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.

if one didn’t pay attention to it.

furrowed his brows and opened his eyes, making Lara fumble

later, the car stopped in front

driver helped Lara out

to get out of the car. Lara bowed and said softly, “Mr. Miller, thank you for sending me home. If…

at her petite face

again, Henry did not have the heart

a young woman, so eerily

just the barest embrace, he could

possess a young and compliant lover, using her

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

curious at how much he

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

options, and Henry chose his family.

He chose Crystal.

the deepening. night, most of the lights had been snuffed out, but the light from Crystal’s room still gleamed.

moved through the foyer, ascending the stairs at a leisurely

look at Skyler and Remi, he

it. The

nightgown that shimmered under the lamplight. Her skin pecked through, luminescent and delicate.

always entranced by her.

prolonged dry spell between them stirred a

and kissed her tenderly yet fervently.

not wake.

more docile in her dreams.

few moments, his hands began

and met his, focusing on his handsome

of coral

mark of another

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

face was pale, as

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

she lay there, her body was a vision of allure, yet her voice was

His movements faltered.

he looked into her eyes and admitted, “It

her nightgown, her slender fingers deftly undoing two of

was cunningly

The driver was there. What could

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

Crystal, he declared, “I

felt too exhausted even to be

silently, tears brimmed in 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

don’t

to look at him.

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

cigarette when the heat from the ember burned his

a moment, he said, “Why do

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

pained Crystal to speak

indeed, could be

too

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

when he was about to

shirt with

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

really been in

found herself padding back to the couch.

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

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

memory of the intimate encounter between Henry and Audrey

yet his first crush had regrettably passed,

Henry

married, and she wasn’t bound by the love for her children, she might have fought. their