Chapter 1: Longing

In a room of its own world, filled with clinking of glasses and clicking against the marble floor, Tyler’s laughter was swallowed by the pulsing music and noise.

“ Man, she's still going to be hanging around, isn't she?” Conrad asked, smiling as he shook his head.

“ Of course,” Tyler said, leaning back like he owned the room. “ She will always be.”

“ Your confidence.. man.”

He shrugged. “ It doesn't matter what I do, she's there. Waiting. Like always. I don't even have to ask.”

Conrad laughed, amused. “ Lucky bastard. That's an insane amount of loyalty, you know? Most guys would kill for that.”

He smirked, tilting his head. “ Loyalty? Nah. I call it convenience. Tessa is predictable. Always there when I want her, ready to help and do everything I want, and that's all I care about.”

“ Damn…” Conrad leaned back. “ She must really like you.”

“ Doesn't matter if she does.” He replied, voice calm, almost amused. “ She's mine anyway… in the ways that matter. Everything else? Irrelevant.”

He smirked, grabbed his whiskey, and downed the contents in a gulp before moving his body to the vibration of the bass. Laughter and chatter mingled with the stench of sweat and alcohol. But beyond the buzz is a trembling lady in the restroom.

Tessa Monroe.

Her breath quivered as she grabbed the edge of the sink, her knuckles whitening. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, sharp and relentless.

Out there, laughter and music spilled, but in this room, all that echoed was her own despair.

Her lashes fluttered, remembering how it had always been.

He would drag her out, she would follow, but once they arrived, she'd cease to exist in his world. Left in a corner to watch him laughing and flirting with other ladies.

Tyler Beaumont. Her best friend. The one she had loved for twelve years.

She had followed him willingly to the club, into the night, believing, as she always did, that maybe this time would be different.

But he wasn't looking at her, his eyes had lit up for someone else. Another girl. Smiling, leaning close, laughing at something only he could make funny.

Tessa swallowed, forcing her trembling lips into a smile, but the ache in her chest wouldn't stop. She pressed her palms against her face, inhaling deeply and exhaling.

She straightened, brushing imaginary dust from her black short dress before stepping out

“ Oh.” She jumped the moment she stepped out, not expecting to see him waiting for her outside.

“ Tyler.” She called, her voice lower than intended. “ What are you doing here?”

“ Are you alright? You were taking so long. I was beginning to get worried.” He stepped closer, his face full of worry.

She gulped and nodded. “ Y- yes, just some…” she shrugged.

He frowned and stepped even closer, close enough for her to inhale his cologne that immediately soothed her nerves.

But they shot up the instant he placed his palm against her forehead to check her temperature. Her heart skipped so hard, she glanced up to see him looking back at her with his hand still on her forehead.

“ Are you really okay?” He asked, worriedly, calmly, his voice so deep and hoarse it nearly weakened her knees.

Her cheeks turned pink.

‘ He's touching me. Tyler is touching me.’ she fought back the smile that threatened to show on her face.

She managed to nod her head.

He pulled back, tucked the strands of her black hair behind her ear, and smiled.

“ Always looking messy, you enjoy me taking care of you, don't you?” He teased, tilting his face closer to her.

Her heart jumped. She could feel his breath against her face.

Her cheeks reddened, her eyes blinked, her fingers curled at her side as she tried to find her voice.

“ You're one to talk. I'm the one always taking care of you.” She managed to smile, to seem unaffected but he sees through it all.

He grinned and leaned back. “ Not going to deny that. Conrad is here, come say hi.” He grabbed her wrist and began pulling her back into the dancing crowd.

“ Conrad? I thought he was out of state.”

“ He got back weeks ago.” He shouted back, but when they got to their seat, it wasn't only Conrad sitting, there were two other ladies.

“ Conrad!” She beamed the moment she sighted him.

“ Tessy.” He grinned, standing up and engulfing her in a warm big hug.

“ I can't believe you're back.” She grinned, exchanging pleasantries with him before taking her seat at the private section of the clubhouse.

As she sat down, her eyes followed Tyler who took his seat beside a lady and placed his arm around her shoulder.

She inhaled sharply, quickly averting her gaze.

This was a different lady from the one he was flirting with before she left for the restroom.

“ I must say, you look so damn beautiful.” Conrad complimented, eyes dragging over her body. She looked so beautiful with her fair, smooth skin that looked so delicate.

Tessa forced a smile. “ Thank you.” She replied with a grin that didn't come from the heart. If only the compliment was from Tyler, if only he would look at her the way Conrad was currently.

“ Hey, Tessa.” Her heart skipped the fifth time in the night as Tyler called her.

She turned to see him giving her that dangerous smile that always made her chest race.

“ Tessa, meet Evelyn, my crush.” He introduced, eyes locked on her.

‘ Another girl? This is the sixth girl this month that's your crush.’ she fumed in her mind, knowing Evelyn is just another weekly girl of his that he definitely just met this night.

To some extent, she felt this was intentional. She gave no response, sat there for the rest of the night like a shadow in his world, biting back the sharp sting that burned in her chest

She watched him the whole night, the way he made everyone laugh, the way his attention could shift like a spotlight, leaving her in the dim corner of the table, until he stood up with Conrad, holding Evelyn in his arms.

“ We're leaving, Tessy, you can get yourself home, right?” He asked, grinning.

Her throat tightened as she nodded.

“ Good. We're going off to have some fun.” He said, turned to Evelyn with a grin on his face.

Tessa’s fingers dig into the leather seat.‘ Isn't this supposed to be over already? Does he really not know how this made me feel?’

Her eyes burned along with her nose, at the verge of tears, she lowered her head, unable to watch them leave together.

But just as he was about to walk past her, he stopped, leaned down, and whispered to her ear.

“ Just because I'm leaving with Evelyn doesn't mean you're no longer mine.”

He smirked, straightened, and left.

‘ Yours? Y.. yours?’

The words didn’t register at first. Then they did.

Her breath trembled, her lashes fluttered, unable to know what to think or feel about that.

‘ I can.. endure this.’ she told herself, a mantra as much as a promise. ‘ At least for three more days. Three more days until… our wedding.’

Three more days. Three more humiliations. Three more nights of pretending she wasn’t breaking.

After that, she would be his wife. Legally. Publicly. Irrevocably. And then he wouldn’t be able to walk away anymore.

Right?