Julia.

Wearing a silky red dress that clung to her curves, her brown hair falling in loose waves. She smiled with that same calculated sweetness she always had. She had watched from across the room, her eyes never leaving him.

Then she approached slowly, like a lioness circling a wounded animal.

“Drinking alone?” she asked, sliding into the booth before he could object.

Diego blinked at her, his brows drawing together. “Julia?”

“You look terrible,” she said with a playful pout. “Want some company?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. His silence was enough for her.

She waved over the bartender and ordered something fruity for herself, then reached out to gently adjust his undone collar, brushing his chest with the back of her fingers. He flinched slightly but said nothing.

“You shouldn’t be here alone,” she murmured. “What’s the matter? Wedding stress?”

He chuckled bitterly. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh, honey…” She scooted closer. “Try me.”

There was something about Julia sharp, intuitive, dangerously charming. She was the kind of woman who didn’t need the truth to manipulate a man. All she needed was the crack in his armor.

And Diego? He was all cracked tonight.

He drank more. She kept pouring.

He talked. She listened.

“She's pregnant” he said with so much pain in his voice.

“ I thought we were done with that, I thought we had moved on and we'll just get happily married”.

Julia just stares at him, running her hands through his hair.

“ It's fine hunny, I'm here for you”.

“ I haven't touched Rose since we started dating, I wanted to do that on our wedding night… but that bastard decided to ruin everything”, he said with so much anger on his face.

He faltered. She leaned in.

Eventually, he began to slur.

His phone buzzed on the table. Rose.

Julia glanced down and quickly turned it over before he could react.

“She’s worried,” she whispered.

“She should be,” Diego muttered, laughing darkly. “She’s… carrying his child.”

Julia’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t known that part.

“Oh Diego,” she sighed, pretending to be sympathetic, placing a soft hand on his thigh. “You don’t deserve this.”

“I’m such an idiot,” he muttered. “I told her… I told her I’d protect her.”

Julia pressed her lips to his cheek. “You need to forget about her, just for tonight. Let someone take care of you.”

Her lips trailed from his cheek to his jaw. Diego didn’t resist. Whether from the liquor or the heartbreak or both, he let her lead.

By the time she pulled him out of the bar and into the warm night air, he could barely walk straight. She hailed a cab, slid into the backseat with him, and gave the name of a small boutique hotel down the street.

***

The hotel room was dimly lit, sterile, and smelled faintly of pine disinfectant. Julia led him inside, helped him sit on the bed, and handed him a glass of water.

He took a sip, then collapsed backward, groaning.

“Just lie down,” she whispered, straddling him.

His hands barely moved.

His phone rang again. Julia reached over and turned it off completely.

“Forget her,” she whispered. “Just for tonight.”

She kissed him slowly, deliberately, her hands undoing the rest of his buttons. His eyes were open, barely.

“Julia… wait,” he murmured.

She didn’t.

He didn’t protest again.

Julia removed his shirt and kissed him slowly, Diego gave in.

Turning her over, he desperately removed her dress, kissing her slowly and his mouth touched every part of her body.

Julia moaned loudly

“I missed you so much Diego”

Diego didn't respond but stroked his cock into her, she moaned continuously.

What happened after that was messy, blurred by alcohol, driven by impulse, and fueled by heartbreak. There was no love in the room. Only desperation, manipulation, and betrayal.

***

The next morning, Diego woke up with a blistering headache and the suffocating weight of regret.

He turned slowly.

Julia lay beside him, smiling like she had just won the lottery.

“Morning, fiancé,” she teased.

He sat up abruptly, pulling the blanket around his waist. “What the hell did we do?”

Julia blinked, feigning innocence. “What do you mean?”

His face hardened. “Did we… sleep together?”

She stretched lazily. “You don’t remember?”

“Julia.”

She leaned forward, cupping his face. “You said you wanted to forget. I was just… helping.”

Diego stood up, grabbing his clothes, his breathing uneven.

His phone—dead.

His shame is alive and well.

Rose.

How could he face her?

How could he marry her?

He walked to the bathroom, stared at his reflection, and punched the sink hard enough to draw blood.

Meanwhile, Julia lay on the bed, satisfied.

She had everything she needed now. The wedding might go on. But the cracks had widened. And if she played her cards right, Diego wouldn’t just lose Rose he’d destroy himself.

Just as Diego was about to leave, Julia blocked his path.

“So what happened last night meant nothing to you? She said tears were swelling up in her eyes.

“Stop it Julia” you took advantage of my vulnerability last night and now you're being manipulative?

“ I didn't take advantage of you Diego, you kissed me like you wanted it too… you… you said you missed me”.

“I was drunk Julia, please stop this madness, I'm getting married to Rose in a few days, please don't ruin it. I beg you” he pleaded.

“So you want to get married to someone carrying another man's child? She doesn't even know the father of the child she's carrying… Diego think!!!

“ Get out of my way” he pushed her storming out of the room.

Julia smirked.

“Let's see how tough you can get”.

She picks up her phone and sends a text.

>EVERYTHING WORKED AS PLANNED AND WE HAD A GREAT NIGHT.

“ I can't wait for the outcome of this,” she whispered, touching her stomach.

“I have always wanted to carry his child, let's wait for a few weeks”, she laughed.