My ex-boyfriend of four years showed up at the hotel where I work as a receptionist, with a woman in tow, asking for a room. The man had sharp features, with eyes as dark and deep as an abyss, exuding an air of aggression. He raised an eyebrow, his voice low and husky. “You have condoms in the rooms, right?” I smiled politely, my tone even. “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t stock extra small sizes here.” Hidden behind the counter, I quietly slipped off my heels, feeling instant relief. After standing for most of the day, I only had ten more minutes before I could leave. Unfortunately, my moment of comfort was short-lived as guests entered the hotel lobby. I instinctively rose to my tiptoes, plastering on a smile. A tall, mature man in a dark shirt strode in. He had sharp features and cold eyes, with a suit jacket draped over his arm. As I watched him approach, I felt a sudden sense of déjà vu. Ethan Quinn, my college boyfriend of three years, whom I hadn’t seen since we broke up. Four years had passed, and the boyish charm was gone, replaced by a more mature demeanor. His once rebellious air had mellowed, making him appear even more sophisticated. He looked like quite the gentleman now. Beside Ethan was a woman with pale skin and a delicate frown that seemed designed to elicit sympathy. I couldn’t help but marvel at life’s unpredictability and the awkwardness of the situation. My ex-boyfriend was here to get a room with another woman, and I was still working the hotel front desk. Thankfully, there were three receptionists on duty. Please don’t look at me, please don’t look at me, please don’t… Just as I was fervently praying, Ethan’s gaze bypassed the other two receptionists and landed squarely on me. Damn it! His dark eyes, like deep whirlpools, bore into me with an intensity that felt even stronger than before. The Ethan I knew in college had been like a wolf cub, but now he resembled the alpha of a pack. He looked at me as if I were a shameless ex-wife who had run off with all his money, and he was the poor wronged husband here to catch me in the act. If I remember correctly, weren’t you the one who suggested we break up? Time seemed to stand still as Ethan’s gaze remained fixed on me. It wasn’t until the woman beside him noticed something was off and looked confused that Ethan finally shifted his gaze. He placed a card on the counter, his voice low. “One king room.” I maintained my professional smile and calmly processed their check-in. Ethan picked up his suit jacket and gently draped it over the woman’s shoulders, his movements smooth and practiced. I continued working, but found myself slightly distracted. In college, Ethan had been a germaphobe who disliked others touching his things. I had been the only one allowed free rein in his personal space. But that was four years ago. People change. Ethan used to hate wearing suits too. The only time he wore one was after I begged and cajoled him for an entire day. “Excuse me, could I see your ID please?” Ethan took out his ID and handed it over. As I took it, I instinctively ran my thumb over the back. There were faint scratches, and the photo was unchanged. It was still the same ID we had gotten together in college. I continued processing their check-in and handed over the key card. “Here you go, sir. Room 1087, the elevators are to your right. Enjoy your stay.” Ethan took the key card and passed it to the woman beside him, who headed towards the elevators. I silently willed this jerk to leave already, when Ethan raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth curving into a mischievous smile, his gaze intense. “There are condoms in the room, right?” Hearing this, I almost lost my composure. I thought four years would have matured him, but it seems he was still the same scoundrel underneath that polished exterior. What an insufferable jerk. I smiled politely, my tone even. “I’m sorry sir, but we don’t stock extra small sizes here.” Ethan’s brow furrowed slightly, but his smirk grew wider. Oh, did I hit a nerve? He leaned in closer, his voice low. “If there aren’t any, how am I supposed to enjoy my stay, Miss Shaw?” Who cares if you enjoy it or not? Ethan shifted, about to leave, but then turned back, his finger tapping lightly on the counter. “As I recall, Miss Shaw used to be quite fond of my extra small size.” I suddenly had the urge to slap that smug look off his face. But remembering my job and my bonus, I held back. “Sir, my shift is over.” Please leave me alone. I gave him a slight smile and retreated to the break room.
