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

his eyes, making Lara fumble

an hour later, the car stopped in front of a condominium in

driver helped Lara out of the car.

sending me home. If… if you need me to explain to Mrs. Miller, please do not hesitate

at her petite face and smiled faintly,

started again, Henry did not have the

leaned close, he felt it. Here was a young woman, so eerily reminiscent of that other, and furthermore, she was Audrey’s younger sister. Her attentiveness to him was

barest embrace, he could claim

and compliant lover, using

that those few seconds of

was 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 felt then couldn’t

always weighed their options, and

He chose Crystal.

he glanced up at the house. In the

ascending the

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

locked it. The door yielded effortlessly.

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

was always entranced by

him and the prolonged dry spell between them stirred a longing.

leaned down, held her close, and kissed

not

to be more docile

a few moments, his hands began to

eyes hazy with sleep, and

it-the faint hint of coral lipstick on

mark

passion seemed undiminished, his hands already working at the

Crystal’s face was pale, as if drained of all blood.

coyness, whispered against the soft spot behind her

yet her voice was chilling. “You

His movements faltered.

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

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

was cunningly chosen.

just a ride. The driver was there. What could have happened?”

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

declared,

exhausted even to

studies, rented her a condominium, paid her tuition, and

“I don’t have such intentions.”

look

moved to stand by the floor-to-ceiling 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 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

cigarette when the heat

“Why do you

often harsh. Henry, you have only come! tonight because I’ve been giving you the cold shoulder. If our relationship was going well, an like Lara showed up, I doubt that you’ll resist

Crystal to speak her

indeed, could

too

no point in discussing it further tonight. Rubbing

still, only speaking up when he was

your shirt with you.”

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

ever really been in

Henry left, Crystal found herself padding back to the

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

in Lara’s matters, she knew this

memory of the intimate encounter between Henry and Audrey from

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

Henry had in

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