“Good evening, Miss.”
The driver holds the door open and softly nods as I slip inside.
He closes the door and hurries to his seat while I roll the window down. A soft breeze fans over my lips.
I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm down.
“Are we going home, Miss?” he asks, glancing in the rearview mirror.
“Yes, please.”
He starts the ignition and steers left, pulling away from the building when my gaze gets snagged by the beautiful woman Jaden has had slung over his arm.
It’s her dress that draws my attention again.
The fiery red gown with a revealing cleavage at the front.
As the car passes by, I get a glimpse of her face.
She’s as beautiful as I expected. Symmetrical features, big eyes, pouty lips. She’s about my age. Perhaps older.
She raises her eyes from her phone a couple of times and looks toward the entrance. Searching for him, I imagine. Her gaze shifts to the screen as she starts typing.
She leans against a high-end, silver sports car. His ride, most likely.
Numb, I turn my eyes away from her and pull my mind away from him, the building, this evening, and our past together.
Fuck him.
The car glides away, putting much-needed distance between us.
An hour later, I enter my home.
I turn a lamp on and walk across the lobby, floating like a ghost.
Struggling, I drag my feet up the stairs and to the bedroom, extra effort going into every step. I walk into the room, toss the clutch on the bed, and dash to the shower.
I take one step in and freeze in the middle of the bathroom, my eyes pinned on the mirror.
What happened to me?
I step toward the mirror and bring my hands to my face, studying myself, puzzled by my reflection.
A stranger gazes back at me.
Is this she?
My hair is a complete mess, my makeup is almost gone, my skin is pale, my lips are bloodless, and yet, my eyes... They tell a different story. My eyes have never burned like this––molten amber trimmed with raven lashes.
I lean forward as I inspect my face. There’s something different about me. I tip my face to the side and run my gaze and fingers over my jawline.
My face looks leaner, my cheeks hollower... And my eyes even deeper. There's a softness buried in their whiskey color, reminding me of the past.
Oh, my God.
The woman looking back at me... She is the girl I used to be. My features are softer, and my lips curve into a different kind of smile. Warmer. Tender.
I run my fingers through my hair before tracing my cheeks.