Test Drive : A Night of Forbidden Desire

Vonda Raveena Scott walked gracefully, adorned in an off-white knee-length gown that mesmerized many with her tall, slender, and beautifully curvaceous figure. The gown's design appeared simple, yet it exuded a seductive and tempting allure, perhaps due to its low-cut neckline, revealing her smooth shoulders and back. Complemented by the elegance of her long legs supported by black seven-centimeter heels, Vonda appeared as a model rightfully stealing the spotlight.

Especially when eyes fell upon the shimmering wavy hair intentionally let loose and the clutch she held in her left hand. It would not be wrong to say that Vonda's appearance was utterly flawless. Her lips, adorned with a shade of expensive red lipstick, faintly moved into a thin smile as she stepped into the luxurious hotel ballroom.

The wedding celebration was grand, exceeding the expectations of both Vonda and the other guests. Few people could pull off such a magnificent wedding in such a short time without meticulous preparation. Vonda had heard it from the circulating gossips; the CEO of Greatech, the company she worked for, was truly head over heels in love with his wife, who had once been his subordinate in Vonda's department.

Their love story carried a sense of drama, arousing the enthusiasm of the invited employees, including Vonda, who was eager to enjoy the festivities. She hoped to spend the night in joy and forget the sorrow she had experienced just yesterday.

Yes! Everyone here is having fun. Who knows? Maybe I could meet a handsome available guy tonight. Hm, what if Mr. Lucas Hernandez is drop-dead gorgeous? Surely, his family is just as fabulous as he is. Oh, how should I approach him? I'm not any less beautiful than Velia Angelica Howell, who now holds the title of Mrs. CEO. Hahaha.

Vonda grinned, feeling her confidence levels soaring, urging her to raise her chin as high as possible, striding with grace like a world-class model on a catwalk. She truly looked...

"Shh! Look, Ms. Scott has arrived."

"Oh, my goodness, she looks stunning."

"Seriously! Her figure is just wow!"

Vonda's smile widened. Hearing those voices, she purposefully flicked her hair a bit, hoping her radiance would spread throughout the party until...

"But Andrew is still clueless, huh? Can't he see that he's openly holding Livy here?"

What?!

Vonda's steps were instantly halted. Her head and eyes now swiveled, searching for the source of the whispers, and... gulp!

Vonda saw them. Not too far away, at a guest table, Andrew Phillips and Livy Barnes were sitting together with their friends, who happened to be Vonda's subordinates as well.

Oh, God. Vonda froze. She could not say anything now, except for the sound she heard in her ears.

Crack!

"Ugh!"

Vonda winced, even the sound of her broken heart was audible. It was truly heartbreaking. This time, she was not sure if her legs could still carry her gracefully, as they did when she first entered. Her knees felt shaky and weak.

Vonda took a deep breath, trying to remain standing upright instead of collapsing to the floor and crawling away. She attempted to keep walking, just before...

"Tsk! Even though Ms. Scott looks absolutely stunning, it's just... Andrew and Livy are way out of line!"

"Exactly. They're showing off their affection shamelessly, even after getting caught in such an embarrassing situation just yesterday."

"I wonder how Ms. Scott must be feeling right now."

My feelings?

Vonda tried to remain calm.

Want to eat glass, huh?

Suddenly, Vonda's confidence began to wane. It gradually diminished, and finally, she turned around. The door was still open for her to leave.

"Hei, Von!"

Vonda turned to see a Human Resources Department employee named Sarah Roberts walking towards her.

"Sarah, I-"

"Wow!" Sarah's eyes widened as she saw Vonda that night. "Oh... my... God! You look so beautiful, Baby."

Vonda winced. She felt like stuffing Sarah's big mouth with the swan-shaped ice sculpture in the middle of the room.

Her head? Her wings? Ah!

Vonda nodded her head.

Maybe I should stuff my whole body into Sarah's mouth. So, she won't be able to breathe anymore!

However, even if Vonda really wanted to do that, it seemed too late. Sarah had already reached out and spun Vonda around to get a better look at her dress. Vonda spun around, torn between wanting to escape from seeing Andrew and Livy's affection or because of Sarah's embarrassing behavior.

