"Let's break up."
"What?" My voice wavered in disbelief.
"Let's break up."
"Fine! If that's what you want, let's break up!" My words were fierce, but my heart was breaking.
He stared at me for a moment, emotionless, before turning and walking out of the restaurant. Tears blurred my vision as I watched his back disappear, a back that now symbolizes betrayal and lies. The door creaked as it closed behind him, matching the dull ache in my heart. How had I fallen for such a monster? Fate surely had a cruel sense of humor.
Alan had seemed perfect - a prince charming with gifts and kisses, always holding my hand like I was his most precious treasure. I was his "handbag," completely unaware that he paraded other girls around just the same. I was merely "Lady Z" in his twisted tale of "Lady B and A."
"Hello, may I?" A deep, soothing voice broke through my sorrow. A stranger offered me a pristine white handkerchief. "I think you need this."
"Thank you," I whispered, taking the handkerchief and dabbing at my tears. "All men are the same," I muttered, more to myself than anyone.
As he left, I couldn't help but notice his tall, sturdy frame - a stark contrast to Alan's deceitful presence.
The white handkerchief carried a fragrance of wealth and class, a rare scent that could only belong to someone of high status. But in my heartbroken state, I couldn't appreciate the serenade of that smell. "Enough with love stories," I muttered. "I'd rather focus on my goals. Alan was a distraction, and never again."
These words became my mantra as I embarked on my healing journey. The pain and hurt I felt would forever be etched in my heart, serving as a reminder to never love recklessly again. As I looked in the mirror while dressing up, I wondered if Alan felt any remorse. "Is he going to feel bad, sad, or even a little sorry?" No, that beast didn't have a single apologetic cell in his body - a true monster.
"This dress looks good," I said to my reflection. "Oh, beautiful," "Nice!" But why couldn't I find a dress that fit without Alan's words echoing in my ear? That son of a goat had done real damage to my soul. As hot tears welled up in my eyes, I realized how much of myself I had given to Alan. Healing from this pain would be a struggle, as everything in my space, my home, reminded me of him.
"I hate this! I hate him," I screamed, struggling to pull the blue silky linen bedsheet from my bed frame. The scent of Alan lingered everywhere, suffocating me with memories I desperately wanted to forget.
"Ah! Another stressful day in my life," I sighed, looking at the chaos on my desk. "I need to call Miss Helen." Today had been an absolute whirlwind - so much work to catch up on, clients to contact, and the heartbreak from last weekend barely had time to creep in. My job as Head Event Planner wouldn't let me wallow in my misery.
"I have a whole team to manage and countless weddings to plan." The irony wasn't lost on me - a wedding planner with a messed-up love life.
"Hey, Miss Debbie, what do you think about pink and red roses by the walkway?"
"Oh... it would be nice," I muttered, trying to snap out of my thoughts and appear present.
"My husband thinks it would be nice to use white lilies instead."
"Your fiance, you mean."
"Yes! My fiance. I can't wait to call him my husband." She beamed, her excitement contagious.
"Oh... nice. So, you said pink and red roses, hmm... that would be beautiful. Alright, let's discuss the budget."
"I'd prefer to talk about that when my husb - ah, fianc? - comes," she chuckled.
"Oh, I understand."
"Ah, there he is! Miss Debbie, meet my fianc?, Alan."
I stood to greet the man I had never met before, but as our eyes met, my heart sank in shock and pain. The man standing before me - my client's fianc? - was Alan, the very same Alan who had just broken up with me days ago.
"Oh, hi," he stammered, his hands awkwardly folded in front of him, avoiding eye contact.
I sat down, feeling hollow and crushed, wondering if anything he had told me was ever true. Meanwhile, Helen looked blissfully unaware, radiating contentment as if she had found the luckiest man in the world.
"So, Debbie, about the aisle floral design, we - "
"Miss Helen, I'm so sorry to cut you off, but I have an emergency at the office. I just got a message." I quickly gathered my things, pretending to check my phone. As I took one last look at Alan before heading out, he stayed glued to his phone, never once looking up at me.
"But..." Helen started, her voice trailing off.
"Sorry, Helen. I'll reschedule another meeting." Without another word, I dashed out the door.
*********************
Dear Helen,
I am writing to inform you of a quick change regarding your wedding plans. Due to an emergency health situation, I am unable to continue working with you, and your wedding management has been transferred to another top planner within our organization. Please accept my sincere apologies.
