Crystal's One Night of Love

Henry found himself engulfed in the constant swirl of his demanding job and the social obligations that came with it.

Frustrated, he drank, letting the intoxicating liquid cloud his thoughts more than he should have. The world seemed to sway as he staggered toward his car.

His driver, unfamiliar with his personal life, remarked as he opened the door for Henry, “Mr. Miller, you’ve had one too many. Miss Winters won’t be pleased. Women seldom are when their men are inebriated.”

Leaning into the plush upholstery of the backseat, Henry pulled out a cigarette, letting its familiar scent wrap around him.

He lit the cigarette. As the smoke danced from his lips, he murmured with a hint of irony, “As if she cares.”

Being married to Crystal felt as lonely as being single.

Crystal was indifferent toward him.

It had been a few months since they were intimate with each other.

She refused to let him touch her.

It was only normal for couples to fight every now and then. However, she had resolved to move to another room. It wasn’t just the lack of physical connection. Even a mere conversation with her felt like scaling a mountain.

Not wanting to wade into those deep waters, the driver simply resumed his place behind the wheel.

Just as he was about to depart, a mellifluous voice floated through the air. “Mr. Miller!”

Henry turned, and there, limping unevenly with a cane, was Lara.

She traced his gaze that landed on her injured leg. “The doctor says it’ll heal in a couple of months with no lasting damage.”

She flashed him a woeful smile, expecting, perhaps, even hoping, that he might have visited her during his wife’s cold spell.

Yet, he never did.

However, that was all right. If he wouldn’t come to me, I’ll just find a way to him.

Acknowledging her with a nod, Henry instructed his driver to drive away.

The driver nodded and turned the car around. Lara’s lips twisted into a smirk as the luxurious car pulled away.

She released her grip on the cane, crumbling to the ground in a display of vulnerability.

Henry caught sight of it. He furrowed his brows slightly and ordered to stop the car after a brief moment. of consideration.

The driver was stumped.

In an impassive voice, he ordered, “Help her into the car and send her back home.”

The driver replied hesitatingly, “Miss Winters won’t be pleased if she knows of this.”

Intoxicated, Henry said in a rather exasperated tone, “She won’t know if you keep your mouth shut. Besides, I’m only asking you to send her home.”

The driver bit his tongue and got out of the car to help Lara.

Lara sat beside Henry.

He closed his eyes and did not speak to her, but they were in such close proximity to each other that she could smell the faint scent of pine on him.

She stealthily turned aside to sneak a peek at him, drinking in Henry’s chiseled features.

His side profile was perfect, exuding an air of nobility.

Lara couldn’t help but eye in wonder at the luxurious interior of the car.

She pictured herself being together with Henry. Her cheeks were tinged pink as she leaned in to take in his heavenly scent, imagining herself underneath him…

Will his face contort in ecstasy as he presses down on me?

Lara felt warm tingles all over her body just thinking about it.

An audacious thought flitted across her mind as she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on his pristine white shirt, leaving behind the faintest trace of her coral lipstick.

easily escape one’s eyes if one didn’t pay attention to

making Lara fumble to set her

front of a condominium in a nice neighborhood.

driver helped Lara out

you for sending me home. If… if you need me to

her petite face and

started again, Henry did not have

that fleeting moment, when Lara had leaned close, he felt it. Here was a young woman, so eerily reminiscent of that other, and furthermore, she was Audrey’s younger sister. Her attentiveness to him was undeniable.

knew, with just the barest embrace, he

possess a young and compliant lover, using her as a substitute.

to himself that those few seconds of intimacy were a test he set

curious at how much

about was Crystal, of her vulnerability when her eyes were closed, lost in her music. The surge of

and

He chose Crystal.

out of his car, he glanced up at the house. In the deepening. night, most of the lights had been snuffed out, but the light from Crystal’s room

foyer, ascending the stairs

and Remi, he gently turned the

locked it. The door

lamplight. Her skin pecked through, luminescent and delicate. She had fallen asleep holding

was always entranced

alcohol coursing through him and the prolonged dry spell between them stirred a longing.

held her close, and kissed her

did not wake.

to be more

moments, his hands began to wander

hazy with sleep, and met his, focusing

it-the faint hint of coral lipstick on

was a mark of

unwavering, even as his passion seemed undiminished, his hands

Crystal’s face was pale, as if drained of all blood.

soft spot

her body was a vision of allure, yet her voice was chilling. “You met Lara today,

His movements faltered.

admitted, “It was a

two of his shirt buttons

shade was cunningly chosen.

furrowed. “It was just a ride. The driver

well. He removed the tainted shirt, discarding

he declared, “I haven’t betrayed our

felt too exhausted even to be

calmly said. “You did nothing, sure. You just helped her resume her studies, rented her a condominium, paid her tuition, and

face tensed. “I don’t

refused to look at him.

the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the night, and murmured. “You let her get close to you and allowed her to challenge your lawful wife. Your relationship with her has already crossed the line. If the driver hadn’t been there today, you would have tested yourself further. You might have followed her back to her condominium, let her remove your coat, perhaps even indulged her advances. She could have become your lover, a

the heat from the ember burned his

do

been giving you the cold shoulder. If our relationship was going well, an like Lara showed up,

to speak

could

had drunk a bit too

no point in discussing it further tonight. Rubbing his temple,

speaking up when he was

your shirt with

posture, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she had

they ever really been

found herself padding back to

her face betraying little

Lara’s matters, she knew this day would

intimate encounter between Henry and Audrey from years ago was

his first crush had regrettably passed,

Henry had

by the love for