Sarah whispered in Vonda's ear, asking softly, "How many installments did you use?"

"It's cash, by the way-"

Sarah covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes darting. "Oh."

"But it was paid using a credit card."

"Huh?"

Sarah looked puzzled, blinking her eyes.

"Listen," Vonda said then. "I don't know what your intentions were to act crazy tonight, Sar."

Sarah's lips pouted.

"It's just... I know you can be a bit wild sometimes. But for tonight, please." Vonda gave her a pleading gaze. "I want to live peacefully without any disturbances."

"Peacefully?" Sarah asked, feigning innocence as she raised her hand to point at a spot, before continuing, "By watching your ex-boyfriend getting cozy with his mistress after catching them red-handed in a compromising position on a chair?"

Vonda took a deep breath, wondering why she ended up with a friend as brainless as Sarah.

"How can you possibly stay calm, Von?"

Vonda winced. "Thank you so much for reminding me of the exact reason Andrew and I broke up, Sarah."

Sarah quickly nodded. "You're welcome." Her hands clasped together on her chest. "By the way... when you broke up, Andrew's... masculinity was still inside Livy, right?"

Vonda glanced at the swan-shaped ice sculpture again.

Okay, it's still not melting.

"Listen," Sarah said, placing her hand on Vonda's shoulder. "You can choose to leave now through that wide-open door." Sarah pointed at the door. "Or you can enjoy this party. Running away means you lose, Von."

"Please, Sarah. This is not a competition."

"It's not, but... it's about your dignity."

Oh!

That statement widened Vonda's eyes.

"You're beautiful, Von. You're not at fault here, so why should you back down?" Sarah asked. "They're the ones creating a scandal, why should you be the one embarrassed? What's there to be ashamed of?"

Vonda blinked again.

"This is one of the reasons why Oceana is becoming more backward. Every time there's a case, the victims are the ones feeling ashamed. Meanwhile, the criminals roam freely without any shame. It's like they've lost their sense of decency. But it's the victims who have to ignore their shame, Von. They didn't do anything wrong."

Vonda's forehead furrowed as Sarah's words started to sink in one by one. She nodded along with the increasing number of words Sarah uttered.

"So, you, as a revolutionary figure, Von. You have to change people's mindsets. Don't let the wrongdoers become the main characters."

Vonda's lips closed. Her face also hardened, and she nodded.

"So, don't run away. Show them your beauty. Your charm, Von," Sarah said with a serious face, just like a criminal figure trying to hypnotize her victim. "The Vonda I know has always been able to turn things around."

"That is it." Vonda nodded again. "I am an undefeated female warrior."

"Yes! That's it, Von. This is the real Vonda."

As a result, Vonda straightened her posture, giving Sarah a cunning glance. "Wanna watch the show, Baby?"

Sarah returned an equally cunning look. "I'll record it, Baby."

*

Vonda did not comment any further. Instead, she gracefully walked away again. Meanwhile, behind her, Sarah quickly caught up and took out her phone.

Ignoring Sarah, Vonda could see how the people at the table were looking at her. The faces of the five people sitting there displayed various emotions. Andrew gave her a slight smile. Livy shot her a mocking gaze. The two other guys and one girl whose names Vonda did not know exchanged discreet glances. Their faces turned wary.

Vonda pulled a chair and joined the table, looking at Andrew and Livy alternately.

"Just relax. Office matters should stay at the office. After office hours, it means we're not boss and subordinate anymore," she said.

"Ehm."

The three of them took a deep breath, anticipating various possibilities that might unfold.

"Oh, by the way," Livy said. "Did you come alone?"

Vonda blinked once. Adding to that, Andrew, sitting next to Livy, appeared to be trying to hold back a smirk.

Uh-oh!

Sarah shook her head from where she stood.

Is she eating something wrong or what? How can she provoke Vonda like that?

Vonda smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Glek!

Sarah tightened her grip on her phone.

The show was about to begin, ladies and gentlemen.

"Independent women are like that, Livy. Coming alone to a wedding reception? Ah, only clingy girls are afraid. As for me?" Vonda chuckled mischievously. "I'm definitely not the type of girl who would willingly become someone's mistress just to have a date for a wedding reception."

