Chapter 1
Robin popped his head into the cafe’s kitchen just as the clock struck noon. A 5′ tall, fair-skinned brunette woman stood at the stove, stirring the soup in preparation. “Maya, I’m heading next door,” he said. The coworker turned back and smiled. “Picking up the special surprise?” Robin’s cheeks flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck. They had worked together for two years and been best friends since high school. “Yeah,” he replied nervously. “Get going, and message me tonight with details,” she told me. He grinned, waved, and went on his way. His thoughts raced as he walked inside the flower shop next door.
That evening, he took a taxi home with a bushel of red roses on his lap. He grinned to himself as he imagined how the evening would unfold. It had been 3 years. Kyle Ashford, CEO of Cryptic Technologies, proposed a year ago, and their official relationship began two years earlier. As the taxi driver pulled to a stop at the curb, the brown brick apartment became visible. Robin paid the driver, collected the flowers, and walked up the concrete pavement. He felt uneasy as soon as he came through the front entrance. All of the lights were turned out, and there was a peculiar aroma, which belonged to his fiancée. It was faint, but a secondary scent lingered.
He noticed two half-empty glasses of wine resting on the coffee table. A bright object lay beside them. A silver ring—Kyle’s commitment ring—lay alongside them. Why is it here? Shouldn’t he wear it? Then he overheard it. The sound of whispers and chuckles. As he moved down the hallway, the noise became louder. His breath caught when he heard familiar voices on the opposite side of their shared bedroom. He opened the door gently, his hands trembling. His chest clenched, and he felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. Kyle and Robin’s older brother, Reese, lay tangled naked in their shared bed. Neither noticed him at first. Heads rose as Robin let out a soft gasp.
Kyle mumbled, “Robin…I,” as the bouquet of roses dropped from his fiance’s quivering hands and landed on the plush carpet with a quiet thud. Reese sat up, smirking. Tears welled up in his hazel eyes as Robin backed away from the scene that had unfolded before him. He did not yell. He did not cry. Not yet. He simply turned and escaped from the only place he had called home. Broken and numb, he had no idea where he was going. His feet moved as if controlled by an invisible force. His world had lost all color and delight. People saw him, but to him, they were just shadows.
Back at the apartment
Kyle stared at the red roses lying on the floor, taunting him to touch them. “What have I done?” he wondered to himself, as regret hit him like a ton of bricks. As he reached for his crumpled garments, a hand brushed his arm. “Where are you going?” Reese inquired, his voice rising. “Are you actually running after him?”
“Go home,” Kyle replied harshly, flinging clothes at Reese, who stared at him. Reese looked at Kyle and demanded, “Are you already regretting everything now?” before quickly dressing. Kyle didn’t respond. He simply turned and walked out. Reese entered the big living room fully dressed and added, “You’re the one who initiated this,” before exiting the flat.
Kyle returned to the bedroom and looked down at the flowers. He spotted a small card stuck to them, pulled it up, and read it.
I hope you’re ready for a fantastic night. I want everything to be flawless because I adore you. Robin
A solitary tear rolled down his cheek. It had slipped his mind. Today marked the anniversary of the day he proposed to Robin. Robin’s pained expression lingered in his memories. “I am so stupid,” he said under his breath as he sat on the side of the bed. Reese’s comments, “You initiated it,” rang in his mind. Reese was Robin’s sibling and was out of bounds. So, why did he even consider testing forbidden waters? Was it weakness or lust?
Kyle lay down on the comfortable queen-sized bed and gazed up at the ceiling. Guilt ate through him. “Robin needs time to calm down,” he reminded himself. However, he was unsure whether the love of his life would return. Sleep was denied him until after midnight. As daylight broke, Kyle devised a plan. He grabbed his phone, browsed through the contacts, and came across Robin’s number. His thumb hesitated over the name, breathed and exhaled, then pressed the dial button. It rang once, twice, and three times with no answer. “If he isn’t answering his phone, then I need to go to his job,” Kyle said.
Upon arriving at the Rosebud Cafe, Kyle found Robin completely absent. As Maya approached him, she frowned and shouted, “Why are you here?” “Looking for Robin,” he said. “He’s not here,” Maya stated coldly. “He quit,” she said. “What?” Kyle exclaimed with shock. “He told me,” Maya explained. “About the cheating,” she glared at him. Kyle’s breath caught. Her eyes were full of disapproval. She scowled at him, saying, “You hurt him,” before turning away. “I fucked up,” he murmured, watching her go away. An hour later, Kyle leaned against the couch, eyes red from crying, holding a half-empty bottle of whisky.
Clothing and images of them were spilled around the living room floor in front of him. The phone rang, but he ignored it. It rang again and again, but Kyle did not pick it up. Instead, he took another large swig of the alcohol. A half-hour later, there was a strong knock at his door. Kyle just sat there. Then three harsh raps ensued. “Kyle, open the door,” Reese begged from the opposite side. Kyle did not move at first. Then he pushed off the floor and stood on unsteady legs. The doorknob jingled. He stepped gently across the dimly lighted room and opened the door slightly. “You shouldn’t be here,” Kyle said.
