The Kiss

Chloe scrambled to salvage the disaster left in Liana’s wake. As the heavy doors swung shut behind her former best friend, Chloe spun toward the murmuring crowd. Panic etched deep lines into her perfectly powdered face. She forced a strained, wobbly smile at the bewildered guests scattered across the banquet tables.

“I am so sorry about this,” Chloe stammered, her voice shaking as she addressed the room. “Lia just lost it tonight. She’s had way too much to drink. Please, please don’t misunderstand her.”

The guests exchanged uncomfortable glances, whispering among themselves. Realizing her flimsy excuse wasn't landing, Chloe whirled around and locked her frantic gaze on Garrett. She grabbed his arm, her manicured nails digging deep into his tailored suit jacket.

“Talk to her!” Chloe hissed, keeping her voice low so the nearby tables couldn't hear. “Go after her right now. You need to get her to correct things when she is sober. My parents will despise me!”

Garrett grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at the exit. “She still... she is probably hurt, Chloe.”

Chloe’s eyes flared with unmasked desperation. “Talk to her! This was your idea to get married so soon in the first place. Fix it!”

Garrett let out a sharp hiss through his teeth. He turned back to the room, pasting on a charming, apologetic smile for his family and friends. “Excuse me, everyone. I need to make sure Lia gets home safely.” He smoothed his tie, projecting an aura of calm control. “Don’t worry, we will clear this issue up when she is no longer intoxicated. This is all just a silly misunderstanding.”

He didn't wait for a response, rushing out the doors in pursuit of his ex-girlfriend.

Outside in the wide, carpeted hallway of the hotel, the cool air hit Liana’s flushed face. She was walking fast, her heels clicking rapidly against the polished marble floor near the elevators.

The confident, untouchable facade she wore in the banquet room cracked the moment she was alone. Her chest ached with a profound, suffocating weight. The sheer scale of the betrayal threatened to crush her lungs.

“Eight months,” she muttered under her breath, the words tasting like ash on her tongue. “Eight fucking months.”

That was how long they had been making a fool out of her. Eight agonizing months of secret glances, hidden texts, and stolen touches happening right under her nose. A single, stubborn tear spilled over her lower lash line, sliding down her cheek.

She reached up and swiftly wiped it away with the back of her hand, smudging her makeup. She scolded herself instantly. How could she not have seen it? How could she be so blind to their lies?

Her heartbreak welled up, threatening to shatter whatever composure she had left. But before the sob could claw its way out of her throat, a familiar voice echoed down the corridor.

“Lia! Lia, wait!”

It was Garrett. He was rushing toward her, his footsteps echoing loud in the empty hall.

Liana stiffened. She hastily wiped at her face again, erasing any stray trace of sorrow. She took a sharp breath, squaring her shoulders, and erected an impenetrable wall of sheer confidence.

Without turning around to face him, she snapped, “I need to leave, Garrett. My boyfriend is waiting for me outside.”

Garrett closed the distance and aggressively caught her arm. “Oh, come on!” He let out a deep, arrogant scoff, glancing around the empty hallway to ensure no one was watching them. “I know you don’t have a boyfriend.”

He tugged her closer, his tone shifting into something patronizing. “Look, Lia, I know we hurt you. We didn't mean for any of this to happen. It just... it just happened, okay?”

Liana yanked her arm out of his grasp. She spun to face him, her eyes wide with unadulterated fury.

“Really?” she spat, her voice ringing off the walls. “It just happened? How about telling me eight months ago, Garrett? Why cling to our relationship if it was already stained? Why keep dragging me along?”

She stepped into his space, jabbing her index finger hard against his chest. “You and Chloe lied to me! You planned a life, a marriage, right behind my back without a single ounce of care for how I would feel!”

Garrett opened his mouth to speak, but she didn't let him.

“And Chloe?” Liana let out a disgusted sneer, shaking her head. “She is the worst person in the world for betraying me like this. Forget it. Just forget both of you. I’ve moved on.”

She turned on her heel to walk away. “My boyfriend is waiting. Excuse me.”

Garrett let out another scoff. His ego remained unchecked, refusing to let her have the last word. He sped up, matching her pace, stepping directly into her path to block her from reaching the lobby doors.

“I know you don't have a boyfriend, Lia,” he stated boldly. “I know you too well. And I know exactly how much you are still in love with me. That’s why you’re acting out.”

