Shadows of Us

Word on the street in Hereshire was that the young heir of the Chesters had a thing for eighteen-year-olds. However, Willow Croyton was twenty-one when she got with Roy Chester, and they were together for nearly three years.

One evening, Willow received a call from Roy. He told her he would be back in Hereshire that night and was craving short ribs. Willow spent the next two hours cooking up a storm, but Roy was nowhere to be found.

Around eight that night, she called to check on him. The line was noisy, filled with chatter and card shuffling of a poker game.

“I’m at the Red Lounge. I’ll send the driver to pick you up.”

“I thought you were coming back for dinner,” Willow replied.

“Haven’t you had dinner? What do you fancy? Come over, and I’ll get the kitchen to make something for you,” Roy said without a care.

Willow fell silent for a moment.

Right before she took up on his offer, a boisterous voice interrupted the call. “Royal flush!”

Amid the crackling sounds, someone poked fun at Roy. “What does Willow have on you? I can’t believe you haven’t dumped her yet. You’re not actually into her, are you?”

Roy scoffed. “Get your head out of the clouds before you talk to me, will you?”

“You guys just don’t get it. Even a pet will grow on you, and Willow is the ultimate pleaser. Roy can’t just turn his back on a faithful doormat.”

“Oh, quit it!” Roy remarked with a smile.

There was a bunch of noise, then it went quiet. Roy must have realized the call was still connected, so he hung up.

The poker game was still going on when Willow arrived at the club. The guys at the poker table were the ones she had heard on the phone. No one seemed the least bit concerned, though. They were sure Willow would not and could not make a fuss regardless of what she had heard.

Willow was gorgeous, but pretty girls were a dime a dozen. Born into power and privilege, Roy could have any woman he wanted. Willow was just the most sensible and docile one of them all to stick with Roy all these years. Sure enough, Willow simply kept her head down while taking a seat next to Roy.

Roy was tipsy when leaving the club at midnight, his weight pinning Willow down. By the time Willow managed to shove Roy into the car, she had worked up quite a sweat.

The car cruised down a dark, empty mountain road. The absence of streetlights gave the illusion of being in the middle of nowhere.

Roy leaned in for a kiss, and Willow, while sitting upright, let out a startled yelp when Roy suckled her earlobe. He really got into it and anchored her hand, his body pressing down on hers.

“Uh, don’t….” Willow murmured, her eyes darting to the front in a flurry.

Without pausing, Roy tapped on the privacy partition behind him, and the car pulled up at the side of the road.

Roy was a seasoned lover, always looking for thrills. Despite her familiarity with his ways, Willow could not get used to his advances. She blushed when the chauffeur got out of the car and locked the door behind him.

Still, Roy seemed to love that about her. He gave her cheek a little squeeze and clutched her chin to lock tongues while unbuckling his belt with his free hand.

The confines of the small space kicked Roy’s desire into drive. Their bodies were slicked with sweat on the chilly night of late autumn.

Willow plucked her chin up, her eyes zeroing in on the drop of sweat slipping along Roy’s chiseled face, chin, Adam’s apple, chest, and all the way down. She had to admit that even without the prestige of his family name, Roy had the looks and body.

Noticing her staring, Roy chuckled. “Admiring the view?”

Before Willow could say anything, he slipped a diamond-encrusted bracelet onto her wrist. The jewelry piece slid down her arm, the cold sensation of the metal pressing against her skin.

“Your birthday gift.”

Seated, Roy rolled over and pulled on his shirt offhandedly.

Willow’s downcast eyes fell on her phone. The clock just struck twelve, and it was October 19th. It was not her birthday, though.

“Thank you.” Willow leaned closer to wrap her arms around Roy’s arms and pecked him on the cheek.

With the phone ringing, Willow glanced over while Roy beat her to take the call.

“Roy…” Sierra Burton’s whimpers echoed in the cramped car space.

Roy sat up. “What’s the matter? Easy there. Take your time.”

Only a broken stream of tears came through.

Furrowing his brows, Roy buttoned up his shirt. “I’ll get there now.”

After the call, Roy fastened the last button. “Get out.”

Roy gave no explanation or time for Willow to straighten herself up.

Just like that, Willow stood at the side of the road, clad in a windbreaker as Roy’s ride disappeared into the night. The cold night air did little to cool the heat that still clung to her skin.

Then, with her phone vibrating in her pocket, Willow whipped it out for a look.

“See that? I can make him leave you with one phone call.” The message was dripping with smug satisfaction.

Willow tugged at her collar, took a photo of her well-loved neck, and sent it out.

A message soon came in. “You have no shame!”

Willow grinned.

A barrage of messages continued to flood her phone. Without reading the texts, Willow knew the content was insults and hate directed at her.

She plopped the phone back into her phone and pulled her coat tighter around her shivering body, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.

Such was her life, but thankfully, all would be over eleven days later.