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.

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

his eyes, making Lara fumble to set her back straight.

stopped in front of a condominium in a

driver helped Lara out of

softly, “Mr. Miller, thank you for sending me home. If… if you need me to explain to Mrs. Miller, please do not

her petite face and smiled faintly, saying

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 that other, and furthermore, she was Audrey’s younger

just the barest embrace, he

could possess a young and compliant lover, using her as

to himself that those few seconds of intimacy were a

curious at how much he truly cared

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

and Henry

He chose Crystal.

car, he glanced up at the house. In the deepening. night, most of the lights had been snuffed

through the foyer, ascending the stairs at a leisurely pace.

Skyler and Remi, he gently turned the knob of

locked it. The

silk nightgown that shimmered under the lamplight. Her skin pecked through, luminescent and delicate. She had fallen asleep

always entranced by

prolonged dry spell between them stirred

held her close, and

did not

to be more docile in her dreams.

his hands began to wander

stirred, her eyes hazy with sleep, and met his, focusing on

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

mark

undiminished, his

pale, as if drained of all

whispered against the soft

there, her body was a vision of allure, yet her voice was chilling.

His movements faltered.

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

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

shade was

was just a ride. The driver was there. What

lingering scent of another woman on him as well. He removed the tainted shirt, discarding it in the trash.

he declared, “I haven’t betrayed

even

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 keeping a mistress?”

tensed. “I don’t have

to look

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

a cigarette when the heat

“Why do

have only come! tonight because I’ve been giving you the cold shoulder. If

to speak her mind.

indeed, could be ugly.

a bit too much that his

it further tonight. Rubbing his temple, he said. “Let’s

still, only speaking up when he was about to

your shirt

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

ever really been

found herself padding

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

had taken an interest in Lara’s matters, she knew

between Henry and Audrey from years ago was a hard one to crase.

yet his first crush had regrettably passed, what man could resist the

what Henry had in

and she wasn’t bound by the