“What? You ran into Ethan Quinn yesterday?” I locked the door and made a sound of affirmation. “How was it? How was it?” I got into the elevator and pressed my floor, switching the phone to my other hand. “How was what? He brought a beautiful woman to get a room. What else could there be?” It’s been four years. Even the sweetest memories fade with time. Lucy was about to say something else when she was interrupted by a baby’s cry. “Oh, hold on, Bella woke up. I need to go comfort her.” I shook my head with a smile and hung up. It only took 30 minutes to get from my place to the hotel, but it took all morning to mentally prepare myself for work. After forcing smiles for several groups of guests, I found myself wanting to quit this front desk job for the umpteenth time. Just as I was about to get a drink of water, the front desk phone rang. I cursed under my breath as I picked up. “Hello, thank you for calling the front desk. How may I assist you?” There was no response on the other end, just the sound of breathing. But somehow, I knew who it was. After half a minute, the caller finally spoke: “It’s me.” I inwardly scoffed but stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. Come on, what’s your move, jerk? Is it a wedding invitation or a kid’s birthday party? After two breaths of silence, the man spoke again, his tone slightly teasing. “I have a question.” Oh? “Don’t you have any bigger beds at your hotel? The one last time was too narrow for me to… maneuver.” Hah. I forced a professional smile, my voice sickeningly sweet. “I’m sorry sir, but all our king rooms have standard-sized beds. However…” He seemed very close to the phone, his breathing clearly audible. “If you turn left when leaving our hotel and walk about 500 meters, there’s a love hotel with very large beds. I’ve tried them myself. You can roll over three times while hugging someone.” His previously steady breathing hitched. I maintained a benevolent expression and promptly hung up. As expected, the phone rang again within seconds. Seeing the familiar number, I didn’t answer. My coworker asked, “Jenna, why aren’t you picking up the phone?” I replied, “Ex.” She made an “oh” sound and gave me a knowing look. When the phone started ringing for the third time, I finally answered leisurely. “Hello?” The man’s low voice was laced with anger. “Jenna Shaw.” What are you mad about? You can book rooms but I can’t have fun? “Oh, I forgot to mention. Mr. Quinn, I highly recommend the Sweet Ocean theme. The waterbed plus the mirrored ceiling…” This time, he was the one who hung up. I raised an eyebrow and put down the receiver, feeling like the day’s fatigue had melted away.
Ethan and I met in the spring semester of our freshman year. I was participating in a club activity, wearing an American-style cheerleader outfit and dancing to a girl group song on the basketball court. Ethan was surrounded by a group of guys, passing by in a large crowd. He had just lit a cigarette and looked up, catching sight of me in the midst of the crowd. That look in his eyes was hotter than the midsummer sun, seeming to burn right through me. When I finished dancing and was leaving, Ethan took a few strides to block my path. “Ethan Quinn.” I glanced at him sideways while tying up my hair. “Let’s be friends.” In the sunlight, Ethan’s eyes were half-closed, but he looked like a wolf crouching in tall grass, his gaze intense and filled with undisguised desire. I casually looked him over and turned my attention away. “Your cigarette smoke is bothering me.” With that, I tried to leave. Ethan stubbed out his cigarette with his fingertip and said, “I’ll quit.” I suddenly found it amusing, both his shamelessness and his empty promises. Why should I care if you quit smoking or not? But perhaps it was Ethan’s persistence, or maybe I found his wolfish gaze intriguing. A month later, I became friends with him. The kind of friends who could kiss. And we kept kissing for three years. Until he suddenly said we should break up.
