"Where the hell did you put all my clothes, Steff?" I questioned, frantically searching through my bag only to find skimpy, revealing outfits that were clearly not mine.

Steff was nowhere to be found, and I could feel my anger rising.

"Steffon, you're in big trouble!" I yelled, storming around the lavishly decorated room in search of him. Finally, I spotted him standing outside on the balcony, talking on his phone.

"She's perfectly fine. I did what you asked of me and I got the information for you!" As soon as he saw me, he quickly ended the call.

"Who was that?" I asked, suspicion in my voice.

"Oh, I was just letting everyone know that we arrived safely," he replied casually.

"For a moment there, it sounded like you were arguing with someone," I pressed.

"Nope, just my mom being overprotective as usual. So, what did you want to talk about?" he deflected, changing the subject.

"Uh, yes, where the heck did you put my clothes?!" I shouted, remembering the reason why I was here in the first place.

"Well, not to sound rude, but they were plain and horribly tacky, so I had to get rid of them," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"You had to? Are you freaking kidding me?!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. How dare he decide what I should wear?

"No, I'm not kidding, and besides, we're here to have fun, not attend a funeral," he replied, trying to downplay his actions.

"My clothes were perfectly fine the way they were, and I'm not wearing any of those revealing outfits you picked out!" I declared, furious at his audacity.

"Well, you could always go naked. That would be so much sweeter," he teased, his smirk widening.

"I'll get you back for this, Steffon. You better mark my words," I grimaced, feeling a mix of annoyance and determination.

"Woah, it does seem like Kristen taught you a thing or two about being feisty," Steff teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Yeah, so what if he did," I sassed, not backing down. "And by the way, why do we have separate rooms? We've had sleepovers before and slept in the same bed."

Steff let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm sure you'd love it if I brought a girl to our shared room for some action," he replied, rolling his eyes.

"Whatever," I mumbled, feeling weary of our playful banter and his dismissive attitude.

Seeking some solace, I retreated to my room to take a soothing bath, hoping to clear my mind and figure out my next move. As I relaxed in the warm water, my thoughts drifted to Kristen, wondering if he would reach out on my birthday.

Suddenly, my heart dropped when I saw a familiar name flashing on my phone's screen. Mixed emotions flooded over me, a combination of disappointment and a tinge of delight.

"Hello?" I answered cautiously, unsure of what to expect.

"Happy birthday," Sebastian's voice rang out, and a small smile tugged at my lips.

"Thanks... but if you don't mind me asking, who told you today was my birthday?" I curiously inquired, grateful for the unexpected call.

"A little birdie told me," he replied playfully.

"Listen about what Kristen did...." As we talked, I couldn't help but bring up the situation with Kristen once again, seeking some understanding and reassurance. Sebastian's words were comforting, though his candid assessment of Kristen stung a little.

"Yeah, I guess so," I replied, feeling a mix of sadness and acceptance. "Anyway, I have to go."

Sebastian quickly apologized if his words had offended me, expressing his sincerity. I appreciated his concern and assured him that he hadn't crossed any lines.

"It was nice talking to you, but I do have to go. I'm sort of in the tub, and I'm starting to resemble a prune," I said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

He laughed wholeheartedly. "Yeah, I understand. Take care, Anna," he said warmly before we ended the call.

After leaving the bathroom, I grabbed one of Steff's shirts from his luggage, sneaking it into my room. It was a small act of rebellion, a reminder that I could still assert myself in the midst of the chaos surrounding me.

"Hey... I won't even ask where you got that. Anyway, I need you to wear this tonight," Steff said, handing me a half-done piece of clothing.

"Why would you need me to wear this?" I gestured to the dress, skeptical of his intentions.

"Can't I tell you to do something without you questioning my intentions?" he groaned, clearly annoyed.

"Because you're always up to something, and it's never a good thing," I replied, my suspicions lingering.

"But this time, I need you to trust me," he pleaded, his tone softening.

"Why should I trust you, and why on earth would I want to wear something like this?" I spoke, tossing the dress onto my bed in frustration.

"Will you just trust me this once? I promise I won't let anything happen to you," he begged, his eyes pleading for my cooperation.

"Fine, I'll wear it, but only this once," I warned, reluctantly agreeing to his request.

"Where are we going, by the way?" I asked, curious about our destination.

"We're heading down to the beach. I heard they're having a party with free cocktails!" Steff exclaimed, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"I must say, that does sound exciting," I mumbled, feeling self-conscious as I attempted to adjust my revealing dress after an older man winked at me. "But why do we need to go to a beach party? Can't we just relax instead?"

I was currently wearing a black strapless dress that clung to my thigh, featuring a daring V-cut that extended down to my stomach, with crisscrossing straps adorning the back. It was undoubtedly the most revealing dress I had ever worn.

On the other hand, Steff was dressed in a perfectly fitted black tuxedo, exuding an air of sophistication.

"You're such a killjoy, Anna. Now stop asking so many questions and come on," he chided, tugging me along impatiently.

Reluctantly, I followed him, hoping that his insistence would lead to a memorable evening, despite my reservations.

As we descended in the elevator, I was approached by multiple older men, surprisingly accompanied by their wives, but their lingering gazes made me feel uneasy and increasingly creeped out. I started questioning whether going back to my room was a better idea.

"First, we'll head to the bar for some cocktails, and then we'll go to the beach to have some fun," Steff explained, his excitement evident in his voice.

As we stepped out of the elevator and took a look around, the scene was overwhelmingly crowded with attractive men who instantly caught my attention, leaving me both stunned and a bit shy.

"I know, right?" Steff whispered in my ear, clearly noticing my reaction.

"I don't think this is a good idea. Every time I listen to you, something bad happens. Remember what happened the last time I drank liquor?" I whispered with a sense of caution.

"You'll thank me after tonight's done, just you wait and see," he assured me, his confidence unwavering.

Steff let go of my hand and swiftly grabbed two cocktails being handed around by waiters. He handed one to me while downing the other in his left hand.

"Go on," he urged me to drink, and with a slight hesitation, I took a sip, saying a silent prayer.

"Let's go party!" he exclaimed, his excitement contagious.

"Where have I heard that one before?" I mumbled to myself, trying to shake off any negative thoughts as I followed Steff's footsteps.

"I'll be right back," the mutt said, dashing off with a brunette who stood not far from us.

"How delightful," I sighed sarcastically, feeling a touch of bitterness creeping in. It seemed like my night was getting better and better.

The thought of turning around and retreating to my room or indulging in a relaxing spa session grew more enticing with each passing moment.

"Hi, want a drink?" A seemingly friendly person approached me. He was a teenager with nerdy-looking glasses and a nervous smile. I couldn't help but find his nervousness endearing.

"No, I'm good," I replied, realizing that I was already feeling a bit tipsy from the glass of wine I had earlier.

Despite my initial hesitation, we ended up sitting together, eating, and sharing laughter for the rest of the night. It turned out we had a lot in common when it came to our personalities. His name was Daniel.

At one point, he asked me to dance, and I couldn't find a reason to decline. I had grown fond of him, and a little dance wouldn't hurt, right?

We swayed and moved on the dance floor for about five minutes when I felt his hand gently rest on my waist. A surge of warmth instantly filled my body as his hands slid up and down, perfectly synchronizing our movements.

A familiar sensation tingled at the back of my neck, reminiscent of a time when I was with...

I spun around swiftly, my heart skipping a beat as I took in the person now standing before me. What I saw caused my eyes to well up with tears.

"Hello, princess," he said, his voice filled with a mixture of familiarity and emotions.

*****************

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