Until Forever Ink Fades

                 As Ana stepped into the penthouse, she noticed the living room was sleek and modern, with a minimalist aesthetic. The walls were painted a neutral color, and the furniture was low-slung and stylish. A large sectional sofa dominated one wall, facing a massive flat-screen TV.

To one side of the room, Ana saw a beautifully designed office space, complete with a desk, chair, and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, The office was clearly intended for her, and Ana felt a surge of excitement and gratitude,when she asked for an office she hadn't expected for Ethan to actually create such a beautiful and functional space for her. She had mentioned her desire for a quiet workspace in passing, but she hadn't expected Ethan to take it so seriously.

Ana's eyes widened as she took in the details of the office. The desk was made of a rich, dark wood, and the chair was a comfortable, ergonomic design. The bookshelves were filled with her favorite books, and Ana felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of having her own library.

She turned to Ethan, who was watching her with a smile. "This is amazing," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you ."

Ethan's smile grew wider. "I'm glad you like it," he said. "You said you wanted your own office space, it's not that hard." 

     As she looked around the office again, Ana noticed a small, framed photo on the desk. It was a picture of the two of them, taken on their wedding day,they both held their marriage certificate.Ana's heart skipped a beat as she gazed at the photo. 

       "Your desk was looking quite empty." Ethan said as he noticed her looking at the framed picture.

      Ana modded in response."what about the rooms."? 

    "There's only one master bedroom," Ethan said, leading her to the room. "My parents lived here before, and they gifted me the penthouse when I got married." 

   Ana felt a pang of discomfort at the idea of sharing a room, but Ethan seemed to sense her hesitation. "You can sleep in the master bedroom tonight," he said. "I'll take the sofa."

     Ana nodded, feeling a sense of relief. She wasn't ready to share a bed with Ethan, despite being his wife. As she looked around the bedroom, she noticed that it was tastefully decorated, with a large king-size bed and a beautiful en-suite bathroom.. 

     "Thank you," she said, turning to him. Ethan smiled and nodded. 

    "Get some rest," he said. "We can talk more in the morning." Ana nodded and watched as Ethan walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

          Ana slumped on the bed, feeling the soft, plush mattress envelop her. She let out a deep sigh, trying to process the overwhelming events of the day. 

   The luxurious penthouse, the elegant decor, and the unexpected kindness from Ethan all swirled together in her mind. She closed her eyes, letting the softness of the bed lull her into a deep sleep, her mind numb and exhausted from the day's events.

      ***. ***. ***

    Ryan pulled up to the hotel's entrance , and entered the hotel's lobby and was welcomed by the receptionist, but the one here was the different from the one the previous night. 

       The receptionist, a young woman with a friendly smile, greeted Ryan warmly. "Good morning, sir. How can I help you?" 

      Ryan gave her a flirty smile."you look lovely." 

   The receptionist's cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled back at Ryan. "Thank you, sir. That's very kind of you. Now, how can I assist you today?" 

    Ryan leaned against the counter, his eyes locked on hers. "I'm looking for a guest who stayed here last night. A young woman named Lily,she was in room 314,third floor" 

    The receptionist's expression turned professional, and she tapped away at her computer. "

     "Let me check, sir. Ah, yes. Lily is indeed a guest here. She checked out this morning." 

    Ryan's face fell, disappointment etched on his features. "Did she leave a forwarding address or contact information?" he asked, hoping against hope.

     The receptionist shook her head. "I'm afraid not, sir. She didn't leave any contact information behind."

     Ryan nodded, trying to hide his disappointment. "Okay, thank you for checking. I'll just have to try and track her down some other way."

    The receptionist smiled sympathetically. "I hope you find her, sir. If you need any more assistance, feel free to ask." 

  Ryan smiled back and nodded, turning to leave the hotel lobby, but then the receptionist from the previous night walked in recognizing him. 

       "Hello sir, did you come back for your.....um.....friend." the Manager asked not failing to use "air quotes" when saying friend. 

   Ryan's eyes lit up with recognition, and he smiled warmly at the receptionist. "Yes, I did. I was just asking your colleague here if Lily had left any contact information behind."  

    The receptionist nodded, her expression sympathetic. "I remember you, sir. You were the one who brought Lily in last night. I'm afraid she didn't leave any contact information behind, but..." She paused, and walked over to the counter to the other receptionist, muttering a few words to each other and at the end, she came back with a small gift bag. 

    "I don't know if you know , but your friend is a famous model, she left in a hurry this morning,when her manager came to pick her, the room service found this in her room and thought she may have forgotten it,while In a hurry." The receptionist handed him the gift bag."if you can find her please return it to her." 

         Ryan eyes widened as he took the bag but didn't open it or look inside. "Thanks, I'll surely find her." 

    Ryan walked out of the hotel lobby, the gift bag clutched tightly in his hand. As he reached his car, he opened the door and slid into the driver's seat. He placed the gift bag on the passenger seat and started the engine. Before pulling out of the parking lot, he decided to open the bag and see what was inside. He reached over and pulled out a small note and a check. As he read the note, his eyes widened in surprise.       

      "Thank you, please don't leak anything to the press." Ryan's face fell as he realized that Lily thought something happened between them and that he only wanted money. 

      "How dare her.".....