodded but didn't say a word. She only pointed down the hallway.
He lifted her into his arms, holding her as if she were something fragile and heavy all at once.
Tony carried Rose to the bed, and she began to remove his clothes. Tony hesitated, asking, "Are you sure about this? I don't want you to regret this."
Rose's voice was soft but certain. "I won't. I need you tonight." With that, Tony joined her in bed, their bodies entwining in passion.
Their lovemaking was passionate, each touch filled with need and want. Tony caressed Rose's body, and she responded with eagerness.
Rose whispered, "You make me feel alive." Tony held her close, their heartbeats in sync. After the intensity subsided, they lay together, bodies still intertwined, breath slowly returning to normal.
"Thank you, Tony," Rose murmured. "I'm glad it was you."
"I hope you know what you are doing," Tony replied. "Are you okay?"
There was no response, but when Tony looked at her again, she was already sleeping.
Tony quietly cleaned up and smiled. "The great Rose! Lucky me, and thanks to Venus for making this happen," he said softly.
"Hope when you have sobered up, you will remember this moment." He whispered and kissed her on the forehead before leaving the apartment and driving away.
The next morning, the sunlight forced its way through the half-open blinds, slicing across the bedroom like judgement.
Rose stirred beneath the covers, her head pounding like construction workers were hosting a party inside her skull.
"Ughhh…" she groaned, rolling onto her side.
That's when she saw it—Tony's black wristwatch on her nightstand. Her eyes widened. Her heart skipped a beat. She shot up.
Blanket wrapped around her, she slowly turned her head to look besides her.
Empty.
The pillow still bore the faint shape of someone's head. The sheets were tangled. And that scent—his cologne—lingered in the air like an accusation.
"No… no, no, no…" she muttered.
She pressed both palms to her temples. "What the hell did I do?!"
Pieces of the night came back in blurry flashes. The bar. The cab. The drunken phone call. The kiss. The door. The look in his eyes. And then—God help her—the bedroom.
She gasped and jumped out of bed like it was on fire.
Clutching the bedsheet to herself, she paced the room in fury. "How could I? How could he?"
She stopped. Pointed to the door like he was still standing there.
"That fool! That IT guy! What gave him the audacity? Does he think I'm that easy? Huh?"
She spun and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.
Her smudged mascara made her look like a racoon in mourning.
"Ugh! Venus! This is all her fault!" She yelled at her reflection. "If she didn't come in with her stupid smart mouth and her grandma wisdom and her bubbly charm, I wouldn't be suspended! I wouldn't be drowning my sorrow in wine!"
She stomped to her dresser, still wrapped in the sheet like a modern-day Roman villain. "And Tony! You couldn't resist, could you? Always trying to be the nice guy—well guess what, Tony? You're a mistake! A big one!"
Then, silence.
Rose plopped on the edge of her bed, breathing heavily. Her hand reached absently for a bottle of water, and she downed it like it was a miracle potion.
Her eyes stared off into nothing.
"…It should have been Raymond," she muttered bitterly. "Not Tony."
The thought made her stomach twist. Raymond, the CEO. Her boss. The man she'd admired from day one. The man she'd imagined standing besides her in front of the company, announcing her promotion—no, their engagement.
She shook her head.
"I've wasted everything," she whispered. "For what?"
A knock at the door made her jump.
She looked at it, eyes narrowing.
"If that's Tony, I swear I'll break this water bottle on his head."
She grabbed a pillow and hurled it at the door for practice.
It bounced harmlessly.
But the fire in her eyes? That wasn't going anywhere.
She cracked the door open and froze.
Tony.
With coffee.
And a very awkward, nervous smile.
"Morning…" Tony said, his voice cautious. "I brought coffee. And croissants. From that French place you like—Pierre's?"
Rose stared at him, her expression unreadable at first. Then she opened the door fully, arms crossed beneath her chest.
"You brought coffee?" she asked coolly.
"And snacks," Tony added, lifting the bag a little higher. "Look, about last night…"
She cut him off with a bitter laugh, stepping aside just enough for him to enter, because she doesn't want people to hear what happened between them last night.
He walked in slowly, setting the bag on the glass table in her living room. She didn't offer him a seat.
"Tony…" Rose said slowly, tilting her head. "Do you think just because you—" she smirked, "—had sex with me, that gives you some kind of emotional access?"
"There was no last night," she emphasised.
Tony turned towards her, a little flustered. "No. That's not what I'm trying to say. I just… I wanted to check on you. You were upset. I care."
Rose raised a brow and clapped once, slow and sarcastic. "Wow. You care? You care?" She laughed, not the funny kind.
"Tony, you're an IT guy who couldn't keep his mouse in the drawer. Don't stand there acting like you're my knight in shining cables."
Tony blinked. "Okay, I deserve that—"
"You do!" Rose snapped, her tone rising. "Because now I have to look at myself in the mirror and see a drunk, desperate woman who threw herself at a guy who couldn't even hold eye contact after!"
Tony's lips parted, stunned. "That's not fair—"
Rose stepped forward, close, her finger jabbing lightly against his chest. "Don't come here with breakfast and boyish guilt. Don't play the good guy. You got what you wanted."
"That's not true," Tony replied, his voice firmer now. "You called me. I came because I was worried about you. And maybe I shouldn't have stayed. But don't twist it like I took something."
Rose's jaw tightened. Her eyes were glossy now, but not from sadness. More from the sting of self-awareness she refused to admit.
"I said what I said," she whispered.
Tony gave a tired nod. "Okay."
He turned to pick up the bag of croissants and paused.
"No, keep it," Rose said flatly. "Consider it a thank-you for the most forgettable night of my life."
He looked at her for a beat. Then he said quietly, "For what it's worth, I didn't forget."
That almost cracked her. Almost.
"Get out, Tony," she said, eyes burning. "Now."
Without another word, Tony walked out.
She turned to the bag, stared at it for a second, then snatched it up and threw it in the trash.
Her lips trembled as she muttered, "I don't need anyone to care."
But the silence didn't argue.
Back to Copeland & Co. twenty minutes later...