Serendipity | Englot AU

The Aftermath

Charlotte's POV:

Waking up this morning, the weight of last night's events hit me hard. It's only been a day since I got here, and things are already worse than I expected. Every step feels like a struggle, every decision a gamble. I had hoped for a fresh start, but it feels like I'm stuck in a mess.

As I approached the front desk, frustration burning within me, I couldn't wait to express my disappointment.

Luckily, Heidi was already there, writing something in a notepad she held. Great.

"Heidi," I called out, her eyes immediately meeting mine with a bright smile.

"Miss Austin! Good morning, up bright and early, I see. Could have just phoned for coffee," she chirped.

"It's not working," I replied flatly. Actually, anything inside the exclusive room she gave me wasn't really working. Except for shower and water heater. I wanted to lash my frustration out on her, but it would be inappropriate.

"Oh," she responded, her smile faltering momentarily before regaining its composure. "Well, I'll get that coffee started for you."

As she turned to leave, I stopped her with a firm tone, "Actually, I'm not here for coffee. I need to speak with your manager."

Heidi's expression shifted to one of shock, her words stuttering out, "W-why? Did I do something wrong?"

I sighed, "It's not your fault, Heidi," I reassured her with a gentle tone. "I just have something I need to discuss with your manager directly. It's nothing personal."

As a former manager myself, I knew the importance of addressing issues directly with those in charge. And it's entirely the manager's fault for not hiring a security officer inside her resort.

Heidi's expression shifted, her hesitation palpable. "Um, sure, Miss Austin. I'll go get her," she said, her voice uncertain as she turned to leave.

As she started to walk away, I caught the hesitation in her movements. "Heidi, wait," I called after her, noticing the uncertainty in her demeanor. "Is everything alright?"

Heidi hesitated before replying, her voice dropping slightly. "Well, Miss Austin, it's just... Miss Waraha, she's a bit... hard to talk to sometimes." She fidgeted with her hands nervously, avoiding my gaze. "But I'll go get her for you."

Before Heidi could even take a step, a loud, yet groggy voice erupted from behind me. It was a woman's voice, one that sounded strangely familiar to me.

"Heidi, coffee," the woman demanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

As I turned around to confirm my suspicion, I was greeted by the sight of the same woman from last night. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her sharp features. She wore the same clothes from last night, white button-up shirt, I could still see a hint of the bikini she had been wearing underneath, now partially dried out.

I squinted my eyes as our gazes met. She looked shocked for a moment before a smirk slowly crept up her stupidly beautiful face.

"Well, it's you again," she said as she made her way closer to me, her smirk growing.

My blood rushed to my head as anger consumed me. Without a second thought, my hand flew up and collided with her cheek, the sound of my slap reverberating through the room.

A surprised gasp escaped Heidi's lips, followed by her rushed statement. "Oh my God, Miss Waraha!"

I turned to Heidi so quickly it almost gave her whiplash. "What did you just say?" I demanded, my tone rising.