5
I followed the waiter down a long hallway before finally stopping in front of a top VIP private room.
As the door opened, I was hit by the stifling smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke.
The dark green carpet, the crystal chandelier overhead casting a kaleidoscope of sultry colors.
Sitting on the couch opposite were a row of people. Some I recognized, some I didn’t. To the me of the past, these were all Mr. Howard’s
friends and lackey’s.
The karaoke room fell silent. All eyes focused on me as Mr. Howard’s friends exchanged glances, surprised that the princess of MJ
Entertainment would come to their playground.
Lucas lounged in the center seat, sprawled lazily on the leather couch. The pink lighting cast an otherworldly glow on his face.
He glanced at me, exhaling a cloud of white smoke: “You’re here? Have a seat”
I carefully made my way through the crowd to his side. The pretty redhead sitting next to Lucas glared at me fiercely before reluctantly moving aside.
Strangely, even though Lucas had called me here, he acted like I didn’t exist, not saying a word to me for a full half hour.
The people in the room chain–smoked as if they’d been granted immunity from lung cancer. I felt nauseous from the smoke and slipped away to the bathroom when no one was looking.
1 splashed some cold water on my face. The mirror reflected back a pale, exhausted version of myself.
This past year had been like a nightmare. Ever since Isabella was found, Aiden, who had always stood by my side, had inexplicably moved to
her side instead.
:
12:30 PM
<
Now Lucky was dead too. Isabella said people with nothing had no right to revenge.
Well then, I would go find my ally, my support!
I pushed open the door and re–entered the private room, sitting down next to Lucas. I leaned in close to his ear: “Mr. Howard, want to date?”
Lucas suddenly lowered his head, pressing his forehead against mine: “Why?”
I didn’t back away, meeting his upturned smile: “He cheated on me, with my sister. I want revenge. I want to make that scumbag call me
‘auntie‘.”
He abruptly pulled back, lighting another cigarette and holding it between his lips: “That won’t do. Aiden is my dear nephew after all!”
Ha, dear nephew my ass.
The two had been at odds since childhood. Lucas’s mother was the new young wife Mr. Howard Sr. had married, while William was born to the original wife who had passed away early.
William’s wife was childless. To continue the family line, he had brought home Aiden and Aiden’s mother, who was William’s mistress.
Lucas’s mother naturally sided with William’s wife. Aiden and his mother secretly cursed Lucas’s mother for being a homewrecker and mocked her for shamelessly marrying an old man. Lucas overheard and told Mr. Howard Sr., who sent away Aiden’s mother that very night. The
two became mortal enemies after that.
“Unless Miss Chen can finish this whole bottle of alcohol. Then we might have something to discuss.”
Lucas placed an entire bottle of liquor from the black marble table in front of me.
I had no idea how Lucas always managed to find my weaknesses. I was afraid of heights, so he made me do the wire stunt. I was allergic to alcohol, so he was forcing me to drink. We really were like mortal enemies. But when I thought of Lucky’s cold, lifeless body, everything else
seemed bearable in comparison.
I took a deep breath, grabbed the bottle and chugged the entire thing in one go.
The people around us were stunned, breaking into cheers and applause.
As the last drops slid down my throat, I clutched Lucas’s collar: “Quick, take me to the hospital. I’m…I’m allergic to alcohol.”
Lucas’s expression changed instantly, his nonchalant gaze turning panicked: “Shit, are you crazy?”
He scooped me up in his arms and ran to the car. The driver immediately sped off towards the hospital.
Seeing his furrowed brow, I knew this bastard must be cursing me in his head.
At the hospital, the elderly doctor quickly hooked me up to an IV drip. He sternly warned Lucas: “Young man, how could you be so careless? You didn’t even know your girlfriend was allergic to alcohol? Pay more attention!”
He didn’t contradict the doctor, just brushing it off with a few vague words.
To my surprise, he didn’t leave. Instead, he sat next to me as I got the IV drip. In the empty hallway, it was just the two of us.
I coughed lightly to get his attention: “Mr. Howard, let’s forget what I said earlier. An uncle getting together with his nephew’s ex–girlfriend would surely anger Mr. Howard Sr. We should call it off”
This was a risky move.
Lucas was famously carefree and unpredictable. But there was one thing that had remained constant for decades – his opposition to his
father, Mr. Howard Sr.
I had once heard Aiden mention a rumor in the Howard family. Lucas had always believed his older brother – Aiden’s father – was responsible for the death of Lucas’s mother. But Mr. Howard Sr. had covered up his eldest son’s crime. That’s why Lucas despised Mr. Howard Sr. He opposed everything his father supported and liked everything his father hated.
<
For the first time, I felt like Lucas was really looking at me. He smiled, revealing his canine teeth in a rare moment of brightness: “Miss Chen, I’m starting to like you a little!”
I held out my hand: “Well then, Mr. Howard, shall we work together?”
“Let’s work together!” He finally reached out and shook my hand.
“But Sophia, don’t drink again next time. You look too ugly.”
The smile froze on my swollen face. Lucas really had no filter. Talking like that was just asking to get punched.
“Okay, sure!”
Isabella was like a wild dog that could track human scents, constantly finding ways to harass me.
“Sister, it’s been three days. What did Mr. Howard say? Should I have Aiden put in a good word for you?”
I shot her a glare and walked into the house without responding. This action angered our father again. Actually, in many ways he didn’t fulfill any fatherly responsibilities. To me, he was just a man named Frank Chen.
He barked harshly: “You insolent girl! Don’t you have any manners? Your sister is talking to you!”
He raised his hand again, but this time another hand stopped him. It was Lucas.
“Mr. Chen!” Lucas tossed the black bag he was holding into my arms. “Sophia, your bag.”
Frank’s eyes widened in shock: “Mr–Mr. Howard!”
Lucas put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close: “Mr. Chen, you’re not that old. Why the stutter? Oh right, guilty conscience. You know our Sophia was old Mr. Jin’s most beloved granddaughter. Aren’t you afraid his ghost will come back for revenge?”
From my angle, I could only see his chiseled jawline. I couldn’t read his expression to guess why he was standing up for me. But this was the first time anyone had ever shielded me and spoken up on my behalf.
Frank said: “Mr. Howard must be joking!”
Lucas raised an eyebrow, not bothering to hide the arrogance and malice in his demeanor: “I’m not joking with you. Is a son–in–law who married into the family worth joking about?”
Frank’s expression turned extremely ugly. His status as a son–in–law who had married into the family was a humiliation he had always wanted to wash away. He never expected Lucas to bring it up again. But revenge is a dish best served cold. One day Lucas would fall into his hands.
He quickly smoothed the expression from his face, carefully putting on a fawning tone: “Yes, yes, sometimes I can be a bit harsh as a father.”
Lucas squeezed my shoulder, feigning intimacy: “Mr. Chen, even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner!”
Me: ?
