Liz pushed open the door to the run-down Italian restaurant, already annoyed that she had to spend her evening with Cyrus. She looked around the dimly lit, slightly dirty establishment and sighed. This was not how she wanted to spend her Friday night.
But before she could even take a seat, Cyrus was there, greeting her with a sloppy kiss on the cheek that left a greasy mark on her skin. Liz cringed internally but plastered a fake smile on her face.
"Cyrus, it's so good to see you," she said, trying to sound sincere.
He pulled out her chair and they sat down at their table. Cyrus started talking about his latest business venture, but Liz had a hard time paying attention. Her mind kept wandering to Marik, the man she couldn't stop thinking about.
Cyrus reached across the table to grab Liz's hand, but she pulled away, making an exaggerated show of checking her phone.
"Everything okay?" Cyrus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, just a work thing," Liz said quickly. "Go on, you were saying something about your business."
Cyrus started talking about how much he admired Liz's strength and independence. Liz rolled her eyes, barely able to hide her disgust. She didn't want Cyrus' admiration - she wanted Marik's desire.
Liz tried to change the subject by asking about Cyrus' family, but he launched into a long-winded story about his cousin's bar mitzvah. Liz checked her watch, wishing the night would end already.
Just when she thought she couldn't take it any longer, her phone buzzed with a message. She looked down and saw a notification from Marik. Her heart skipped a beat.
Cyrus noticed Liz's distraction and asked her what was going on. Liz quickly came up with an excuse and put her phone away.
As they finished their meal, Cyrus leaned in closer to Liz, trying to make a move. Liz tensed up, ready to push him away.
But just in time, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a call from Marik.
Liz jumped up from her seat, mumbling an excuse about an emergency. She rushed out of the restaurant, leaving Cyrus sitting there, bewildered.
Once outside, Liz answered the call and heard Marik's voice on the other end. He sounded nervous but excited.
"Liz, I can't hide my feelings anymore," he said. "I need to see you. Privately."
Liz's heart raced as she realized what he was asking. She had been dreaming of this moment for weeks.
"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, I'll meet you."
She hung up the phone and took a deep breath, ready to face whatever came next. She didn't need a man like Cyrus, who couldn't take a hint. She needed a man like Marik, who wasn't afraid to go after what he wanted.
And Liz was more than ready to give him what he wanted.
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