One night stand with a mysterious figure
Ruby's POV
I turned to Sofia, my best friend, as she stepped onto the stage. Her red dress shimmered under the lights, and her confidence a sight to behold.
"Attention everyone! I have an announcement to make!" Sofia's voice rang out.
The room fell silent. I flashed her an encouraging smile, but my heart sank as I met her gaze. Something was off.
"Actually, two in one…" Sofia's laughter was short-lived, and her eyes snapped to mine. I noticed she was nervous.
"I am pregnant with David Grey's child!" Sofia's words dropped like a bombshell. "And we will be tying the knot in two months! You are all invited to my wedding."
The room erupted into applause, but I remained seated, frozen in shock. David? My David? The man I'd been engaged to for three years?
I pushed through the crowd, my legs trembling. David stood beside Sofia, his eyes locked on mine.
"Ruby, can you calm down and trust me? I'll give you an explanation after the party. Just...don't cause a scene, please," David pleaded.
‘Calm down? Trust him? Was he kidding?’
‘How could they do this to me?’ I thought, my eyes stinging. Three years, wasted. Our memories, our laughter, our tears...all a lie.
Pain seared my chest, threatening to consume me. I felt like I was drowning, unable to breathe.
"David," I whispered, my voice trembling. "How could you?"
I felt numb, my eyes fixed on his worried expression.
Sofia's voice cut through the tension. "David, I just announced our union. What would people think seeing you dote on another woman?"
David's response was firm. "Sofia, enough."
He turned to me, his eyes stern. "Leave now, Ruby. I'll be there immediately after I settle things here."
I nodded, still reeling. As I turned to leave, Sofia's words numbing me like I was struck by a dagger.
I stumbled out of the hall, into the cool night air. The hotel was nearby, but I detoured to the bar.
A mask party was in full swing. Colors and laughter swirled around me, but I felt disconnected.
The bartender raised an eyebrow as I collapsed onto a stool, but I didn't care.
"What would you like to have, miss?" the bartender asked.
"Something strong...I want to forget." My voice was barely audible.
The bartender chuckled, mixing a drink. "Go easy, lady. It's pretty strong."
I downed the drink, feeling the burn. "Give me the whole bottle."
The bartender raised an eyebrow but handed it over.
I spotted a corner table, secluded and shadowy. Perfect for wallowing.
I settled in, nursing my drink, and let the darkness close in.
Thoughts swirled, like a maelstrom, sucking me under.
"Three years," I whispered, staring into the amber liquid. "Three years of love, laughter, and tears. All a lie."
"How did I miss the signs?" I wondered, self-doubt creeping in.
The whiskey-fueled haze blurred my thoughts, but one truth crystallized, David never truly loved me like he claimed.
He loved the idea of me, the convenience of me, the comfort of me. But Sofia...Sofia was the one he desired.
I thought of all the times David canceled plans, citing work or exhaustion. ‘Was he with Sofia then?’
The pain twisted, sharpening into anger.
"How could he do this to me?" I demanded, slamming my fist on the table.
The bartender glanced over, concerned.
I forced a weak smile. "Sorry. Just...bad night."
He nodded and returned to polishing glasses.
My gaze drifted to the couples laughing and chatting around me.
‘Why did everyone else get to be happy while I was left with shattered dreams?’
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.
I let them fall, mourning the loss of our relationship.
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I gazed into the whiskey's golden depths.
"Three years of my life," I whispered, the words stinging. Wasted. On a lie.
On a man who never truly loved me.
Sofia's face flashed in my mind, The thought twisted, fueling my anger.
How could David do this? How could Sofia?
The whiskey burned, but I downed another shot. The room spun, colors blurring. But my pain remained.
I slammed my fist on the table again.
This time, the bartender approached.
"Ma'am, maybe you've had enough?"
I nodded, defeated.
He gently took the bottle.
As he walked away, I whispered, "Yeah...enough."
Enough heartache. Enough lies. Enough.
As I stood up, the room spun. I grasped the table, steadying myself.
"That's enough for tonight, Ruby!" I slurred.
I stumbled into the elevator, desperate to escape the b
sympathetic gazes of the onlookers.
Just as the doors closed, a stranger rushed in, breathing heavily.
His sharp profile caught my attention, but his erratic behavior put me on guard.
‘Great, just what I need,’ I thought, wary.
The elevator lurched to a stop. The lights flickered.
"No, no, no!" I rushed forward and pounded on the door.
The stranger collapsed behind me, struggling to remove his tie while mummering something inaudible.
I slowly made my way to his side to helped him, my fingers brushing against his.
A spark of electricity ran through me.
‘Who is this guy?’ I wondered.
His eyes met mine. For an instant, our gazes locked. Something flickered in the depth of his eyes.
"Stop it, Ruby," I chastised myself. "Not now." The alarm blared. The lights dimmed reminding me of the situation I was currently stuck in.
"Hey!" I screamed as the stranger's weight pinned me down. Panic set in.
"Get off me!" I pushed at him.But his grip only tightened.
Fear and adrenaline coursed through me. ‘Why can't I move?’ I thought. Suddenly verything went black.
When I came to, the stranger lay beside me. His legs tangled with mine. My clothes were disheveled.
"Oh God, what happened?" I asked. Mortification washed over me as I scrambled to cover myself.
"It wasn't supposed to happen," I heard him mutter. His rough voice sent shivers down my spine.
"What weren't supposed to happen?" I demanded. His eyes locked onto mine and i felt a flutter in my chest.
‘No,’’ I told myself. ‘Don't even think about it.’
The elevator doors opened and I didn't waste another second, I sprinted out.
"Wait!" I heard the stranger call out to me but i didn't look back.