"If only she knew how insincere I am. Her husband would know! What a week! I can only brace myself for what's to come. I need to move on... whew!" I thought to myself, already planning to waste the night away at the club.
*******************
"Hello, sexy," a deep baritone voice cut through the heavy pop music pounding from the subwoofers behind me, disrupting the spiraling thoughts in my head.
"Hi," I answered casually. The only reason I came here was to dance my sorrows away - men's issues were none of my concern tonight.
"Remember me?"
"From where?" I turned to face the muscular figure.
"Me?"
"Oh... you." His bright white smile pierced straight through the softest part of my heart. Standing a breath away was a tall, broad-shouldered, tanned Mexican man. His half-buttoned, tailored silk shirt spoke to my body in different sensual notes.
"At the cafe? remember?" He smiled again. His voice, his composure - it was like he had stepped out of a Korean drama, the confident CEO billionaire type. He exuded wealth, confidence, money... ah, money."Sorry, yes! I remember." I snapped out of my thoughts. "You gave me that handkerchief, right? I didn't get to see your face, but I recognized you..." I motioned toward his physique, trying not to sound like someone who only remembers people by their bodies. "Whatever!"
"So, how are you? Would you mind a drink?"
"Oh yes, I mind," I said with a smirk. Who am I to turn down a drink from a drop-dead gorgeous man I'm never going to see again after tonight? As the night went on, I learned so much about him. Spanish-American, living in one of the finest cities in the U.S. - Los Angeles. A CEO of a multinational company, a serial entrepreneur. Despite his rugged appearance, he was a softie.
"So, since your breakup, what have you been up to?"
"Since? Since! It's just been this week, and the motherfucker is already getting married! Married!" My voice trembled as I dug my nails into my palm. "And to think, he probably referred his bitc...h fiance to work with me at my company. How did I not see this coming?" My face flushed with anger, lips curling into a sneer.
"Calm down, baby," his baritone voice soothed, breaking through my frustration. "How about I take you somewhere cozy to unwind?" He leaned closer, our shoulders brushing as his hot breath tickled my ear. His luxurious scent clung to my skin, and his fresh minty breath was enough to make me melt.
"No... maybe," I stammered sheepishly, feeling like a kid in a candy store, unsure whether to pick the gummies or the chocolate.
"Oh really?" He smirked. "You want to stay here and play the unbroken-hearted girl?" His gaze softened as he leaned in closer, his curled lashes drawing me into a fantasy.
"Let's go," he said, offering his hand as he stepped toward the door.
"Okay," I smiled, grabbing his hand.
"Let's go." His eyes twinkled.
***********************
"Welcome to my crib"
"crib?" I slightly swallowed the empty liquid in my throat,
...the space he called crib was anything but ordinary. the vast open area flowed into the gourmet kitchen, where sleek black granite countertops contrasted with gold accents, and an array of high-end appliances gleamed with soft lighting. the air felt cool and clean, perfumed with a subtle hint of sandalwood. the walls were lined with glass. Every inch of the apartment screamed wealth, but the intimacy of the space, the way his hand rested lightly on her back, made her feel like the richest part of it was being here with him.
"This is no crib, it is exactly how I imagined a CEO's apartment to be," gesturing to him with a playful shrug.
"Would you like to groove with me?" he said dancing an unrehearsed salsa while gesturing for me to join him, his open arms calling me to jump into his embrace, but knowing fully well that would make me look easy, I walked in a stylishly showing my beautiful straight leg under the red slit dress I wore, I donẗ know what it is but every being of me wanted him that night, as we danced and grooved to the slow music from an unfamiliar voice I can point my thought at, I was too engrossed with the surreal moments to care about whoever sang whichever song, the man standing before was an art himself and worthy of my attention at the moment.
Everything that happened after that moment was not me... there was no way I would tell Thelma, my work bestie how a night at a club changed to a night on a strange man's bed.
"well, not really a strange man, we met before and I have his napkin, it takes only one encounter to know someone for a lifetime. and he..."
" Hey! Hello! wake up bitch!" a strange masculine voice and hand pushed me awake from my thought and geared me to a reality I was hiding from "And you are...who?! "what are you doing here?" Where is my boyfriend" Bryan!" Bryan!!"
"Boyfriend" Bryan" "What is going on?" have I fallen for another love scam? My head felt empty as my heart sank into the deepest wormhole of pain, my eyes felt weak and lifeless and the light in the room dimmed and all I could think of was... is this the end?
THIS IS THE BEGINNING!
