Chapter 2

As Vera made her way to exit the venue, Sandra began informing everyone about her friend being too intoxicated. "I'm sorry about Vera's behavior tonight. Please don't misinterpret her." 

She then took hold of Bryan's arm and whispered softly in his ear, "You need to talk to her! Help her fix things when she's sober. My parents will be furious with me."

"She's probably still hurt," Sandra stated with a stern look. "You need to talk to her. After all, it was your idea to get married soon."

Byran sighed heavily, his mind raising. He forced a smile at his friends and family. "Excuse me, I need to make sure Vera is okay."

He turned away and exited, quickening his pace as he pushed through the double doors.

Outside, Vera walked rapidly, her mind a whirlwind. Her chest felt constricted, the burden of betrayal crashing down on her all at once. "Eleven months... Eleven good months!" she muttered bitterly to herself. A solitary tear escaped down her cheek, but she angrily wiped it away, scolding herself. She questioned, "How could I have been so oblivious?"

Before she could completely unravel, a familiar voice called out, "Vera! Hold on!" It was Bryan, hastening to catch up with her.

She straightened quickly, wiping her face free of any tears. She wasn’t going to let him witness her vulnerability. Without turning, she stated in a cold, composed tone, "I need to go, Bryan. My boyfriend is waiting for me."

Bryan reached for her arm, his grip both gentle and firm. "Come on, Vera. We both know you don’t have a boyfriend," he said, glancing around anxiously, as if fearing someone might overhear. His tone softened. "Look... I acknowledge we hurt you. But this wasn’t meant to happen. It just did."

Vera pivoted, her eyes ignited with fury. "Oh really? Just happened?" She advanced closer, jabbing her finger into his chest. "Then why didn’t you tell me months ago? Why string me along while you and Sandra…" Her voice faltered, but she quickly swallowed the lump in her throat. "You deceived me, Bryan. Both of you did. You didn’t care about my feelings. You didn’t even demonstrate the decency to end things properly before organizing a damn wedding behind my back!"

Bryan inhaled deeply, his face etched with guilt. "I... I understand. You're right. But this wasn’t easy for either of us."

Vera scoffed, letting out a bitter laugh and shaking her head. "Sandra? She’s in distress? How generous of her after betraying me. And you expect me to pity her? Incredible." She turned away, her voice icy. "I’ve moved on, Bryan. Now, leave me be."

Bryan hurried to block her path, desperation tinging his voice. "Vera, please listen. I know you still care for me. That’s why we didn’t tell you sooner. We thought maybe... maybe we could make this easier for you. I didn’t want to hurt you more than necessary."

Vera clenched her fists, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill again. "You didn’t want to hurt me?" she scoffed. "It's too late for that, Bryan. You’ve already done it." Her voice softened, trembling with repressed emotion. "You both have."

Bryan stepped closer, placing his hands on her shoulders, his voice earnest. "Please, Vera. Let’s talk about this tomorrow. Sandra and I, we’ll clarify everything. Just... Please, help us prevent this from turning into chaos with our parents. Sandra’s like a sister to you. You know she never intended to hurt you."

Vera gazed at him, her anger clashing with disbelief. She couldn’t fathom what she was hearing. 'A gradual transition? Now he’s trying to be considerate?'

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "A gradual transition? Are you for real?" She shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "You know what? I don’t need that. I’m done." She inhaled sharply, the fierce expression of defiance reappearing on her face. "I already have a boyfriend."

Bryan rolled his eyes, clearly unconvinced by her words. "Vera, cut it out. I know you don't have a boyfriend."

"Oh, is that so?" she responded coolly, scanning the lobby. Her gaze settled on a tall, attractive man near the bar, engrossed in a conversation with someone in a suit. He was just perfect. Without a second thought, she strode over to him, her heart pounding, but her determination unwavering.

"Hey, handsome!" she exclaimed, interrupting his discussion. The man turned, a look of confusion crossing his face. Before he could respond, Vera offered him a confident smile. "I need your assistance. Will you lend me a hand?"

Not waiting for his reply, she closed the gap between them and boldly pressed her lips against his.

Of course, to make it a little more convincing, she did not just taste him for a second, but kept it lasting for another three seconds. 

Letting go of the kiss, Vera turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder to see Bryan standing a few feet away, his jaw practically on the floor.

She acted to ignore seeing her ex and just focused on her newfound boyfriend, who was just standing there, frozen in his stance. 

Giving a flirtatious smile at the man, she said, “I know how much of a shock it is to kiss a beauty like me.” She bit her lip and added, “But consider it as a bonus. You must have been working so hard tonight.” 

When she looked back in the direction of Bryan, he was already heading back to the hallway where the conference rooms were located. 

Vera then took a deep breath and said to the handsome man, “Thanks again, handsome. “ She hurriedly took ten dollars from her purse and stuffed it inside the man’s shirt pocket and offered, “Your service f*e.”

Before turning around, she said, “Bye! Have a great shift!”