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

making Lara fumble to set her back straight.

an hour later, the car stopped in front of

driver helped Lara out of the

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

merely stared at her petite face and

did not have

was a young woman, so eerily reminiscent of that other,

just the barest

possess a young and compliant lover, using her as a

admitted to himself that those few seconds of intimacy were

curious at how much he truly cared for Crystal.

eyes were closed, lost in her music. The surge of emotions he felt then couldn’t compare to any amount of attention from

options, and Henry

He chose Crystal.

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

the stairs at

took a look at Skyler and Remi, he gently turned the knob of Crystal’s bedroom door.

hadn’t locked it. The

on the couch, adorned in a soft silk nightgown that shimmered under the lamplight. Her skin pecked through,

always entranced

the prolonged dry spell between them stirred a longing.

her close, and kissed

did not wake.

to be more docile in her

moments, his hands began to

with sleep, and met his, focusing on

of coral lipstick

was a mark of another

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

as

mistaking her resistance as mere coyness, whispered against the soft spot behind her ears, “Still mad at me, huh?”

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

His movements faltered.

looked into her eyes and admitted, “It was a chance meeting. I gave

slender fingers deftly undoing two of his shirt buttons to reveal

was cunningly chosen.

a ride. The driver was there.

well. He removed the tainted shirt, discarding

face Crystal, he declared,

even to

she calmly said. “You did nothing, sure. You just helped her resume her studies, rented her

don’t have such

refused to look at

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

heat from the

said, “Why do you paint it so

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

pained Crystal to speak

indeed, could be

had drunk a bit too much that his head throbbed.

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

when he was

your shirt with you.”

estrangement in her posture, and he couldn’t help but wonder if

they ever really

found herself padding back to

her fingertips over the novel, her face

an interest in Lara’s matters, she knew this day would come.

memory of the intimate encounter between Henry and Audrey from years ago was a hard one

first crush had regrettably passed, what man

Henry had in mind.

she wasn’t bound by the love for her