As a favor to a delivery guy, I ended up delivering an order myself, only to run into my ex-boyfriend.
He asked me, "What? You've hit rock bottom now, haven't you?"
I glanced at the contraceptives in the bag and muttered, "Not as low as your skills these past few years."
The hotel room door opened, and a wave of steam hit my face. The man, probably just out of the shower, stood there half-naked, his hair still damp. I froze when I finally saw his face. It was Eric Brown.
The loud thumping in my chest dragged me back to reality, pulling my gaze away from him.
I awkwardly handed him the bag.
But he didn't seem inclined to take it.
Instead, he looked me up and down, his voice hoarse as he spoke.
"Sofia Smith? Fallen this far, huh?"
My whole body stiffened, like a boulder had been placed on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
It was then I realized, after two years of separation, I was still foolishly captivated, while he, clearly, hated me.
I lowered my head, trying to hide my panic.
I gently shook the bag in my hand, signaling for him to take it.
After what felt like an eternity, Eric still hadn't moved.
I bit my lip and forced myself to say, "Well, not as bad as your skills these past years."
His expression changed at my words.
He straightened up, the lazy posture gone, and snatched the bag from my hand. He took one look at the colorful condoms inside.
I saw his pupils dilate and contract, his ears slowly turning red.
Why pretend, I thought.
Just as I was about to leave, a girl peeked out from behind Eric.
She only hesitated for a second when she saw me, then flashed a smirk, her eyes flitting between me and Eric.
Her lips curled into a playful grin.
It wasn't until I noticed the ring on her finger that a sour feeling welled up in my chest.
Before I could even force a bitter smile, she asked Eric.
"Who is this woman?"
Eric looked indifferent and casually moved his gaze to the girl's face.
"Just a delivery girl."
Back in my own room, I peeled off the rain-soaked clothes I'd been wearing.
I had rushed back from another city to attend my best friend's wedding, barely making it on time.
The rain started as soon as my flight landed.
When I arrived at the hotel, I saw a delivery guy take a nasty fall, and without much thought, I offered to deliver the order for him.
At the time, I had seen what was in the bag and cursed the customer in my head.
But I never imagined that the person who placed the order would be Eric.
And just like that, I bumped into him after two years apart.
As the hot water enveloped me, Eric's face wouldn't leave my mind, and neither would the fact that he was now married.
After my shower, the doorbell rang.
A hotel staff member handed me a pack of cold medicine and a cup of warm milk.
I looked at him, puzzled.
He bowed his head slightly and said it was from the hotel manager.
I placed the milk on the table and sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, knees drawn to my chest.
The sky was heavy with clouds, the rain relentless.
I remembered the years I had spent with Eric.
I had always been frail and prone to illness, and every time I got caught in the rain, I'd come down with a fever.
During the rainy season, Eric always carried an umbrella for me.
When it rained, he would personally brew warm milk for me, making sure I drank it to warm up.
I hated the taste of milk, so he'd bring loads of sickly sweet candies to make up for it.
After we broke up, I couldn't drink warm milk anymore.
The kind from outside was always too bitter, too spicy.
Just then, a message from my best friend came through.
"Hey, remember to take some cold medicine in this rain. We'll hang out tomorrow!"
I replied with a simple "okay."
For a second, I almost thought Eric had sent it.
I laughed at myself, but the sadness wouldn't go away.
Tonight, I probably won't sleep again.
Chapter 2 Control myself?With dark circles under my eyes, I arrived at the bar my best friend had reserved.
It was a pre-wedding party, and she had invited a lot of friends, most of whom I didn't know.
When she saw me, she waved excitedly.
"You look sick, are you okay?"
She asked me.
I nodded and pulled my coat tighter.
She squeezed my hand and then nodded towards someone in the distance.
Following her gaze, my heart skipped a beat.
It was Eric.
"Looks like a business party. Have you contacted him since you got back?"
She asked. I shook my head.
Sensing my lack of interest, she dropped the subject.
As the music shifted, the bar's atmosphere hit its peak.
The already dim lights grew even darker, leaving only a few beams focused on the stage.
I finally mustered the courage to glance at Eric, but once I did, I couldn't look away.
He was sitting alone in a shadowy corner, with a few flirtatious women occasionally leaning in to whisper to him.
He didn't push them away, letting them rest their hands on his chest.
He swirled his drink with one hand, the other holding a cigarette with a glowing tip.
I tried to calm the storm brewing inside me.
He never used to smoke or drink. When did he pick up those habits?
He used to hate strangers touching him, saying it was dirty.
I bit my lip.
People really do change after all this time.
Suddenly, I remembered the woman who was with him at the hotel yesterday.
I knew I shouldn't feel anything for Eric anymore. After all, we broke up, and that's all there was to it.
Just as I was lost in thought, my best friend pulled me back.