It was a rare weekend off, and I decided to go shopping at the mall, browsing everything from snacks to lingerie. Even if I wasn’t buying, window shopping was harmless. As I picked up a purple bra, someone stood beside me, bringing with them an unfamiliar but faint scent of men’s cologne. The presence, however, was frustratingly familiar. A hand with well-defined knuckles picked up the black version and placed it at the front of the rack. “Black looks better.” The tone was casual, completely shameless. There’s really something to that saying about exes being like ghosts that won’t leave you alone. Without turning around, I smiled and said, “I’ll pass. He prefers me in purple.” With that, I finally turned to admire his sullen face. Ethan’s features were deep-set, but his facial lines were hard, making him look a bit fierce. But I wasn’t intimidated by him at all. I gave him a quick glance and then went to the men’s section, picking up a pair of underwear and smiling as I beckoned him over. Ethan’s face was as dark as if he’d just committed murder, but he obediently walked over. I showed him the underwear and asked sweetly, “Is this your size?” Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly, the corner of his mouth curving upward. “What about it?” I smiled slyly. “Oh nothing. If this is your size, I’ll need to buy one size larger. My boyfriend is a bit bigger than you.” Seeing Ethan so agitated that he was about to lose his mature man composure and have a sudden attack, I left satisfied. And I put down the underwear I was holding. But when I was checking out, Ethan sidled up to me again. As expected. In college, he was always like this. Though back then he at least knew how to play hard to get and keep me guessing. Now that he’s older, he seems more impatient and can’t hold back. Ethan’s fingers were long and graceful. Back when we held hands, they could completely envelop mine. He took out a card and handed it to the cashier. “I’ll pay for what she wants.” I looked at him, suddenly finding it a bit amusing. The once impulsive and passionate boy had become a successful businessman. The contrast was quite stark. But my mischievous heart couldn’t resist. I turned to him with a smile. “Wow, Mr. Quinn, you’re so kind. In that case, could you also pay for my boyfriend’s underwear?” Ethan’s face, which had just relaxed a bit, darkened again. “In your dreams.”
To avoid being responsible for Ethan’s potential heart attack, I didn’t actually make him buy the underwear. I did let him pay for my two sets though, considering it compensation for his recent harassment. But I really didn’t expect to see this sucker at the gym the next day. Geez. It really is fate. I also suspected that Ethan might be stalking me. But since he wasn’t being too excessive and was even willingly spending money on me, I decided not to make a fuss about our past relationship. Ethan was wearing a black T-shirt, sweat beading on his forehead. As he tilted his head back to drink water, his Adam’s apple bobbed, his whole body exuding male pheromones. Four years later, he still liked wearing black. I swiped my card and walked in. Ethan wiped his forehead with his hand, sweat rolling down his straight nose, his profile sharp and resolute. He grabbed the hem of his shirt with one hand and pulled it off, revealing smooth muscle lines. His abs rose and fell with each breath. Ethan rested his elbow on a machine, using his T-shirt to wipe away sweat with his other hand. He had a tattoo in ink-wash style on his right shoulder. The bamboo leaves were subtle yet snake-like, cool enough to make anyone whistle at the sight. But faint, twisted scars could be seen beneath the tattoo. The tattoo wasn’t there when we broke up, and neither was the scar. Taking off your shirt at the gym was quite improper, but no one went to stop him. Occasionally, women’s gazes would land on him. Undeniably, Ethan’s handsome face and body were killer. In just a moment, some people had even taken out their phones. Was Ethan the type of man to take off his clothes for no reason? He wasn’t. I inwardly scoffed and headed to the changing room with my bag. Since college, I’ve always had the habit of working out, even after starting work. But I usually wore a full sports T-shirt. This time, I tied up my hair and came out wearing just a sports bra and tight leggings. My slender waist led down to a round, perky butt, and my chest wasn’t bad either. I’ve always known that my figure and looks were outstanding. Otherwise, Ethan wouldn’t have noticed me at first glance in college, and I wouldn’t have been hired as a hotel receptionist after just a 30-second interview. As soon as I came out, I felt gazes landing on me, one particularly scorching. I didn’t care at all and went straight to the squat machine to start doing squats. My long, straight legs stepped onto the machine, then slowly squatted down. The elastic pants stretched taut, perfectly showcasing my curves. When I squatted down, a bit of cleavage was also revealed. Before I could start my third rep, a T-shirt was thrown over my head. I took the shirt off and saw Ethan with tense muscles and an unhappy face. He gritted his teeth and said, “You win, Jenna Shaw.” The shirt was clean and smelled of fresh laundry detergent. I raised an eyebrow and put on the T-shirt without protest, no longer taunting him. He glanced at my legs. “Change your pants too.” I knew Ethan wasn’t some macho guy trying to control what I wear. Today, he was purely angry because I was deliberately showing off to provoke him. “This is the only pair I have.” I lied through my teeth without blushing or my heart racing. Ethan looked at me for a moment, then threw down a “wait here” before putting on his shirt and leaving. Hah, as if I’d really wait. I grabbed my bag and left, giving my perfect body a day off.
