SHOT

I DROVE THE car away from the restaurant. I don’t want to stay there for long because I might just

swallow everything I said and flatter Lester’s sweet words. I didn’t want to go home, so I decided to go

to a resto-bar. For a time, I’d want to forget about it.

I chose to sit on the stool right in front of the bartender.

“One tequila, please,” I said.

“Yes, ma’am!”

A few minutes later, the bartender put down the tequila shot glass, which I immediately drank straight.

“One more, please!” I ignored the lemon in front of me. What could be more bitter than how I feel?

Even if I suck a lemon and taste the salt, nothing can beat my already broken heart.

“Here, ma’am,” he politely said when he gave me another shot. Again, I drank straight. I asked for more

until I felt dizzy.

“W-waiter, one more, please,” I whispered. My eyes were blurry.

The bartender shook his head before taking a glass. When he tried to reach for the glass, a hand

grabbed it from me and drank it explicitly.

“Hey! That’s my drink!” I said between hiccups.

“You’re drunk,” a man said in his baritone voice.

I chuckled and slowly lifted my head to look at him. “And who the hell are you?” I slurred. I also made a

few blinks. I couldn’t see him very clearly because of the glare from the lights. But he looks tall. His jaw

was prominent and perfectly sharp.

When our eyes met, my heart throbbed.

“Where do you live? I’ll take you home,” he softly said.

“Who are you to take me to my house, huh?!” I exclaimed, nudging at his broad chest. I noticed that he

was physically strong.

“You’re drunk. You can’t drive on your own,” he replied. He looked at the bartender before he took

money in his pocket. “Keep the change.” He handed the payment and then confronted me again. “Let’s

go. I will take you home,” he said with authority this time.

Because I was drunk, I could do nothing but go with him. But before we could leave, we met Lester,

who was obviously shocked to see us.

“Baby, what happened?” The expression on Lester’s face immediately changed when he saw the man

with me. “What did you do to my girlfriend, huh?!” Then he suddenly punched the man with me, who

immediately backed away because of what he had done.

My jaw dropped. It was as if cold water had been poured on me because of what had happened. “Stop

it, Lester!”

But the man with me returned the punch, causing Lester to fall to the floor. Lester would have

retaliated, but I intervened between the two of them.

“F*ck! I said stop!” I shouted again with all my might.

“Margaux, don’t you see? That man wants to take advantage of you!” Lester shouted back.

“He just wanted to take me home,” I explained. D*mn it, why do I have to explain my side to this jerk?

“And did you agree? What if he does something bad to you?!” His eyes widened, his mouth also raging

with anger.

The hell with his concern. “You don’t care what I do in my life anymore because we are done. You have

no right to take me away from the man I want!” I said, full of rage.

I didn’t wait for him to answer. I pulled the hand of the man with me out of the bar.

We got straight into my car and let him drive for me after telling him where my condo was.

I leaned back in my chair and quickly fell asleep. Until I felt like my shoulder was shaking by someone. I

slowly opened my eyes and looked up at the guy by my side. He has a perfect pair of brown eyes that

drill into mine. I couldn’t help but think, I’d never seen such eyes with so much light in them.

My cheeks got hot because of his stare. I cut off my gaze and slightly adjusted myself. “Where are

we?”

“We are here in the condominium you told me,” he said in a hushed voice.

I cleared my throat and tried my very best to look away. “Uh, yeah . . .” That’s all I said.

He stepped out of the car to help me open the door. I stepped out of my car with trepidation. However,

disorientation and drunkenness caused me to lose my balance.

It was too late for me to regret everything because I had sunk into his wide chest. His sturdy hands

held me steady by the waist while I almost hugged him.

“Are you alright?” he whispered close to my ear.

I did not answer immediately. How I seemed to be more intoxicated by the smell of his perfume biting

into my nose. D*mn, can I just rest here for a while? His scent . . . I quickly shook my head then I

pushed him away.

“Yes, of course, I’m okay!”

I would have walked away, but I could not stop my feet from crossing. I almost jumped when he

suddenly grabbed my elbow.

“You’re still drunk. Where is your unit here?” he asked without looking at me.

I slowly looked down at his long fingers. His hand was warm; it made me tremble.

“On the fourth floor,” I answered hoarsely.

As we walked, I couldn’t help but glance at him. He is tall and definitely handsome. His hair was slightly

messy, but that did not pave the way for him to reduce his strong appeal.

He was making me feel hot, so I took my gaze back from him. We quickly reached my condo unit. I

opened the door wide.

“Come in first. Want something to drink? Coffee, water, or juice?” I asked and smiled.

“Coffee would be fine,” he answered in a low voice.

I quickly nodded and walked toward the kitchen. He is in the living room.

When I got back, I found him turning his back and staring at the pictures of Lester and me hanging on

the wall. I fake a cough before I laid the coffee on the glass table.

“Here’s your coffee,” I interrupted.

He turned around for a moment but turned his eyes back to the pictures.

“Why? Is there something wrong with the photos?” I asked with curiosity.

“No, nothing,” he said, then chuckled.

I frowned. “What are you laughing at?”

“I wonder why your wedding didn’t go through. It looks like you guys are perfect,” he commented before

sipping the coffee I gave him and sitting on the sofa.

My forehead furrowed even more. How did he know that Lester and I did not get married?

“Is it in the news? Did you hear what happened?” I said, exhaling.

“No,” he answered quickly, then smiled.

“In that case, where did you hear about our wedding?” I asked impatiently. Honestly, I wouldn’t have

asked because I don’t care anymore, but I wonder how he found out. I don’t even know him.

He stood up and slowly walked closer. He was an inch away from me before I could think of blinking.

“Don’t you remember me?” he whispered. I could feel his warm breath in my ear, wanting to consume

the rest of my energy. “I was the one you shouted at and slapped in the middle of the road.

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