Wow!

Sarah's eyes widened, and she nodded. She grinned when she saw Livy coughing slightly due to all the remarks. However, Vonda did not stop there. She looked at the three unknown individuals.

"Sorry, what are your names?"

"Andy, Miss."

"Bobby, Miss."

"Clara, Miss."

Vonda nodded. "Complete, huh? We have A, B, and C all here."

Sarah felt the urge to laugh but held back.

"You don't need to be shy around me, especially about what happened yesterday. You probably heard about it, right? About how I caught Livy and Andrew doing it on a chair?"

Nice shot, Von.

Andrew took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Ehm... well, about that, I think-"

"Ah!" Vonda exclaimed loudly, shifting her focus to Livy. "I just realized why you chose the horse-style instead of the snake-style on the table."

Livy's face turned red. "Miss Scott, I hope you-"

"That's because Andrew's masculinity is short, right?"

Andy and Booby started to cough spontaneously. Clara immediately felt her face burning. But Vonda appeared quite composed. Sarah covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, I already guessed it," Vonda brought her hand to rest on the table, supporting her chin for a moment before continuing. "Oh dear. But you know, yesterday Andrew said the reason he cheated on me with you was that I couldn't make him happy. Because during our relationship, I didn't want to 'make love' with him."

"Vonda!"

Andrew's face was visibly red as he exclaimed. However, Vonda did not stop. She ignored the fact that Andrew was already calling her by her name without using any honorifics.

"Now I'm actually grateful that I didn't want to do that with Andrew," Vonda said with a slight grimace. "How should I put it?" She put on a slightly ridiculous shy smile. "I was actually worried that his masculinity wouldn't be able to penetrate my hymen."

Sarah burst into giggles, and Andrew's face was no longer red. It had turned purple! But if he thought everything was over, he was mistaken. Vonda still had some sharp words to deliver.

"That's why I'm not surprised you wanted to be on top," Vonda said, looking at Livy with a pitying gaze. "So, you could be forced in deep, right?"

Livy turned pale. Embarrassed.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Vonda sighed and shook her head. "You have to endure it, Les. It's nothing. Always being on top can be tiring, right? Well, but what can you do? It's better than feeling nothing, isn't it?"

Andrew's jaw clenched, but Vonda was too quick in speaking, so she continued.

"Oh, but it seems you're a bit lucky too, Les. Because if you have sex with Andrew, you don't have to worry about getting pregnant out of wedlock."

Sarah grinned.

This is the final blow.

"Because his sperm probably won't reach your uterus." Vonda chuckled and then stood up. "Well, I'm going around for a bit. Gonna find a guy. One who's long and big. Hihihi. So, I can ... feel it."

Vonda tossed her hair once and left the table with a victorious smile.

Just wait until Monday, okay? I guarantee #Andrewshort will be the hot gossip at the office. Hahaha.

"Oops!"

Vonda almost bumped into a waiter.

"Sorry."

They both apologized before walking away. Vonda approached Sarah, who was laughing uncontrollably.

"Hahaha! You're crazy, Von! They couldn't even breathe."

Vonda laughed. "Hohoho. They deserved it."

"Definitely," praised Sarah, giving Vonda a thumbs-up. "That's the real Vonda."

Vonda took a deep breath. "How about we go shake hands with the CEO and his wife now? So, we can start eating."

Sarah nodded. "Sure!"

They both left the area and joined the queue to reach the stage, where the happy couple was standing.

"After I observed her, Velia is indeed beautiful, right? No wonder Mr. Hernandez fell for her."

Vonda took a deep breath. "But Velia has every reason to be in awe of Mr. Hernandez too. He's awesome."

"In essence, it's natural for both of them to be in awe of each other."

They shook hands, and afterward, Vonda and Sarah enjoyed the served dishes. They chatted and laughed, making Vonda seem to forget the pain in her heart. But it was not as simple as that.

Several times, Vonda had to take deep breaths, letting the day linger on while the newlyweds had left the party, which continued into the night.

