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

front of a condominium in a nice neighborhood.

out of the car.

me home. If… if you need me to explain to Mrs.

petite face

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

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

the barest

a young and compliant lover, using

of intimacy were a test he

at how much he truly

vulnerability when her eyes were closed, lost in her music. The surge of emotions he felt

options, and

He chose Crystal.

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

the foyer, ascending the

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

The

the lamplight. Her skin pecked through, luminescent and

always entranced

and the prolonged dry

down, held her close, and kissed her tenderly yet fervently.

did not wake.

more docile

few moments, his hands began to wander more

and met

faint hint of

mark of another

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

was pale, as if drained of

resistance as mere coyness, whispered against the soft spot behind her

there, her body was a vision of allure, yet

His movements faltered.

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

two of his shirt buttons

shade was

just a ride. The driver

scent of another woman on him as well. He removed the tainted shirt,

face Crystal, he declared, “I

exhausted even to

her eyes as she calmly said. “You did nothing, sure. You just helped her resume her studies, rented her a condominium, paid her tuition, and found her a great job. Tell me, Henry, how is that different from

don’t have such intentions.”

to look at

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

heat from the ember burned his finger.

he said, “Why do

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

Crystal to

could be ugly.

bit too much that

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

stood still, only speaking up when he was about to

your shirt

back, seeing just the estrangement in her posture, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she

ever really

found herself

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

an interest in Lara’s matters, she

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

regained his memories, and yet his first crush had regrettably passed, what man could resist the allure of an impeccable substitute?

knew what Henry had

by the love for her children, she might have fought.