“Tonight was amazing,” he murmured,

Charles was a man who knew how to make an impression. For his first date with Anita, he pulled out all the stops. He arrived at the luxurious Serena Hotel, a bouquet of red roses in hand, his red polo shirt subtly hinting at his youthful spirit, paired with sleek designer jeans. His silver Prado glistened under the hotel’s grand entrance lights, freshly washed and polished—just like his intentions for the evening.

Anita, meanwhile, was a vision. Her very short purple dress hugged her figure perfectly, paired with sparkling silver heels that matched her dangling earrings. Heads turned as she sashayed through the lobby, her confidence as radiant as her outfit. Charles was struck silent for a moment when he saw her, his usual smooth charm temporarily short-circuited.

“You look… absolutely stunning,” he finally managed, handing her the roses.

Anita beamed. “Not too bad yourself, Mr. Red Shirt. I see you’re trying to keep up with us young folks.

Charles chuckled. “Keep up? I’m leading the pack.”

Dinner was nothing short of perfection. They sat on the hotel’s outdoor terrace, surrounded by softly glowing lanterns and a gentle evening breeze. Over the course of a gourmet three-course meal, Charles entertained Anita with stories of his “business adventures” (carefully omitting anything that might hint at his wife and kids). Anita, in turn, regaled him with tales of campus drama and her ambitious plans to start her own fashion line one day.

The laughter came easily, the chemistry undeniable. Charles couldn’t help but admire Anita’s wit and sharp mind—she was far from the naïve girl he’d initially assumed.

After dinner, they lingered over drinks, the city lights twinkling in the distance. Charles reached across the table to brush a stray lock of hair from Anita’s face, his touch lingering just a moment too long.

“Careful, Mr. Mysterious,” Anita teased, though her heart skipped a beat. “You’re treading dangerous waters.”

“Danger’s my middle name,” he shot back with a grin, his eyes locked on hers.

The drive back to Anita’s hostel was filled with flirtatious banter, but it wasn’t until they pulled into a quiet corner near her campus that things escalated. Charles leaned over, his cologne filling the space between them.

“Tonight was amazing,” he murmured, his voice low.

“It was,” Anita admitted, her breath hitching as he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

Their first kiss was soft at first, a tentative meeting of lips that quickly deepened into something more passionate. For a moment, the world outside the Prado disappeared.

But as Anita pulled away, catching her breath, a flicker of doubt crossed her mind. “You’re full of surprises, Charles. Almost too perfect. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

Charles’s smile faltered for a split second before he recovered. “I guess you’ll have to stick around to find out,” he said, planting another quick kiss on her lips.

Anita laughed, though her instincts whispered something wasn’t quite right. Little did she know, the truth about Charles was about to unravel in ways neither of them could predict.