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

eyes, making Lara fumble

in front of a condominium in a

helped Lara out of the

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

petite face and smiled faintly,

not have the

woman, so eerily reminiscent of that other, and furthermore, she

the barest

possess a young and compliant lover, using

of

how much he truly cared for Crystal.

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

their options, and Henry chose

He chose Crystal.

In the deepening. night, most of the lights had

through the foyer, ascending the stairs

and Remi, he gently turned the knob of Crystal’s bedroom

The door yielded effortlessly.

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

entranced by her.

alcohol coursing through him and the prolonged

close, and kissed her tenderly yet

did not

proved to be more docile in her

hands began to wander

with sleep, and met his, focusing on his

hint of coral lipstick on

mark of another

was fixed, unwavering, even as his passion seemed undiminished, his hands

face was pale, as if drained

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

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

His movements faltered.

“It was a chance meeting. I gave her a lift.”

nightgown, her slender fingers deftly undoing two of his shirt buttons

coral shade was

just a ride. The driver was there. What

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

declared, “I haven’t betrayed

exhausted even to

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

tensed. “I don’t have such

to look at him.

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 driver hadn’t

was lighting a cigarette when the heat from

moment, he said, “Why do you paint

I’ve been giving you the cold shoulder. If our relationship was

Crystal to speak

could be

a bit too much that his

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

speaking up when he

shirt with

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

ever really been in love?

found herself

face betraying

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

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

had regrettably passed, what man

what Henry had in

they were still not married, and she wasn’t bound by the love for her children, she might have