Vonda called over a waiter to bring a tray with long glasses filled with alcohol. She grabbed one of them.

"Eh? Since when do you drink, Von?" Sarah asked, surprised.

"Since tonight," Vonda replied.

Sarah shook her head. "Don't get drunk. Just one glass."

"What can't Vonda do?" Vonda grinned, starting to sip the drink. However, her forehead immediately creased as she felt the biting taste on her tongue. She winced momentarily but decided to keep drinking until the glass was empty. Then, her left hand went up again.

While Sarah and the others continued chatting and gossiping, Vonda repeatedly raised her hand, and the empty glass was replaced with a full one each time.

"Von!" Sarah turned to her, sounding alarmed.

Vonda's eyes opened, but her gaze was unfocused. "Yes?"

"Are you drunk? How many glasses have you had?"

Vonda raised the empty glass in her hand. "There's only one empty glass here."

"Oh my God." Sarah grimaced, realizing that the glass must have been refilled many times. "Enough now?" She took the glass from Vonda's hand. "Let's go home, okay? It's late."

"I think I should go home now," Vonda nodded. "I can go alone. You stay here."

"What? No way. You have your car, right? It's dangerous for you to drive while drunk."

"Modern times, Sar," Vonda said with a hiccup. "I'll order an online taxi. Tomorrow, I'll pick up my car."

"Oh."

Vonda stood up and waved awkwardly to her friends. "I'll leave now, okay?"

"Hey, is it alright for Vonda to go home alone?" one of her friends asked.

"What if something happens to her on the way?" another friend added.

Sarah snorted as she watched Vonda stumbling in her steps. "I'm actually more worried about the taxi driver. Vonda can be crazy when she's in trouble."

Sarah reached out and took a piece of cake from the table.

"Instead of worrying about Vonda's safety," Sarah continued, "let's pray that the taxi driver will be safe from a crazy passenger like her who's drunk."

"Ah."

*

Vonda left the hotel's ballroom and went straight to the reception area. Leaning against the counter, she took out her phone and accessed the ride-hailing app to book a taxi.

When a message came in, Vonda blinked her eyes, trying to read it with her diminishing consciousness.

Driver:

I'm on my way, Miss.

Trying to stay aware, Vonda replied.

Vonda:

Okay, Sir. I'm wearing a ivory-white dress.

Just look for the most beautiful one, that's me.

Vonda sent the message and checked the specifications of the taxi accepting her request. She read it with blurred vision, trying to remember.

"Red Camry. License plate...." Vonda took a deep breath, shaking her head once. "Okay, it's red, that's for sure."

With hesitant steps, Vonda walked away from there. She smiled at the security guards and declined their offer to assist her walking. Alone, she made her way to the hotel's courtyard.

The night breeze blew, causing Vonda to shiver slightly. For a moment, she stared blankly, her gaze fixed on the entrance, waiting for her ordered taxi to arrive.

Vonda blinked. Two bright lights appeared, indicating the approach of a vehicle. She shook her head for a moment, feeling something peculiar in her vision. The two lights seemed to turn into four. She tried to focus.

"Oh... it's red," Vonda squinted her eyes.

"Is that a Camry? Has it become a bit lower and longer?" Vonda questioned herself.

Disregarding her confusion, Vonda looked again. It seemed that the shape of the car was changing before her eyes.

"Oh... it's definitely the car. Its height is just different," she reassured herself.

Attempting to clear her vision, Vonda heard her phone ringing. The taxi driver was calling her, and she quickly answered the call.

"Hi, I'm here," said the driver.

"Yes, I can see your car," Vonda replied. "It's red."

Vonda ended the call and walked slowly, heading straight to one of the two red cars queued in front of the hotel courtyard. She opened the front door of the car and sat down, fastening her seatbelt.

"Hey? Miss?"

Vonda turned around. "Let's go now."

"Huh? Go? Go where?"

Vonda took a deep breath. "To my home. Or should we go to your home?"

The guy behind the wheel started to blink in confusion, scratching his head.

"By the way, there's another car behind us," Vonda said weakly. "We might get scolded by the security guard."

The guy glanced through the rearview mirror and, indeed, there was a red Camry right behind his car.

