Paaah!
My head tilted to my right as a resounding slap echoed through the hall. The guests gasped at the impact, drawing in a cold breath.
I held my cheek in my hand, its sting burning hot, and no doubt a clear and brutal palm print must have been etched on my face as the metallic taste of blood invaded my mouth.
Slowly, I lifted my head, my gaze slowly taking in their faces. My mother stood silently without a comment, her gaze lowered. I guessed she must have been aware of the whole plot.
My father, he had his hand clenched tightly as though to suppress the rage in his heart. The guests? They had long taken their stance with the scumbags.
A bitter laugh tore through my lips. With a deep breath, I turned my gaze to meet the one man who had been my light and yet had unceremoniously thrown me into darkness as the architect of my humiliation.
"Bruce," I said, my voice calm despite the storm inside me. "You said I cheated on you?"
His expression hardened, voice low and threatening. "Stella, you don't have to make an effort to deny it. I was only being merciful by not displaying the evidence."
"Merciful?" I scoffed, my lips trembling with restrained fury. "Not displaying the evidence? Does it make any difference?"
Before he could answer, my father's cold, detached tone cut through the tension like a blade, and my heart chilled. "Stella, don't you know shame?"
"Dad...I..."
Paaah!
My gaze snapped up to him, my holding cheek, my ears tingled with the sensation, my eyes tearing up unconsciously.
His voice cold and emotionless tore through the hall "You really are a disgrace to my Norton family name. Take her out of this hall."
The finality in his voice hollowed my chest. I forced a bitter smile and braced my heart. "Dad, you don't have to send me. I'll leave by myself."
My gaze flicked to Bruce, then to my sister, though not by blood after all an adopted would never compete with the heiress. The corners of her mouth curled in triumph.
I laughed bitterly.
I knew my face must have looked worse than when I'm in tears, but then I didn't want to grant them that satisfaction of walking out of the hall in tears.
No, not tonight. Not ever.
With a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and headed towards the wide door. The whispers rose behind me, sharp as daggers, but I didn't look back.
Once outside the hall, the cold air of the night washed over me; my tears fell. Linda's subtle warning echoing in my head, my mind raced with thoughts.
"Had she always known about Bruce and my sister? Or was it just out of spite for him?"
But it seemed I had never doubted him, nor did I expect he would be this heartless.
The truth, meeting Bruce George was a dream I never hoped for, yet more surprising that after crushing on him for a few years, he finally noticed me.
Our relationship had soared through every storm and every pain, standing the test of time—or so I thought.
Being the ladies' heartthrob, I would really count myself as blessed that he had chosen me and not the many girls flocking around him.
His parents were no less in their care of me when he introduced me to them. After one year, he proposed to me, and now this engagement.
Adopted and still the second daughter, my opportunities couldn't compare with their biological child.
Very much aware of my position, I never envied their biological daughter. But I have always made do with whatever I have.
My finances were limited, my friends limited; to put it simply, I was just living off the crumbs from Norton's table.
It wouldn't be shameful to say Bruce George was the only difference between me and the biological daughter.
Who would have thought that he was never mine but had joined in plotting against me. My tears fell harder.
Ousted out of my own engagement banquet, my fiancé now my sister's fiancé, and in four days…the wedding bell. My heart clenched painfully.
I wandered through the streets of Crown City aimlessly.
I didn't care where I went nor did I bother about the stares— only that I went far enough not to hear the laughter behind me.
Hopefully, when I returned, the engagement would be over.
A bitter smile curled my lips as I recalled how careful and meticulous I had been in every detail of planning this banquet.
Who would have thought I was only preparing it for someone else—for my sister. I dared not stay back to witness it.
"I guess it would do no harm to hit the club and have some drinks," I thought.
Besides, I had always wanted to go to clubs, but with Bruce George's strong dislike for it, I never went to clubs.
After walking for a while, I glanced around my surroundings, a helpless sigh escaping my lips.
I had really wandered far away from home. My location was quite unfamiliar, but it didn't matter, as long as I could find something to keep my bitter heart away from pain.
The city was bustling with activities; night traders displayed their wares, barbecue vendors attending to their steaming customers as they came and went in pairs.
Yet amidst the noisy chatter and the blaring horn of the cars in traffic, I heard a sound that sent shivers down my spine.
The soft howls of wolves echoed occasionally from a distance, seemingly carried by the wind.
My gaze darted around, searching for the source of the sound, but I found none. Rather, every single person on the street seemed engaged and busy with their lives.
I smiled bitterly. "It was just the imagination of my broken heart. Besides, a howling sound could only be found in the forest."
But there were no forests in Crown City. No wild animals. Just concrete and neon lights.
While I spun around on my feet trying to understand where in Crown City I was, a bright light projecting a signpost caught my attention. "Albor Lunaris Club."
I smiled; the name felt odd yet calming. With the urge to have a good drink so strong, I forced my footsteps towards the door. With a push, the door opened, and I stepped into the club.
A warm wave of heat washed my body, rejuvenating my damp spirit that I forgot my predicament.
Loud music throbbed through the wide hall. Dancers twisted on the dance floor in rhythm to the music.
I walked over to the bar, took my seat before the barman, his hands skillfully blending the spirits for the guests while another served them.
With the last glass taken away, he directed his attention to me; his fiery red eyes vanished as though they hadn't been there.
I rubbed my temples. "I can't be hallucinating, right?"
"Why would he have such fiery red eyes?"
"Why do I feel my unstable emotions have made me more sensitive to hear and feel things around me tonight?"
On second thought, I shrugged it off. "I must have seen it wrongly."
"What do you want?" he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
With no knowledge of any drink, I opted for the last idea that came to my mind. "Your club specialty drink," I answered without care.
The barman's gaze narrowed. "My club specialty drink? Are you sure?" he asked.
"What? You don't have?" I asked, meeting his gaze head-on. When he noticed I didn't back down, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Interesting then," he smirked, a smile playing on his lips.
With clear precision, he mixed my drink and pushed the glass forward to me. "Your drink, miss," he clipped.
His gaze trained on my face. "The name of the drink?" I asked. I really wanted to remember the name and possibly his.
Besides, it could serve as a memory. "The first drink I ever had in a club and the name of the bartender that mixed the drink."
"Luna Kiss," he mumbled under his breath, his veins bulging as though he was suppressing his anger.
I twirled the glass in my hand, unbothered about whatever he felt, and downed it in one go. I passed the glass again. He refilled, and I downed it.
By the time I held the third glass, my breath was shallow, my eyes blurry—exactly what I wanted for the pains of the evening.
I tried to stand, but I felt the hall spinning. I chuckled and stumbled towards the dance floor, careful not to step on anyone.
Tonight, I really wanted to be free, feel the world as it was, dance to the rhythm of the song in place of my engagement dance.
It should be quite thrilling.
But then I felt a hand pull at me, and with a swirl, I fell into a warm embrace and a steady heartbeat. My heart raced at the touch, heat crawling up my body.
His hand tightened around my waist. I blinked hard, trying to make out the face, but I couldn't.
No doubt, I must have been too wasted with too much drink.