She was scared but she tried to display power. Facing the motorcyclists, she towered tall, "Leave me alone," she said, her voice strong and clear. The bikers only chuckled; their sneering eyes making her skin crawl.One of them, the one standing in her path, sneered at her. "Or what?" his voice laden with contempt.She pushed him to get him out of her path. But he was fast and caught her hand, his grip like a vise.She try to free her hand, but he would not let go. His eyes gleamed with pleasure as he held her prisoner.She slapped him, her hand striking his cheek with a quick, stinging sound when he did not release her. The biker's head rocked back, and he looked at her.The bikers' laughing stopped, and an awkward silence descended upon the company. The man Sara had struck stared at her, anger visibly showing on his face. He said, "You bitch," and grabbed her hair.Before he could act more, though, a voice interrupted the pressure. “Leave her alone, Vin.” a deep and commanding voic
Austin drove away from Sara. He couldn't dispel the vision of her sobbing alone on the quiet road. He had been so enraged that he hadn't paused to consider how his words and deeds could hurt her.He couldn't stop but ponder whether she was safe. What if something happened to her? What if she lost? He felt guilty.He was aware that under pressure, he had a propensity to strike out and frequently came to regret his words and acts afterwards.He considered how he had just abandoned her vulnerable on a lonely road. What kind of man does that?Austin's foot came down the brake at once, and he performed a sharp U-turn in the middle of the road. He had to check on Sara and return to her.He was concerned about Sara, but he was also preoccupied with himself. He had turned into what? Exactly what kind of man had he grown to be? ****Lost in thought, Sara sat alone on the stone. She was attempting to determine how she would return and what she would do. She considered her choices, but everythi
Austin sat inside the car, his face twisted in anger. He took a deep breath and answered the phone, trying to compose himself. "Hey, Dad," he said, trying to sound normal.His dad's excited voice was on the other end of the line. "Austin, I just talked to your girlfriend, Sara. She's lovely. I had no idea you were seeing someone."Austin's eyes widened in surprise, and he glanced at Sara, who was watching him with a smug expression. He felt a surge of anger towards her, but he tried to keep his cool."Yeah, Dad, we're...uh...getting serious," Austin stammered, trying to play along.His dad's enthusiasm was palpable. "That's great, son! I'm so happy for you. Your mom will be thrilled to meet Sara. When are you two coming over?"Austin felt trapped. He couldn't deny the lie that Sara had told, not now that his dad was so excited. "We'll be there in a few hours, Dad. I have to go now."He quickly hung up the phone, his anger boiling over. He turned to Sara, his eyes blazing with fury. "Y
Austin's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he navigated the car through the heavy rain. The windshield wipers swished back and forth, struggling to keep up with the deluge of water.Sara sat beside him, her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on him with a piercing glare. Austin could feel her gaze on him, and he knew she was still seething from their earlier argument.Without looking at her, Austin said, "Stop staring. Outside is rain, but inside the car, the temperature is high because of you."Sara's gaze didn't waver, but her jaw clenched in anger. She gritted her teeth, the sound audible in the tense silence."How can you be so cool? You're crazy for doing this," she said, her voice dripping with contempt. "We could have waited for the weather to clear up, but no, you had to insist on driving. And now we're stuck on the road for the next 8 to 10 hours."Austin's eyes remained fixed on the road, his expression neutral. He didn't flinch, didn't react to Sara's outburst.But S
The sleek black car, provided by Ryder, glided smoothly through the rain-soaked streets, its windshield wipers swishing back and forth in a steady rhythm. Sara sat stiffly in the backseat, her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on the window, her anger and hurt still simmering.Austin sat beside her, his face set in a grim mask, his eyes fixed on the back of the driver's head. He hadn't spoken a word since their argument, and Sara hadn't expected him to.The driver pulled up in front of the airport, and Sara and Austin got out, dodging umbrellas and scurrying travelers as they made their way into the terminal. The airport was chaotic, the sounds of frustrated travelers and harried airline staff filling the air.Sara and Austin walked up to the check-in counter, their eyes scanning the screens for their flight information. And then they saw it—a big, red "CANCELLED" sign flashing next to their flight number.Austin's face darkened with anger. "What the...?" he muttered, striding up to the
Sara paced back and forth across the room, her anger and frustration pouring out of her. She had had enough of Austin's insults, enough of his condescending attitude. She was done.As she paced, her mind flashed back to the conversation she had with Ryder on the dance floor. He had been charming and charismatic, and he had seen something in her that no one else had—potential."You're an amazing woman, Sara," Ryder had said, his eyes locked on hers. "I think you'd make a fantastic business adviser. Would you consider joining me?"Sara's heart had skipped a beat at the offer. No one had ever seen her as more than just a pretty face, but Ryder had looked beyond that. He had seen her intelligence, her drive, and her passion.And now, as she stood in her hotel room, fuming with anger, Sara knew what she had to do. She was going to leave her job, leave Austin and his insults behind, and take a chance on Ryder's offer.A sense of determination washed over her, and Sara felt a weight lift off
The party continued, Ryder seemed to be in his element, laughing and chatting with the guests. But what caught Austin's attention was the way Ryder was fawning over Sara, introducing her to everyone as a "close friend" and singing her praises.Austin's eyes narrowed as he watched Ryder monopolize Sara's attention, barely acknowledging his own presence. It was as if Ryder had forgotten that Austin was even there, and that the whole reason for the party was to celebrate their business deal also.But what really triggered Austin's anger was the way Sara seemed to be enjoying Ryder's attention. She laughed and smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement, and Austin could sense a growing connection between them.Ryder was touching her arm, leaning in close to talk to her, and Austin's jaw clenched in annoyance. He didn't like the way Ryder was flirting with Sara, and he especially didn't like the way Sara was responding to him.Sara, however, was oblivious to the undercurrents. She was simpl
Sara's eyes fell on the shopping bag that lay abandoned near her door. At first, she thought nothing of it, assuming it was just a discarded bag from one of the hotel staff. But as she gazed at it more closely, she realized that it was a high-end designer bag, and it looked eerily familiar.Suddenly, it clicked. This was the bag Austin had been carrying earlier. She remembered seeing him walk towards her with it, but she had been too distracted by their argument to pay much attention.Sara's curiosity got the better of her, and she walked towards the bag, her eyes fixed on it. She reached down and picked it up, feeling the weight of its contents. It was surprisingly heavy.She turned the bag over in her hands, examining it more closely. The designer logo was emblazoned on the side, and the material felt luxurious to the touch. Sara's eyes narrowed as she wondered what could be inside.Without thinking, she reached for the zipper and pulled it open, revealing the contents of the bag. H
Austin walked towards the ice cream truck, still trying to process what was happening. He saw the owner, a friendly-looking man with a warm smile, and a group of kids cheering and laughing as they received ice cream cones.The owner approached him, a curious expression on his face. "Ah, Mr...?""Austin," he replied, still confused.The owner smiled. "Mr. Austin, I believe your wife just purchased all the ice cream on my truck."Austin's eyes widened in surprise, but he said nothing.The owner continued, "She said it was nothing in front of your wallet, sir. I quoted her $20,000."Austin's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "$20,000?" he repeated, his voice incredulous.The owner nodded. "Yes, sir. I need to settle the payment with you, if you please."Austin pulled out his checkbook and wrote a check for $20,000. As he handed it over, the owner smiled and thanked him."Thank you, sir. Your wife certainly has a generous spirit."Austin nodded, still trying to process what had just hap