001

Olivia

Who says buying lingerie by yourself, ninety days to your wedding day is bad luck?

Because I was doing the opposite.

I have heard from countless ladies how their lingeries was mostly brought as a gift from the bride's best friend, cousin, or sister, but of course.

My best friend, Jenna, who couldn't make it for my engagement party, decided to do something crazy and new.

She paid for the lingerie and chose the specific colour she wanted for me!

Isn't that crazy?

And here I was, standing in front of the lingerie display, my fingers grazing the satin and lace like they were something magical.

My reflection stared back at me from the tall mirror opposite the aisle, eyes too bright, cheeks warm, lips curved in a smile I hadn't been able to suppress since the morning Jenna invaded my sleep.

Ninety days! Just ninety days to Christmas and ninety days to my wedding day!

To some people, it was still far, but to me that has been waiting seven years to walk down that aisle, it was closer than ever.

I reached for the red set again.

It wasn't something I had ever imagined myself wearing. Red felt bold. Confidence. Dangerous, even. I had always been soft colours girlie— cream, blush, white. Anything safe. Anything that didn't demand attention.

But tonight, standing here, thinking about Jenna's loud voice and Ethan's patient hands, his quiet understanding whenever I had asked him to slow down, to wait…red felt right like Jenna had suggested.

I swallowed, heat blooming under my skin as I folded the lace carefully and took it to the counter.

The cashier was a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a knowing smile. She scanned the item, then glanced up at me with a suspicious smile.

“Oh, Red is Spicy! A special occasion?” She asked, her tone light, teasing without being intrusive.

I hesitated, then laughed softly, my cheeks burning red. “Is it that obvious?”

She chuckled. “Only to women who's beautiful as you are. Damn, that man is lucky. Hubby’s gonna get it hot tonight.”

My face warmed at her compliments and way of guessing things. “Soon to be hubby, actually.”

“Ouu, congratulations,” she replied with a warm smile on her face. “I’m guessing it’s next week or a month from now?”

“Not really,” I said, enjoying the conversation with this stranger. “It could happen now if I wanted, but I wanted to something magical…”

“A Christmas Wedding?”

“Yes, you got it right! My forever dream wedding.”

She winked in a teasing manner. “Ouu, that's so sweet.”

“Or do you have another colour in mind?”

“What could be more spicy than red already?” She winked, slipping the receipt into the bag. “Congratulations, dear. Whoever he is, he's lucky and a Christmas Wedding? Girl you are about to make someone's wedding dream come to pass!”

I thanked her, gripping the bag to my chest as I walked away, my heart feeling too big for my ribs.

The rest of the shopping went quickly, ingredients for the pasta Ethan loved, a bottle of wine he had been saving for a “perfect night,” popcorn for later.

The kind of ordinary things that suddenly felt magical because they were ‘ours’.

We were supposed to cook together tonight.

Perhaps laugh over burnt garlic, argue about which movie to watch and fall asleep tangled on the couch like always.

I smiled to myself as I drove to his place with my mind already replaying the way he would look when he saw me.

The way his eyes always softened, like I was something…the most precious thing he ever saw.

Ethan Morrison was everything I ever asked in a man. My type of man. He's soft spoken, gentle at heart, doesn't even pressure me to do things I don't want to. Buys me gifts even when I don't ask for them.

Should I even continue about the things he does to please me?

When I turned into his driveway, my foot eased off the accelerator.

A car was parked in front of his house and it wasn't just any car.

A familiar one.

A sleek black, tinted windows, small scratch near the rear bumper I had seen a hundred times in my apartment and the office parking lot.

And for some reason, my stomach tightened.

Sophie Davis.

My cousin, colleague and Ethan's secretary's car.

I stared at it, my mind scrambling for any logical reason why her car would be parked right in front of my fiance's apartment, when she had called in sick today even when she was all good this morning before I left home.

She had sounded miserable on the phone, congested, apologetic, insisting she would make it up tomorrow and Ethan also signed to that.

Maybe there was an urgent issue.

I parked slowly behind her car and I could feel my pulse picking up.

I had heard plenty of scenarios from friends and the internet on how colleagues at work sleep with each other, but I told myself not to be ridiculous.

Sophie and Ethan worked closely and I couldn't even deny that. Late hours happened and emergencies happened.

Family trusted family.

I grabbed my bags, leaving behind the bag with lingerie. I walked to the front door, forcing my steps to stay steady.

The porch light was on and the door was unlocked, just like Ethan always left it for me.

And surprisingly, the house was way too quiet for someone who was working with Sophie, the loudest person on earth.

My cousin would never be this quiet when talking about things that involved work.

“Ethan?” I called softly, stepping inside.

But there was still no answer and still no sight of them in the living room.

I set the grocery bags down on the kitchen counter, glancing around. His jacket wasn't on the chair where he usually tossed it. The living room was neat, no laptop, no files, no sign of a meeting.

A strange feeling coursed through my soul.

“Sophie?” I tried again, my voice thinner now.

But still nothing.

I walked down the hallway, and that was when I heard it.

A strange sound coming from the bedroom.

A low, breathy noise that sounded intimate. Followed by slaps and loud moans of two familiar voices.

I halted to a stop, my heart slamming so hard in my body.

No.

I took another step, every instinct screaming at me to turn around, to leave, to think any of these is a dream, to preserve whatever fragile version of reality I still had.

My hands shook as I moved closer to the bedroom door, sweat covering my body.

I pressed my palm to the wall, my body cold and burning at the same time.

This isn't happening, I told myself.

Not even to me.

This is a misunderstanding. I am so fucking sure.

This is…

The door opened slightly.

My vision blurred, tears stinging my eyes as I leaned forward with my heart pounding so loudly I was sure they could hear it.

I peeped inside.

And I saw…