Early the next morning, I grudgingly went to work again. There was a company dinner tonight that the boss was hosting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get out of it. The boss brought along an even sleazier-looking executive. The two of them sitting together was quite an unsightly scene. I sat to the side, quietly sipping my drink. The atmosphere was lively when suddenly I heard someone call my name. I looked up to see the boss beckoning me over. A bad feeling instinctively arose. I smiled, grabbed my purse, and sat down next to them. After toasting a glass of wine, the unfamiliar sleazy executive’s vile hand landed on my thigh, attempting to grope further inward. In my two years working at the hotel, I’d encountered this kind of thing many times, big and small. I was no longer the girl from a few years ago who would only know how to cry when scared. Just as I was considering whether to slap him directly or take out the pepper spray from my bag and spray this old creep to death, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. In the dim light, the man’s brows were slightly furrowed, his expression dark and unclear, but his aura was inexplicably intimidating. Ethan picked up a glass of wine from the table and poured it over the man’s face. The boss, probably experiencing this kind of disrespect for the first time, looked angry and was about to pour it back. Ethan let out a cold laugh. “Try it.” “If you dare move, I can’t guarantee you’ll keep that hand.” After saying this, he took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. I pulled the jacket tighter, feeling a bit relieved in my heart, marveling that after four years of societal tempering, Ethan had finally learned not to stupidly smash a wine bottle on his own head. He also wouldn’t impulsively resort to violence, but rather use his intimidating presence to subdue people. Indeed, a mature man was steady and gave a sense of security. As I was thinking this, I allowed Ethan to lead me out of the restaurant and into his car. He sat silently in the car for three seconds, glanced at me, said “wait here,” and suddenly got out of the car. Before leaving, he even locked the car doors. After a while, I watched Ethan stride back, open the door, and get into the car. He unbuttoned his collar and loosened his tie, his face still showing traces of anger. But for some reason, I liked seeing him lose his composure like this. I smiled and asked, “What did you go do?” Ethan’s hand gripping the steering wheel had bulging veins. He looked straight ahead and said calmly, “Taught him a lesson.” I smiled, my eyes curving. “I thought after not seeing you for a few years, you’d matured.” Ethan flashed a wicked grin and casually threw out a lewd comment. “Well, there is a part of me that’s matured. Want to try it out?” Who’s afraid of who? Maybe it was the effect of the alcohol, but I suddenly had the urge to be naughty. “Sure.” I smiled wider, my hand crawling up his suit pants. “Let’s try it out.” “Let’s see… just how mature it’s become.” Looking at his ear tip, I gently blew a breath. Thinking back to a friend’s gathering in our sophomore year, Ethan and I went to a karaoke place to meet up. When we got to the main hall, I wanted bubble tea and insisted he go buy some for me nearby. Unexpectedly, after he left, I was dragged by a group of men to their private room. I was only nineteen at the time and didn’t even dare to call the police. Later, I couldn’t remember how Ethan found me. I only remember that those men were about to force alcohol down my throat. Ethan burst in and snatched away the wine glass, smashing it on the ground. Everyone in the room stood up at once.
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