Chapter 313

Serena's POV

I wiped my mouth furiously with the back of my hand. "What's wrong with ME? What's wrong with YOU? Didn't you say you don't like women who throw themselves at you? Why the hell did you kiss me?" I continued rubbing my lips, making a show of my disgust. "That was revolting."

His eyes narrowed at my display, a muscle twitching in his jaw. I could see my words had struck a nerve, exactly as I'd intended.

"Get off me. Now." My voice was ice cold.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally pushed himself up and stood, looking down at me with an expression I couldn't quite read-anger, certainly, but something else too. He reached for my scattered clothes and tossed them at me unceremoniously. They landed partly on my face, partly on the floor around me.

"Put these on and come out," he ordered, then turned and stalked away without a backward glance.

I stared at his retreating back, seething with indignation. My clothes lay scattered across the bathroom floor-my blouse, skirt, and even my undergarments. God, how had I ended up in this nightmare? Trapped in a hotel bathroom with the most insufferable man on the planet?

"Who does he think he is?" I muttered under my breath, gathering my dignity along with my clothes. I'd get dressed and leave, and then I'd never, ever have to see Mateo García again. I'd make sure our paths never crossed, even if I had to rearrange my entire life to make it happen.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. The humiliation of this entire episode burned through me like acid. I loosened the already precarious towel wrapped around me, ready to quickly dress and escape this mortifying situation.

So focused was I on my plan for a quick exit that I completely forgot to close the door. And just as the towel fell away, exposing my bare skin to the cool bathroom air, I heard rapid footsteps returning.

I looked up in horror as Mateo burst back into the bathroom, his eyes landing directly on my naked body for the second time that day. Our eyes locked, and in that frozen moment, I felt the universe itself was playing a cruel joke on me.

But what happened next was worse than his intrusion.

"Serena, you change clothes without locking the door?!" he barked, his voice bouncing off the tiled walls. "Do you enjoy having men see you naked?!"

Blood rushed to my face, burning with humiliation and rage. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He had barged in on me, and somehow this was my fault? My fingers trembled as I clutched the towel against my chest, barely covering myself.

The fury bubbling inside me threatened to explode. I wanted to lunge at him, to scratch that arrogant face that looked down at me with such condescension. How dare he?

"You knew I was changing in here and you still burst in!" I shouted back, my voice shaking with rage. "What were your intentions, exactly? You're clearly interested in my body, aren't you? Stop pretending otherwise!"

His jaw tightened, the muscle there twitching with barely contained anger. "You're insane," he spat.

Then he did something that made my blood boil even hotter. He walked toward me-completely unfazed, as if I were nothing more than furniture. He bent down, picked up his fallen phone from beside my feet, and stormed out without another glance.

I stood there, trembling with fury, clutching the towel tightly. My mind raced with curses and insults I wished I'd thrown at him.

"Damn you," I whispered to the empty bathroom. My reflection in the mirror showed flushed cheeks and wild eyes. I quickly dressed myself, making absolutely certain every inch of skin was covered. No way would I give that jerk another opportunity to see my body.

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, Mateo lay sprawled on the king-sized bed, scrolling through his phone as if nothing had happened. He barely acknowledged me with a slight lift of his eyelids before returning to whatever was so fascinating on his screen.

I marched to the hotel phone by the nightstand, my movements stiff with controlled rage. I punched in the numbers for the front desk, determined to get answers.

"What is going on? Which room am I actually supposed to be in?!" I demanded when someone answered.

The polite voice on the other end replied, "Ms. Sinclair?"

"Yes," I confirmed, my tone clipped.

"We're outside room 1217 now. Would you mind if we come in to explain the situation?"

I hung up without answering and stormed to the door, yanking it open to find a small group of hotel staff huddled outside- five of them looking nervous and apologetic.

I stepped aside to let them enter, noticing how Mateo remained lounging on the bed, the picture of entitled indifference. He didn't even sit up, just continued playing with his phone like some bored aristocrat while chaos unfolded around him.

The hotel manager, a middle-aged man in an immaculate suit, stepped forward with a deep bow. "We sincerely apologize, Ms. Sinclair. The front desk clerk who checked you in today, Renata, is new-it's her first day. She mistakenly programmed your key card for room 1217 instead of your assigned room 1211. We are deeply sorry for this error."

All the staff members bowed deeply, a synchronized movement of contrition. Behind them stood a young woman-presumably Renata-looking absolutely terrified, her face pale and hands visibly shaking.

Another staff member, a young man with a name tag reading "Ethan," stepped forward. "I also must apologize, Ms. Sinclair. I should have double-checked the room assignment when I brought up your luggage. This mistake is partly my responsibility as well."

I stared at their bowed heads, the anger still coursing through me. But seeing their genuine remorse-especially the new employee who looked like she might faint from fear-made me pause. I took a deep breath, forcing the rage down into a more manageable simmer.

"Where is my actual room?" I asked, my voice calmer than I expected.

Ethan straightened immediately. "This way, Ms. Sinclair. I'll show you right away."