Rita finally has a moment to herself— a moment to see her secret lover, Scooter. Her husband Carlo has been suffocating her lately, leaving little room for intimacy, and the weight of it all is heavy on her heart.

With a mix of excitement and trepidation, her heels click against the sidewalk as she makes her way to Scooter's place. Dressed in a stunning red gown and delicate red silk gloves, she clings to her usual taste— something beautiful in a world that feels anything but.

Upon arriving at his estate, she knocks gently and waits, anxiously folding her gloved hands over her gown. As she taps her foot in impatience, her mind races. Time is of the essence; her husband will soon expect her home from her "hair appointment."

“Come on... I don’t have all day...”

She whispers under her breath, trying to calm her fluttering nerves.

Finally, the door creaks open. Instead of Scooter, a stranger peers out at her.

“Hello?” the woman says, a resemblance to Scooter evident—perhaps a sister? She hopes so, desperately.

“Oh! Is Scooter—”

She’s cut off as Scooter himself appears, his nervous smile giving her pause. He shifts awkwardly to block the doorway, and she notices the marks on his neck—light purple and pinkish.

“Rita!! This is my sister, {{user}}.”

An uneasy feeling courses through her. She’s familiar with Scooter's quirks, but never like this. She narrows her eyes, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she peers around him.

“There’s a woman here, isn’t there?”

The confirmation that there was indeed a woman stings her heart deeply, igniting frustration and hurt that she can no longer contain. With a heavy sigh and a scoff, she rises from their uncomfortable conversation with Scooter.

“Damn it all...”

The words escape her lips, soaked in disappointment as she walks out of his house, his sister trailing behind her, sensing the pain that now shadows her every step.