CHAPTER 193: A FORGOTTEN MEMORY

Charlotte woke up much later than she usually did. Sleep had eluded her the night before, and it wasn’t until around 1 a.m. that the drowsiness finally crept in and lulled her into slumber. She yawned, stretching her limbs before climbing out of bed.

Shuffling over to the window, she drew the curtains aside, allowing sunlight to spill into the room. Her luggage still sat untouched beside the wardrobe. The night before, she had managed to unpack most of her things from the smaller boxes, leaving only the largest one unopened.

With a sigh, Charlotte tied her hair into a messy bun, crouched beside the final box, and flipped it open. One by one, she began removing the dresses, folding and arranging them neatly in the wardrobe.

As she reached the last, her fingers brushed against a familiar fabric, the gown she had worn to the engagement ball. She smiled faintly, the memory tugging gently at the edges of her mind.

But then, a sudden wave of pain crashed through her head.

Charlotte winced, shutting her eyes tightly as the headache throbbed behind her temples. She groaned, massaging the sides of her forehead as flickers of fragmented images flooded her mind. Viktor. Pulling her out of the ballroom. Their voices raised in argument. Then...

Her heart dropped.

She kissed him.

Her eyes flew open, her hand flying to cover her mouth as the dress slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor with a soft thud. The memory wasn’t fully formed, just broken pieces stitched together, but it was there.

She let out a startled yell, her eyes wide with disbelief and mortification. There was no way she imagined it. It felt too vivid.

She needed answers.

Without a second thought, Charlotte dashed out of her room and down the hallway to Viktor’s chambers. She twisted the doorknob but it’s bulge. Frustrated, she banged her fists against the door repeatedly until it finally swung open.

Viktor stood before her, half asleep, his hair tousled and his eyes barely open. His expression shifted instantly from confusion to mild concern.

"Dear gods, Lucy, what is it?" he groaned, voice hoarse from sleep. "Why are you banging on my door like a war has broken out?"

Charlotte pushed past him, storming into the room as she began to pace, her hands braced firmly on her hips.

Viktor blinked, watching her with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. His eyes dropped to the hem of her nightdress, and he cleared his throat quickly, turning his gaze away. "Why are you here in your nightdress, Lucy?"

"This is much more important than a war," she snapped, pacing faster now. "You lied to me!"

He frowned, closing the door behind him. "I lied? What are you talking about? What did I lie about?"

"The ball in Eryndor." She turned sharply to face him. "What really happened there?"

His brows knit together. "What do you mean what happened there? It was Lilith sister’s engagement ball. Wholesome, as far as I recall. At least for you."

Charlotte crossed her arms. "No, no, I’m not talking about the event itself. I’m talking about us. What happened between the two of us?"

Viktor ran his fingers through his hair and let out a tired sigh. "I told you before, why are you asking me again?"

"Because you lied," Charlotte snapped. "You told me nothing happened, but something did. I... I kissed you, didn’t I?"

Viktor pressed his lips into a thin line and rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable.

"Did you just remember that now?" he asked carefully.

Charlotte stepped closer to him, but Viktor quickly moved to the other side of the room, stopping beside his bed. He reached for something lying atop the blankets.

"Yes, I did," she said firmly. "The memories are still blurry, but I remember kissing you, and I need you to tell me everything that happened." She paused when he tossed a folded blanket at her. She caught it, frowning in confusion. "What is this?"

"To cover yourself, Lucy," Viktor replied, sounding almost exasperated. "I’ve told you not to walk around in your nightdress like that."

She glanced down and, to her horror, realized how transparent the fabric was. The outline of her body was clearly visible in the morning light. Her cheeks burned red as she hastily wrapped the blanket around herself, clutching it tightly.

"I... thank you," she muttered, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"It’s no problem." Viktor sighed again, his shoulders slumping slightly. "You remembered correctly. I didn’t tell you because I thought it was better that way. You were highly intoxicated, and when you didn’t bring it up afterward, I figured you didn’t remember. I didn’t want things between us to change."

Charlotte blinked, her embarrassment slowly giving way to frustration. "So... what? You were just going to pretend it never happened?"

"You were heavily intoxicated, Lucy. It was a silly mistake. There’s no need to make a big deal out of it."

She nodded slowly, even as her stomach twisted. "Right... So, how did I end up in the water?"

Viktor looked up at the ceiling, closed his eyes for a moment, then let out another deep breath before returning his gaze to her. "When you kissed me, I was caught off guard. I reacted... instinctively. I pushed you away, too hard, apparently. You lost your balance and fell into the lake."

His voice softened, guilt creeping into his expression. "I didn’t mean for that to happen. I apologize, It was a reflex.

"Oh, alright. I understand," Charlotte said softly. "Forgive me too... for kissing you. I must have been seriously intoxicated to go overboard like that. Perhaps I thought you were someone else, and..."

"I highly doubt that," Viktor cut in gently. "You knew it was me."

Charlotte let out a sigh, rubbing her temple. "Forgive me again. I just... I hope this doesn’t ruin anything between us."

Viktor offered a small, reassuring smile. "It doesn’t, Lucy. We both know it was a mistake, one that won’t happen again. I’ve let it go a long time ago. I hope you can do the same."

"Yes, of course. I can do that." She cleared her throat awkwardly and stepped back. "I should return to my chambers now. Bye."

Without waiting for his response, Charlotte turned and hurried out of the room, clutching the blanket tightly around herself. She closed the door to her chambers and leaned against it, her heart thundering in her chest.

Her palms were clammy, and her stomach churned with emotions she couldn’t quite name. Why him? Of all the men she could have kissed in a drunken haze, it had to be him, the one man closest to her, the one who knew her better than anyone else.

The gods truly had a strange sense of humor.

She had just convinced herself to move past it, but Charlotte knew deep down that the image of that kiss would linger in her mind far longer than she wanted. How was she supposed to look him in the eye now, act like everything was normal?

Dear gods, she thought, dragging her hands over her face. Could my life get any more complicated?