Liana stared at him, repulsed by his twisted logic.

“That’s why we couldn't tell you the truth,” Garrett continued, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Chloe and I just couldn't tell you that we fell in love because we knew you would react exactly like this.”

“I am done with your bullshit, Garrett,” Liana hissed, running trembling fingers through her hair. She squinted at him, her blood boiling. “There is no excuse for what you did. For what both of you did.”

“Please, Liana.” Garrett stepped forward again, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. His voice took on a pleading, manipulative edge. “Listen to me. Let’s talk this out tomorrow. Chloe and I... we are going to speak to you about this properly. We will help you get out of this situation.”

He furrowed his brows, leaning in. “Just come back tomorrow and help us clear up this misunderstanding with our parents. Once you’ve sobered up. Okay? At least do this for Chloe. She is like a sister to you after all.”

Liana stared at him, stunned by the sheer nerve of his request.

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Garrett added, oblivious to her building rage. “I’ll even give you a slow transition. We can pretend for a bit to help you let go of our relationship.”

A dark, humorless laugh burst from Liana’s lips. She shook her head in disbelief. He was actually offering her a fake, slow transition out of a relationship he had already destroyed, as a reward for saving his reputation.

She shoved past him, rejecting his disgusting compromise. “I won't do any such thing, and I sure as hell don't need a slow transition!”

She marched toward the wide archways leading into the grand hotel lobby. “Like I told you in there, I already have a boyfriend!”

Garrett followed her, his patience thinning.

Liana reached the busy lobby, her eyes scanning the area for a perfect alibi. She needed someone, anyone, to prove him wrong. Her gaze swept past the crystal chandeliers and towering floral arrangements until it landed near the ambient glow of the lobby bar.

She spotted him.

He was a tall, incredibly handsome man dressed in a crisp white shirt. He stood near the mahogany counter, looking effortlessly striking, listening to another man in a sharp business suit.

A fleeting, subconscious thought ticked at the back of Liana's mind. He looks vaguely familiar.

But the urgency of the moment overrode her logic. The adrenaline pumping through her veins drowned out any rational thought. She desperately needed Garrett to believe she was over him, and this breathtaking stranger was her golden ticket.

“Oh, look!” Liana’s face suddenly softened into a delicate expression as she looked past Garrett. “There is my boyfriend. He must be looking for me.”

She briskly walked away from Garrett, marching directly up to the stranger at the bar. She didn't care that he was mid-conversation with the suited man. She aggressively interrupted them, plastering a bright, flawless smile on her face.

“Hey, handsome!” she called out, waving her hand to catch his attention.

The man in the white shirt turned his head. His striking eyes met hers, his brow furrowing in slight confusion.

Before he could process what was happening, Liana stepped right into his personal space. “I need your help,” she whispered quickly. “Help me out, will you?”

She didn't grant the bewildered stranger a single second to reply.

Reaching up, she grabbed him by the jaw, pulling his face down to hers, and firmly pressed her lips against his.

His lips were warm, and the sudden contact sent a jolt through her spine. But she couldn't afford to get distracted. To ensure the performance was convincing to her stalking ex-boyfriend, she deepened the kiss, holding the intimate contact for three solid, agonizing seconds.

It was a bold, reckless move, fueled by pure defiance.

Finally pulling back, she kept one hand resting on the stranger's chest. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Garrett. He was standing several meters away in the lobby entrance, paralyzed in shock. His jaw was slack, his arrogant demeanor shattered.

Liana watched as defeat washed over Garrett’s face. He finally turned around and retreated down the hallway, heading back to the conference rooms.

She released a shaky breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Shifting her focus back to her fake boyfriend, she found him frozen. He stood rooted to the spot, his eyes wide, staring at her in sheer shock.

Liana offered him a flirtatious, unapologetic smile.

“I know how much of a shock it is to kiss a beauty like me,” she teased, playfully biting her lower lip. “But consider it a bonus for your hard work tonight.”

She opened her small clutch purse, her fingers brushing against a crisp five-dollar bill. Pulling it out, she stepped closer and brazenly stuffed the folded cash directly into the front pocket of his white shirt.

“Thanks for your service,” she told him, her voice light and breezy. She gave him one last charming look before pivoting on her heels. “Bye! Have a great shift!”

Without looking back, Liana walked toward the revolving glass doors of the hotel exit, leaving the handsome stranger standing speechless by the bar.