"Sofia, if you keep zoning out, you'll end up drinking all the booze yourself."
It must have been Eric's presence, but I was having a streak of bad luck tonight.
I kept losing at games and kept drinking as a result.
During a break, I stumbled to the bathroom, my stomach in knots. I barely made it to the toilet before throwing up. I knew I looked a mess.
All the while, I had felt a pair of eyes on me, burning into my back.
But I couldn't bring myself to look.
For the first time in over two years, I had allowed myself to get drunk.
My eyes were sore and I blinked, tears falling drop by drop on the cold floor tiles.
Suddenly, a warm hand patted my back gently.
Then, a familiar yet distant voice spoke.
"Two years without seeing each other, and you've become quite the drinker."
Eric's voice was cold.
I looked up at him in panic, but quickly lowered my head again, embarrassed by how pitiful I must have looked.
"Are you drinking while you're sick? You've really learned a lot."
He continued, his tone biting.
"None of your business."
I snapped, lowering my head even more.
"Like I care," he muttered darkly.
His words seemed to shatter the fragile calm I had built around myself.
I struggled to stand up and leave, but he grabbed me, holding me close.
Through my hazy mind, I felt something warm and soft on my face.
Somehow, he had found a warm towel, and was gently wiping away the tears I hadn’t even realized were streaming down.
"Mr. Brown, please, control yourself."
I bit my tongue, stepping back to clear my head.
I was terrified that the overwhelming flood of memories would drown the last bit of self-control I had.
He chuckled darkly.
"Control myself? Why don't you teach me how, Miss Smith?"
Chapter 3 Not Just Bad at ItEric's ragged breathing grew louder.
I pressed my hands against his chest, trying to keep him away.
But he pinned me against the door, one hand holding me in place, the other clutching my wrist, forcing me up against the wall.
His gaze was so intense, like he wanted to devour me.
"Eric, have you lost your mind?"
Our nearly touching bodies felt like a thunderclap, and I desperately tried to pull away.
But I couldn't escape.
"Yeah, maybe I have."
For the usually calm and restrained Eric, he had completely lost control. His lips crashed into mine, muffling my cries.
The familiar taste of him filled my senses, making me shudder.
Our breaths mingled, the heat between us unbearable.
I could even taste the faint sweetness of blood.
Then I heard him mutter softly, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Sofia, you're ruthless."
"You really just broke up like it was nothing."
"I looked for you for a thousand and one days. A thousand and one days I spent thinking about you."
A thousand and one days.
Yes, from the day we broke up until yesterday, it had been exactly a thousand and one days.
The sadness, frustration, and longing finally broke through my defenses.
I looked up to see his tear-filled eyes, the flood of tears streaming uncontrollably down his arms.
He frantically tried to wipe them away, only to notice the scars snaking up my wrist.
I quickly tried to hide my hand, but he grabbed it.
"What's this?"
He asked me.
"None of your business."
I shot back.
"Sofia, I'm asking you—what happened?"
His jaw clenched, his eyes filled with guilt and unease.
"Eric, are we familiar with each other?"
I watched as his face shifted from red, to white, to an angry black.
He suddenly laughed, tears brimming in his eyes.
"But we didn't just sleep together, you also said I was bad at it, remember?"
With that, he pulled me into his arms, ignoring my struggles.
Eventually, the alcohol hit me hard, and I pointed at him, shouting.
"Eric, you scumbag!"
"You're married and still fooling around! You're not just bad at it, you're a total scumbag!"
When I woke up, the unfamiliar ceiling startled me, and I bolted upright.
The sudden chill made me realize I was sitting stark naked on an unfamiliar bed.
The space beside me was empty.
At the foot of the bed, my clothes were neatly folded.
I also didn't miss the faint smell of Eric in the air.
Groaning from the soreness, I stumbled into the bathroom, mortified.
Especially when I saw the marks scattered across my body.
On the sink sat a new set of toiletries, labeled "Sofia's special."
My fingers trembled.
Scenes from last night in the bar bathroom replayed in my mind.
I struggled to remember what had happened after I cursed Eric.
It seemed like he had thrown me over his shoulder.
Then he stuffed me into his car.
After that, everything went blank.
When I found my phone, I saw it had been blown up with calls from my best friend. Hundreds of texts flooded my screen.
The last call had been answered, lasting 15 seconds.
I closed my eyes and called her back.
On the other end, she was busy with wedding prep.
They were discussing where to hide the wedding shoes for tomorrow's ceremony.
When she heard my voice, I could tell she was relieved.
"Sofia, why did you leave with Eric last night?"
"I kept trying to call you, but you wouldn't pick up. I checked the bar's cameras, and saw Eric had taken you."
"What's up with that guy? Isn't he married? Why did he tell me he is your boyfriend?"
"Sofia, are you still there?"