JUST ONE NIGHT

pte

n Pi

he previous two years, yet something abou

abou

y gaze kept returning to her. She sat alone, a calm figure in the midst of a frenetic environ

n her thoughts. Her beauty, while evident, was not the only factor. The grief in her eyes and the silence spok

elf to look away.

r, touch her, and feel the warmth of her body. Desire sprang up in me, but it wasn't just that. Ther

to take her hand, feigning a grin. I went alongside her, attempting to mimic her

e disap

room, I felt panic

he le

bbling, and visibly drunk. I went toward her w

mething more than desire. "You look like you've

eyes glazing over, her

ing lik

nd leaned toward me. "I think I need to sit down," she said, but I wouldn't let go. "You're fine," I mu

inebri

s not

uncertainty, and for a brief moment, I saw

rrored mine. I couldn't abandon her like this. I was unable to walk away. Not from her. She paused but nodded, and I gently guided he

ow it'

ess overcame t

ty? What if she's the only one who understands me, the one who can replace the void I've felt since she left? I hadn't felt this stron

-

unk to notice where she was. I stood at the entra

, moving a strand of hair away from her face. She was stunning, but it was more than that.

sponded faintly, and for a second

ck of my mind, though. She

fleeting moment of satisfaction, which rapidly disappeared. I turned to look at her

s a vi

or swelling in my chest. What have I done?

e guilt felt oppressive. She trusted me-or maybe she was too inebria

me when sh

ded t

is gnawing at me. I took my wallet, scribbled a $100,000

ckson." I couldn't reveal who I truly was. She'd come

ward, I rea

ess, so innocent. The weight of what I had done weighed heavily on me like a ton of br

-

transactions, meetings-anything to take my mind off the guilt.

the thought. What if she remembers me? What if she became pregnant? The w

never f

yself into work, believing it would take away the agony, but it didn't. The guilt p

-

ng up, terrified by what I had done. The blood on the blankets. I imagined he

e. Panic episodes overtook me during meetings, forcing me to excuse myself and go to

e a c

glass of whiskey. But when I thought abou

about her. Sophia. I needed to find her. I had to. Not merely to apologize, but because I couldn't con

d no idea where she was or whether I'd ever locate her, but I had