A Shot to the Heart

"Marcie's always on my back. It's freaking annoying!"

Sonya, who was beside Owen, seemed to have heard him talking to himself.

Looking surly, she wrapped her arms around his thin waist. In a tender voice, she coaxed him, "Owen, you have gotten a divorce. No one will tell you what to do now. So, forget those promises of not drinking and getting home early."

"Am I divorced?" Eyes closed, he chuckled. "Right. Marcie and I are divorced…"

I watched his happy expression, thinking, "I've loved him for many years, but I never received his affection in return."

He staggered around the room and mindlessly took a glass of wine someone handed him. He swigged the contents. Drops of the liquid streamed down from his lips to his neck.

Sonya bit her lip at Owen's sensual and seductive presence.

"Alright now." She interfered at the right time, intercepting the alcohol that others had extended to Owen. "We'll call it a night. Owen's drunk. I'll take him with me to get some rest."

With that, she helped Owen out of the lounge.

They slowly walked out of the lounge in silence and took the elevator to the 60th floor.

"Be careful, Owen." She helped him to one of the rooms and unlocked the door with a room card she had prepared.

"Here. Get into the room now."

Did fate cruelly condemn me to witness their intimacy?

Once they got into the room, she made him lie in bed. Right as she was about to remove his jacket, he sat up without warning and pushed her away. His deep eyes betrayed no emotions.

Taken aback, Sonya asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"

"I'll get myself another room." Owen got up and swayed, nearly losing his footing. He stumbled all the way to the door and happened to collide with the hotel manager who had walked down the corridor.

He told the hotel manager to get him a room and walked into the new room, after which he closed the door.

His behavior confused me. And I thought he had been waiting for this day forever—a night with Sonya.

The look in Sonya's eyes turned frosty and resulted in resentment. She muttered, "Why is he saving himself for that woman after they are divorced?"

…

The next morning, Sonya put behind the disappointment from last night and put on a perfect smile. Looking energetic, she held Owen's arm and took the elevator to the lobby from the 60th floor.

When we arrived at the lobby, we ran into a familiar face.

Standing in the busy crowds in the opulent lobby, Sonya smiled at someone in the distance while holding onto Owen.

She was staring at the hotel manager, who was also my childhood friend—Bianca Sanchez.

When I saw Bianca, I ran toward her in excitement, eager to spill the tea, but my spirit passed through her.

It wasn't until that moment I dolefully realized I was dead for good.

Bianca wore a professional suit and stood afar, her back straight. She cast an unfriendly look at the couple before her, who were leaning into each other.

With a smirk, she taunted, "Mr. Mancini, you're a lucky man. You have a wife at home and a harem out here. You must be having a lot of fun.

"But it's not healthy to have too much fun. I wonder if you'll struggle to keep up."

Owen stared at Bianca sternly without a word.

No longer smiling, Sonya took a step forward and stood in front of Owen like his protector. "Bianca Sanchez, this is between me, Owen, and his wife. It's not your place to comment.

"Five years ago, Marcie forced Owen to marry her with the backing of her powerful family. Owen and I wouldn't have separated if it weren't for her obsession with him.

"Had she not insisted on getting married, Owen wouldn't have been the subject of gossip in Alburton City and had his reputation ruined."

Bianca shot Sonya a caustic look. "What do you mean by ruined reputation? Do you mean they're calling him a kept man—or a heartless man?"

"Shut up!" Sonya glowered at Bianca. "I know what kind of person Owen is. You don't have the right to slander him!"

"That's really rich coming from his mistress!"

Sonya snapped at Bianca, "Owen and I knew each other before Marcie came between us. She's the relationship wrecker!"

"Is that so?" Bianca laughed disdainfully. "But I remember it differently. I thought you had dumped him for a richer guy."

Sonya glanced at Owen with guilt and quickly explained, "I wouldn't have left Owen if Marcie hadn't come between us."

Bianca sneered. "I think you got the chronology wrong."

Even a pet of five years would form a bond with its owner. But I gave Owen my everything for five years and still failed to win his heart.

Bianca didn't even look at Sonya. She shot Owen a sarcastic look. "I really hope you didn't fall in love with Marcie for real, or you'd regret it so badly when you realized what you've lost!"

I watched my best friend defend me in front of the cheaters. The thought of Bianca breaking down before my body at the hospital morgue filled me with sadness. I wanted to tell her not to waste any more time on Owen because he wasn't worth it.

Alas, Bianca was so furious at that moment that she might rip them into pieces.

I knew she felt indignant and mad at me for falling in love with him. She hated Owen for his ignorance.

Owen met Bianca's eyes and replied in a low voice, "I don't love her."

Bianca chuckled coldly. "I hope you'll remember what you said today. You'd better not regret it for the rest of your life."

After dropping the frosty remark, she left without hesitation.

…

Owen sent Sonya back to her apartment before driving back to work. He was as busy as usual in the office.

The hangover gave him a headache. After the meeting, he enjoyed a short break, during which he told Jessie to bring him a double-shot coffee.

While waiting for his drink, he scrolled through his personal phone. He hadn't received any new updates since last night.

I drifted over to his side and read the contents. I saw a text from Sonya again, inviting him to dinner.

He wrote back, giving her a rain check with the excuse of having something arranged tonight.

After that, he looked through all his messages and the call history. He seemed to be searching for something. What exactly was he expecting?

He lowered his gaze in silence. At the same time, Jessie came in with a cup of coffee.

"Mr. Mancini, coffee's ready."

He grunted, taking one last look at his phone. Then, he turned to Jessie and asked casually, "Did Marcie call?"