Chapter 328: Just for Tonight

Mark’s eyes began welling up as a trembling smile spread across his lips.

"...Rebecca?" he said, throwing the door wide open. "Rebecca, sweetheart... is that you? Did you... did you really come back?"

The moment Mary heard that name, she knew immediately who it belonged to.

Rebecca was Mark’s ex-girlfriend.

The woman who had left him, the reason he drowned himself in alcohol every night, the reason that guy had turned into the pitiful shadow of himself he was now.

Over the course of that week, Mary had tried more than once to figure out what had happened between Mark and Rebecca, why they’d ended up splitting, but he’d never told her much.

Whenever he managed to be lucid enough to hold a conversation, he’d just mutter that it had all been his fault. That he was a coward.

And then he’d go quiet.

Now, without her glasses and with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, Mary looked different.

Different enough that, with his mind completely fogged by alcohol, Mark mistook her face for his ex-girlfriend’s.

Mary barely had time to register what was happening before Mark stepped out into the hallway and pulled her into his arms.

He hugged her with an almost childlike desperation, crushing her against his chest as if he’d just gotten back something he’d lost for far too long.

"I missed you so much..." Mark murmured against her shoulder, his voice broken, trembling. "You have no idea how awful it’s been without you... I thought I’d lost you for good."

She barely had time to process those words before he leaned in and kissed her.

It was a clumsy kiss, tasting of alcohol and tears, but carried by a desperation so sincere it left her frozen in place.

Mary knew she should stop him, push him away, explain that he was confused.

But feeling Mark’s arms around her body, she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it.

For the first time in her life, someone was holding her in their arms without wanting to hurt her.

Mark looked at her with eyes full of affection, as if her presence were something he’d been waiting years for.

And even though she knew perfectly well that love wasn’t meant for her, she didn’t care.

After so many years of blows and contempt, Mary had a hunger for affection she didn’t even know how to put into words.

Pulling away from that warmth, even knowing Mark was mistaking her for someone else, was something she didn’t feel capable of doing.

So she decided to stay quiet.

For one night, she would be Rebecca.

After the kiss, the two of them stepped into the apartment. Mark dropped onto the bed and, still holding her close, kept murmuring things that made no sense.

The moment she got the chance, Mary slipped away to the bathroom. She closed the door, braced her hands on the sink, and studied her reflection in the cracked mirror.

’What the hell am I doing...’ she thought, gripping the edges of the sink. ’This is wrong... He doesn’t even know who I am.’

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Mary knew this was an illusion. Once morning came and Mark sobered up, he’d realize his mistake and it would all be over.

She’d go back to being the invisible girl from downstairs.

’Just tonight... that’s all I’m asking for,’ she thought, guilt gnawing at her. ’I’ll keep up this act until the sun comes up... and tomorrow I can go back to my pathetic reality... No one has to know.’

She took a deep breath, wiped her eyes, and stepped out of the bathroom.

But the moment she came out, Mark pressed against her again, taking her hands, looking at her with tearful, remorseful eyes.

"Forgive me..." he said, his voice breaking. "Forgive me, Rebecca... I know I was a coward... I know I let you down... This was all my fault, I know that."

"Sweetheart..." Mary murmured, not quite sure what to say. "It’s okay... I forgive you."

"You were right..." Mark went on, gripping Mary’s hands tightly. "When you told me you wanted to get married, have kids, build a real life with me... you were right."

His voice cracked.

"I was just scared."

She stayed silent as the tears began sliding down Mark’s cheeks again.

"I told you I wasn’t ready... That I didn’t know if I ever would be," he continued, struggling. "And because of that fear, I ended up pushing you away... I was an idiot."

Those words stirred something inside Mary.

So that was the reason.

Rebecca had wanted children and a life together with Mark, but he’d been too afraid to take that step, and ended up pushing her away until he lost her.

Now everything made sense.

"But that’s over now..." Mark said suddenly, lifting his gaze to her with a desperate determination. "I’m never going to hesitate again."

He tightened his grip on her hands a little more.

"Now that you’ve come back, everything’s going to be different... We’ll have our own house, we’ll have kids, we’ll build the life you always dreamed of... I’ll even quit this shitty job and find something better... If that’s what it takes for you to stay with me, I’ll do it."

His voice broke again.

"Just... don’t leave me again... I couldn’t survive that a second time... I don’t want to live without you again."

Mark’s words stirred something in Mary’s chest.

For a moment, she wanted to believe that those promises, that desperation, that love so sincere, were meant for her.

But they weren’t. Mark wasn’t looking at her.

He was still seeing Rebecca.

And Mary wished, if only for a moment, that things were different.

That someday someone would look at her that way and tell her they wanted to build a life by her side, that they didn’t care what they had to give up as long as they didn’t lose her.

But that wish was too beautiful to ever come true.

So she buried it deep in her heart and, instead, raised a hand to carefully wipe away Mark’s tears.

"It’s okay, sweetheart... everything’s fine now," she said gently. "I’m here now... and I’m not going anywhere."

Mark looked at her with red-rimmed eyes. In them was relief, gratitude, and a warmth so intense it burned.

"I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much..."

She felt a lump form in her throat.

"I... I love you too."

Mark kissed her again, this time with far greater intensity, placing his hands on her waist and starting to guide her toward the bed.

She closed her eyes and let herself be carried along, holding onto that moment as if she could make it last forever.

Because for someone like Mary, who had spent her whole life feeling useless, despised, and unwanted, that night was probably the closest she would ever come to experiencing something like this.

When they finally reached the bed, Mark laid her down onto the mattress.

It was the same bed that, just a week earlier, Mary had looked at with fear, terrified at the possibility of being raped.

But now everything was different.

The fear was gone, and in its place was only a desperate longing to feel Mark close to her, to keep savoring his warmth and that touch she’d craved for so long.

Breathing unevenly, she reached her arms out to him and parted her legs, inviting him closer, to settle between them.

"Make me yours... please," Mary murmured.