"But..."

Vonda choked back tears, "Please, let's just leave. I don't want to be here anymore."

The driver was bewildered by Vonda's sudden outburst.

"I can't bear to see my ex-boyfriend with his mistress all lovey-dovey," Vonda cried.

Confused, the driver pulled the gear shift to start moving the car. Vonda let out a long sigh just as her phone rang again. She glared at it with a frown.

"Who is it now?"

Vonda declined the call and placed her phone back into her clutch.

"Where do you want to go, Miss?" the driver asked, trying to change the subject.

"Can we go to the police station?" Vonda exclaimed. "I want to report Andrew and Livy for their indecent actions in the office! They were playing 'horsey' in the office."

"What?" The guy blinked. "Playing 'horsey'?"

Vonda placed her clutch on the car dashboard. Changing her seating position, she faced the guy directly.

"You know, right?" Vonda whispered as if there were other people present. "Woman on top."

What?!

The guy blinked once more. Confused, stiff, and only able to nod in response.

"And you know?" Vonda raised a finger. "They were fooling around in the office, and I..." Vonda blinked once, struggling to keep talking. "I got dumped by Andrew while he was still inside Livy."

Vonda glanced toward the guy's crotch, causing him to widen his eyes and quickly cover his private area.

"Ouch!" The guy scratched his head, his confusion escalating as he cursed. "Oh no. Why does it feel like this new car is cursed? And I haven't even met Lucas yet. Argh!"

Vonda sobbed, making it seem like she was crying. "You're so right. I want to find a guy like Mr. Lucas Hernandez. I don't want Andrew anymore."

The guy exclaimed. "Good Lord!"

"And you, what's your name?" Vonda nodded. "You're handsome, by the way."

"Pardon?"

"Your name is not Andrew, right?"

"No, it's not."

"Hahaha, that's what I thought. Andrew probably can't afford a car because he likes to party all the time."

The guy scratched his head.

"Actually, I already made a down payment for his car."

The guy turned to look at her.

"But before the first installment was due, he had already sold the car," Vonda grinned. "It happened just a day before I saw him fooling around. What should I do? I feel so broken. I lost my money, and now I've lost my feelings too."

"Oh, my goodness!"

"Fortunately, I used his name for the car loan, although the down payment was from me. At least, I won't be the one getting billed this month."

The guy let out a long sigh, realizing that the woman sitting beside him was completely out of it. In fact, the car had not moved at all for quite some time-it had stopped on the road.

"Seems like you've gone off the rails."

Vonda nodded. "I had a drink earlier." She giggled. "Actually, it's my first-time drinking."

"Goodness!" He shook his head, feeling that his patience was wearing thin.

"That's why my eyes feel a bit heavy now. Maybe I drank too much?" Vonda seemed to hiccup several times, taking a deep breath and trying to assess her own condition. "Uh... I'm a bit tipsy. But just because I'm tipsy, I feel like I'm riding in a red Lamborghini taxi."

Vonda burst into laughter.

"From the moment you got into my car, I could tell that you were drunk," the guy grumbled. "Feeling like you're riding in a red Lamborghini taxi?" He gave her a sharp look. "You have no idea how long and how much trouble I went through to be able to drive this car for the first time."

Vonda continued to laugh as her eyes became more and more hazy. "It's okay. It feels like when we're drunk, we experience things that we wouldn't normally. Hihihi. I'm riding in a red Lamborghini."

"Did I dream yesterday, meeting a crazy girl like this?" The guy said to himself, utterly puzzled.

Right after he mumbled that, he felt a tug on his hand. He turned to find Vonda looking at him with a misty gaze.

"Are you still busy?"

"Hah?"

"Sir, you don't have to drive tonight, okay?" Vonda smiled. "How about just accompanying me instead? After all, I'm quite pretty, right?"

The guy's eyes widened instantly. Then he blinked once, and stared again.

"What do you mean?"

Vonda's slender fingers started to move. She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned closer to the guy. Her fingertips traced along his jawline, her eyes gazing with a longing look.

"Help me forget my heartache?" Vonda whispered.

What?!

"And it's fine in this car too."

*