𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞

Chapter Ten

Sloane walks into the hotel with a big bag containing her wedding dress, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. She turns to Lila and expresses her gratitude, "Thank you so much for helping me pick out my wedding dress. I appreciate it." Lila chuckles and replies, "I was happy to help. I hope it's everything you dreamed of."

The two friends part ways, and Sloane strolls through the hotel hallway, eventually entering her room. Inside, she notices Luther trying on ties. Closing the door behind her, Sloane hangs her wedding dress in the closet. Luther turns around upon hearing the door close, a warm smile forming on his face. He asks, "Did you have fun? Did you find the dress you wanted?" Sloane beams and nods, "Yes, I did. It's perfect."

Luther nods and says, "Good." He turns around, holding a tie up to his chest. Facing Sloane, he asks, "Hey, how does this one look?" Sloane smiles and walks over to him. She carefully examines the tie and glances at the others scattered on the bed. Picking up a simple black tie, she smiles and hands it to Luther, saying, "This one suits you. Plus, our wedding is just going to be simple." Luther grins in agreement, taking the tie and responding, "Sounds great."

Sloane's phone buzzes in her pocket, prompting her to reach in and pull it out. Luther, curious, asks, "Who is it?" Sloane smiles at her phone and replies, "My friend just messaged me. She's coming to my wedding!" Luther smiles and asks, "Oh yeah? Who's the friend?" Sloane responds, "Her name is Faith. I met her a couple of years ago."

As Sloane reads more messages, her face lights up in joy. She excitedly adds, "Oh! And she's bringing a plus one!" Luther keeps his smile and asks, "Did she tell you who the plus one is?" Sloane shakes her head. Luther hums and shrugs, saying, "The more, the merrier." Sloane chuckles with a smile, looking forward to the added joy Faith and her plus one will bring to the wedding.

With Five

Five sits at a table in the lobby, lost in his thoughts. Chet, the main worker at the establishment, walks past Five's table and notices him looking depressed while sitting alone. Chet, concerned, clears his throat and walks up to Five. Five hears Chet and looks at him, his expression reflecting the turmoil within him. Chet, genuinely worried, says, "Sorry to be a bother if you're... busy. But you've been sitting here all day. Is everything alright? Would you like a glass of water?"

Five chuckles lightly and rubs his temples, acknowledging Chet's concern. He shakes his head, replying, "No, I'm fine. I'm just... taking some time to myself." Chet nods understandingly and says, "Well then, I won't be a bother anymore." He offers a reassuring smile and walks away, leaving Five to his thoughts.

Five lets out a heavy sigh, turning his attention back to the table. As he sits alone with his thoughts, his mind becomes a whirlwind of emotions, centering around the events of the past week. The predominant figure in his thoughts is y/n, and the sense of betrayal he feels after letting his guard down.

His anger is initially directed inward. He's mad at himself for allowing someone to get close, for momentarily abandoning the cautious and detached demeanor he had cultivated over the years. The very idea of trusting someone, only to feel betrayed, fills him with frustration. In his mind, he replays the moments leading up to y/n's departure, dissecting every interaction for signs of deceit, questioning where he might have slipped up.

Five, sitting alone at the table, lets out a bitter scoff. He mutters to himself, "It's not my fault. It's not my fault that she manipulated me." His words carry a mix of defiance and self-assurance, as if trying to convince himself of the truth in those statements. In his mind, he replays the events of that night, reaffirming his belief that he was the one who did the right thing.

A small, sardonic smirk plays on Five's lips as he thinks about the actions he took. He reflects on how, in his mind, putting y/n down was a necessary measure, a move to protect himself from potential betrayal. The conviction in his decision resonates in his thoughts, and he clings to the belief that he was justified in taking such drastic actions.