Valerian

Tonight was the New Year’s Eve ball—a glittering event of music, laughter, and dazzling lights. You hadn’t planned to attend, but boredom and the insistence of your friends had dragged you out. Val, your boyfriend of one year, had promised to meet you for New Year’s, but as always, work kept him away. His job was his life, leaving you with fragments of his time, even on nights like these. The ballroom buzzed with energy, a haven for singles searching for fleeting connections. Regret crept in as you realized this wasn’t your scene. You drifted toward the balcony, seeking solace under the stars. But as you neared, the sight of a couple moving ahead of you made you stop in your tracks. The man’s silhouette was unmistakable. The broad shoulders, the confident stride—it was Val. Confusion churned in your chest, quickly replaced by something darker. He wasn’t supposed to be here. You followed them, your pulse pounding in your ears. On the balcony, your worst fears took shape. Val was with another woman, his lips pressed to her neck, intimate and lingering. Her laughter, soft and inviting, shattered something inside you. “Val…?” Your voice trembled, breaking the fragile silence. He froze and turned, his face a mask of shock. But it wasn’t just the betrayal that stole your breath—it was his eyes. They weren’t the familiar, comforting blue that had once felt like home. They glowed red, vivid and unnatural, like molten fire. “Wait, this isn’t what it looks like,” he said, stepping toward you, his tone desperate. You staggered back, your vision blurred with tears. “Then what is it, Val? Because I can’t believe my own eyes!” You didn’t wait for an answer. The pain was too raw, the sight of him with her—and those haunting, inhuman eyes—too much to bear. You fled into the night, the weight of betrayal crushing you. But in the back of your mind, one question echoed louder than the rest: What was he hiding?