Chapter One

Ruth stood in front of the mirror, her eyes cast downward revealing only her long, delicate lashes, Her heart shaped face had hint of alluring pink and rounded up turned nose was a striking perfection, her lips,, though devoid of any lipstick were still irresistible rosy and moist.

Suddenly, she glance at the clock on the wall;it was the umpteenth time, she had checked the time, the hands pointed to 9pm. She curved her lips into a radiant smile at her reflection, looking as breathtaking, more like a dream brought to life.

Today was valentines day, And like every other couple, Ruth was planning and looking forward to spend a romantic quality evening with the boyfriend, Liam.

Thinking of Liam's beautiful in a way that felt both kind and dangerous face, Ruth's couldn't help but smile despite, pressing her lips together.

Checking the time again- 9:30pm, Ruth's delicate brows furrowed slightly..

They've already agreed, yesterday before they parted, to have dinner together tonight and plan the rest of the evening. However Liam later sent a message saying he had some issues to attend to and could only pick her up at 9pm to celebrate valentine's day.

She had been sitting pretty close to the mirror, tracing the outline of her lips as if seeing herself for the first time. since 6pm, her stomach had growled several times yet she still had no appetite.

Tick tock, tick tock… The sound of the clock echoed in her heart, each tick making her more anxious and restless.

Liam was always punctual and arriving early on every date they had…

But today…..

Thinking this, she grew more restless, stepping out of the room , to check the door several times, but the person she was waiting for still hasn't appeared.

Suddenly, Ruth remembered that a few weeks ago, while they were have dinner, Liam had a sudden nosebleed… Could.. Could Liam be sick? Her heart drenched tightly.

No,it can't be! It can't be!, she hurriedly say reassuring herself, but she could no longer wait grabbing her bag, she rushed outside.

She dialed his number as she ran, the phone rang over and over again, but the was no response.

That made her heart tightened with each ring she quickly bored a taxi and headed to Liams place.

Just when she was at the verge of Panic, her phone rang, seeing the familiar number, a gentle smile immediately appeared on her face.

“Liam, you're..”she didn't even finished speaking when a cold woman's voice interrupted her.

“waiting for Liam, are you?” the woman on the other end couldn't conceal her smug tone.

“...” stunned to hear a woman's voice on Liams phone, the voice sounded familiar, but her mind was in such a haze that she couldn't place it.

Before Ruth could respond, the woman's smugness deepened “Don’t bother waiting, just come to sterling Royale hotel and find him”

On hearing sterling Royale hotel,her mind went blank for a moment.

The word “hotel” easily conjured up thoughts of infidelity.

“No, no… Liam won't do such, he isn't that kind of person”. She say to her self

As the dial tone droned in her ears, she clumbly uttered “Hello, hello….?”

That voice…. the woman's voice was so familiar, it sent chills through her heart.

She instructed the taxi guy to turn toward sterling Royale hotel, as she gazed out through the window, trying to ignore the woman's voice.

But instinctively, she felt something was not right, her heart tightened and she felt as she couldn't breathe, she gripped her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

When she she got out of the car she looked up the sign “sterling Royale hotel” glowing ominously, like a sinister monster ready to devour her.

She felt a pang of dread, her feet heavy, unable to move, clenching the phone slick with sweat, she bit her lower lip and walked into the reception.

She forced herself not to think maybe just Liam had planned something romantic for her tonight, maybe a surprise.

She pressed the dial button holding the phone tightly to her ear.

“hmmm… Who is it?”

This time, it was indeed Liams voice,but… WayWay did it sound so strange?

She seemed to hear faint, heavy breathing and a suggestive murmur.

Boom….

Her mind felt like a bomb had gone off.

At 23 years old, even if she had never know or experienced it herself, she knew what those sound meant.

She wanted to turn and run but the woman's commanding voice came through the phone “1092,get here now, or don't regret it!”

Her hands were so slick with sweat that the phone almost slipped from her grip.

She was sure she recognized the woman's voice, but… her and him..?, no, she couldn't believe it unless she saw it with her own eyes!

Stubbornness was in Ruth's bones, if there's something she could figure out, she wouldn't let it slide.

She's known for when, she start something she see it through to the end.

So despite every nerve in her body screaming for her not to go, she stepped into the lift

***

Room 1092

Ruth stood at the door, taking a deep breath, her hand raised several times before she finally gets the courage to grab the doorknob and push it open forcefully

Clíck……

The door swung open immediately, as if someone had already unlocked it for her

The first thing she saw was a woman's dress, a man's suit and a tie, shattered all over messily all over the place.

That tie….

Ruth's stared at the tie entangled with the woman's trousers, a sharp pain piercing her heart, causing her to sway slightly.

There were countless ties in the market of the same colors and style, but she recognized it immediately, it was the same valentines gift she had gave him.

She planned giving it to him, today, but last night at dinner she had teased him by waving the gift wrapped box in front of him. He had been overjoyed, eagerly snatching it from her hands and tearing it open.

When he saw the tie, he couldn't wait to put it around him neck “My love, I'll treasure it and keep it close always.”

He had kissed her forehead. “Ruth, tomorrow, I'll give you a valentines day you'll never forget. Trust me!” His warm breath brushed her face, and his handsome features looked so sincere.

The steady beast of his heart had inexplicably assured her.

But….

It's had only only been one night, and her humble, sincere loving heart has been discarded like a worthless rag, tangled up with that woman's dress, making her look stupid and a complete fool.