[Babe, I'm out with clients—don't wait up, get some rest.]
Then a sweet voice piped up, "Oh, Eric, is that true?"
Eric replied, "Sorry, folks, gotta head home."
Laughter erupted around him.
"Eric's on a tight leash, huh?"
"Yeah, home by midnight, every night."
A wave of laughter swept through as I pushed the door open, tray in hand.
Eric slammed his wine glass down, pulling Mandy in close with a smirk. "It was just a bit of fun, you think she was anything special?"
"It's the same old routine in bed, dull as dishwater. I got bored ages ago."
"Can you believe her? Walking around in hundred-buck sneakers, yet splurging on 12,000-dollar kicks for me, all while juggling three jobs?"
The guys around him roared with laughter, egging him on.
"Seriously, she's all skin and bones, like a middle schooler—definitely not Eric's type."
"Eric was just messing around with her."
"Ha, let's drink to that!"
He casually raised his glass. "Tonight, we're not stopping till we drop!"
It felt like my heart had been ripped open, bleeding out.
Tears welled up in my eyes. The man who was so tender just the night before, now he was dismissively trashing me.
My grip slipped on the wine bottle, splashing some onto that girl.
"Ah!"
"What are you doing? Do you know how much this dress costs? Think you can afford to replace it?"
Mandy stood up, screeching, her voice filled with fury.
My eyes started to burn, and I looked down, afraid he'd recognize me.
I stuttered out an apology, desperate and flustered.
"I'm so sorry, it was an accident."
Tears streamed down my face, free of charge.
Eric Pike... Eric Pyke? From the wealthy Pyke Group in Covelle? I once teased him for being one letter different from a rich kid. He'd hang his head, claiming he was just a poor boy from the countryside, hoping I wouldn't hold it against him.
The way he pulled the pity card, I genuinely felt for him and never brought it up again.
The girl, now livid, pointed a pale finger at me. "Call your manager over here, I want an explanation!"
I kept apologizing, but Eric seemed to recognize my voice, telling me to look up.
Our eyes met—his red with panic, and at that moment, he knew he was caught.
He nervously touched his nose and muttered under his breath.
"Seeing things?"
"Eric, look what she did to the dress you got me!" The girl clung to his arm, sitting close.
"Forget it, it's just a dress."
He dismissed it carelessly.