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.

escape one’s eyes if one didn’t pay

opened his eyes, making Lara

stopped in front

out of

softly, “Mr. Miller, thank you for sending me home. If… if you need me to

petite face and smiled faintly, saying nothing.

car started again, Henry did not have the heart to continue his пар.

leaned close, he felt it. Here was a young woman, so eerily reminiscent of

with just the barest

compliant lover, using her as a

those few seconds of

curious at how much

him, all he thought about was Crystal, of her vulnerability when her eyes were closed, lost in her music.

always weighed their options, and Henry chose his

He chose Crystal.

In the deepening. night, most of the lights had been snuffed out, but the light

the stairs at a leisurely

he gently turned the

locked it. The door yielded

under the lamplight. Her skin pecked through, luminescent and delicate. She had

always entranced

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

down, held her close, and kissed her tenderly

did not wake.

to be more docile in her dreams.

hands began to wander more

hazy with sleep, and met his,

then, she saw it-the faint hint of coral lipstick on his white shirt

mark of

was fixed, unwavering, even as his passion seemed undiminished, his hands already working at the buttons

Crystal’s face was pale, as if drained of

as mere coyness, whispered against the soft spot behind her ears, “Still mad at me,

lay there, her body was a vision of allure, yet her voice was chilling. “You met Lara today, didn’t

His movements faltered.

he looked into her eyes and admitted, “It was

fingers deftly undoing two of his shirt buttons to reveal the lipstick stain.

shade was cunningly chosen.

“It was just a ride. The driver was there. What

well. He removed the tainted shirt, discarding it in the

declared, “I

even

just helped her resume her studies, rented her a

“I don’t have such intentions.”

refused to look

crossed the line. If the driver hadn’t been there today, you would have tested

heat from the ember burned

he said, “Why do you paint

only come! tonight because I’ve been giving you the cold shoulder. If our relationship was going well, an like Lara showed up,

Crystal to speak

indeed, could be

drunk a bit too

he felt no point in discussing it further tonight. Rubbing his temple, he said. “Let’s talk tomorrow. Get some

only speaking up when he was

your shirt with

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

really been in

Crystal found herself padding

fingertips over the novel, her face betraying little emotion. But deep within, the

Lara’s matters, she knew this

intimate encounter between Henry and Audrey from

regained his memories, and yet his first crush had regrettably passed,

Henry

wasn’t bound by the love