CHAPTER THREE THREADING THE NEEDLE

Hana's accusation hung heavy in the air, casting a dark shadow over the room as Luke struggled to understand what had happened. Guilt gnawed at his conscience like a relentless beast, each accusation a painful reminder of the harm he had caused. "I didn't mean to," Luke repeated, his voice tinged with desperation. "I mean, I don't usually do this, so I did not carry protection." Hana's eyes flashed with anger, her hands trembling with rage as she struggled to contain her emotions. She felt violated; in her moment of vulnerability, she was taken advantage of. "That's not good enough, Luke," she spat, her voice sharp with accusation. "You violated me, and now I must deal with the consequences." "I don't think I'm the only one here who made a mistake last night," Luke said in a voice laced with accusation, his frustration boiling over as he turned to face her. Hana recoiled at Luke's words, her heart sinking at the harshness of his accusation. She had expected him to take responsibility for his actions, to show remorse for the pain he had caused her, but instead, he was shifting the blame onto her. "I didn't force you to do anything, Luke," she shot back, her voice trembling with anger and hurt. "I don't know how we got here, but it is a fact that you took advantage of me when I was vulnerable. Don't try to shift the blame onto me." "You knew what you were doing, Hana," he spat. "I was vulnerable, and there you were at the door to my room; I know I mistook you for another person. That is my fault, but don't pretend you're innocent of all of this," Luke continued. "Arrogant and incapable of taking responsibility for your actions," Hana spat. Luke winced at her words, the sting of her accusation. He knew he had messed up, but he could not deal with her pushing all the blame on him. "Then why are you in my room?" Luke asked. "What the hell are you saying?" Hana's voice trembled with anger as she glared at Luke. "Why am I in your room? I think you are still drunk; this is my room." Luke raised an eyebrow, his expression incredulous as he glanced around the room. "Your room?" he echoed, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Look around. This can't be your room." Hana's heart sank as she realized her mistake. "wasn't this Room 315?" She asked. The suite she had been assigned for her sister's surprise. "This should be Room 315," she said to herself. Hana's voice was barely a whisper as she struggled to comprehend the gravity of her error. Luke shook his head, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "No, this is Room 312. And it happens to be mine." Hana's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she glanced around the room, her eyes falling on her bag and a room key card lying on the floor. She hurriedly picked it up and saw the number—312—confirming Luke's words. Realization washed over Hana as she pieced together the previous night's events. She had stumbled into the wrong room, mistaking Luke's suite for her own. The embarrassment was almost unbearable as she faced the consequences of her drunken recklessness. "I'm sorry, Luke," she said softly, her voice tinged with regret. "I shouldn't have come to your room or put myself in that situation. But in my defense, I was drunk as a fish." "That can't be your excuse," Luke scoffed. Luke's expression softened slightly as he watched Hana's realization dawn. He knew she wasn't there on someone else's orders, which made the situation more complicated. He couldn't ignore that they had spent the night together, even if it was a mistake. With a sigh, Luke reached for his checkbook and pen, his movements deliberate as he wrote something on a blank check. He tore it off and handed it to Hana, his eyes betraying a hint of remorse. "I'm sorry...about last night," Luke murmured, his voice tinged with regret. "Take this." Hana stared at the check in disbelief, her mind reeling at the sum written on it. "Two million?" she murmured, reading his name aloud. Luke nodded, his gaze unwavering. "It's compensation for...for buying a plan B." The implications of his words hit Hana like a ton of bricks, and she felt a surge of anger and resentment rise within her. "Compensation?" she scoffed, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Can you buy back what I lost with a check?" Luke frowned, his expression pained. "We're both adults, aren't we?" he countered. "I can't undo what happened, but I can try to make things right." Hana's hands trembled as she tore the check into pieces, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Two million dollars for a plan B?" she retorted. "I may not want a stranger's child, but I certainly won't sell my dignity for your money." Luke watched silently as Hana stormed out of the room, her pride wounded but her resolve unbroken. He knew he couldn't undo their mistake, but he couldn't let her walk away without trying to make amends. He ran after her and caught her in the lobby. He took his hands and dragged her to the lift, drawing attention from the overcrowded lobby. "What?" Hana hissed. "I'm coming with you," Luke answered. As they stepped into the elevator, the tension between Luke and Hana was palpable. Their silence was thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Luke punched the button for the ground floor; his jaw clenched with determination as he refused to let Hana walk away without trying to make things right. Hana's heart pounded in her chest as the elevator descended, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts. She wanted to be angry at Luke and lash out at him for what had happened. As they exited the elevator and made their way to the parking lot, Luke took Hana's hand, his touch firm and reassuring. Hana's breath caught her throat at the unexpected gesture as memories of last night flitted into her mind. "What are you doing?" she asked again, her voice barely above a whisper. Luke met her gaze, his eyes soft with regret. He said, his voice tinged with determination. "I can't let you go through this alone." Hana's eyes widened in surprise at Luke's words, her mind reeling with disbelief. She had expected him to walk away and leave her to deal with the aftermath of their mistake on her own, but here he was, offering her his support and presence. "But why?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion. Luke sighed, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion. "I don't know, altruism?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And because I want to make things right." Hana's heart skipped a beat at Luke's words, her eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. Luke gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, his lips quirking into a small smile. "Anytime," he said softly.