The image of Phillip and Elvira standing together flashed acrossed the television screen. She felt that familiar ache in her heart as she watched them. They looked happy together.
"Hey, are you okay?" A voice pulled her out of her painful trance.
She turned and saw Einar, her roommate. She nodded at her. Einar sat beside her, gently squeezing her arm.
"So finally that bastard and that bitch got engaged." She muttered, looking at the TV.
Coral lowered her face, trying to hide her moistened eyes. But Einar saw it anyway. She switched the channel to a movie.
"Stop crying for that bastard. He doesn't deserve your tears. Be a strong woman, Coral." Einar said firmly.
A tear slipped down Coral's cheek as she nodded at her words.
"I'm trying." She whispered.
For a moment, Einar simply stared at her, then without another word wrapped her tightly in her arms.
"Let it go." She whispered. "Make this the last time you get hurt because of him. After today, you won't be bothered by him anymore."
Coral simply nodded.
"We are going to a club tonight." Einar declared, releasing the hug.
"Club?" Coral frowned. She was a simple girl and never went to clubs like the others, but Einar often did.
"To celebrate your cheat of an ex-fiancé's engagement." Einar replied with a wink.
.....
"It's looking...." Coral muttered as she stared at the bar.
There was a parking lot as well, and all the cars were expensive. She had been to a bar once before, but it was nothing like this one.
"Yes, baby. This's the most expensive bar in this city."
"What? We shouldn't have come here. There are plenty of affordable bars."
"Relax. Jack has a pass for four people. We don't have to pay a thing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. We will only pay for the drinks. Come on. Let's enjoy the night. All the wealthy people come to this bar. You might even catch some eyes on you."
Coral rolled her eyes. She would never get involved with a wealthy man. They didn't have a heart. They only cared about money and status and she had none of these. One experience was enough for her to realize that ugly truth. When they finally entered the bar they were left speechless by the grandeur. It was a huge bar with multiple entertainment areas. They approached the counter and ordered the cheapest drinks.
"Here." Einar pushed a glass of drink towards her.
Coral looked at it and hesitated.
"Don't act like a grandma... at least for today. Just enjoy a little. You need this." Einar said, looking at her face.
"Yes. What's the point of coming here if you won't drink?" Jack, Einar's boyfriend said. He had brought a friend with him as well.
"Don't think too much. Just drink it." Einar urged.
Coral sighed and grabbed the glass. Closing her eyes she downed it in one go. She put the glass back on the counter and scrunched up her face at the taste. Einar burst into laughter before finishing her own glass. She handed her another glass and she took it. Jack and his friend went to the dance floor, leaving the two women at the counter. Soon Coral began to feel dizzy.
Einar leaned closer to her. "Look around at these men." She said and Coral did as told.
"Do you find anyone attractive?" Einar asked.
"Why?"
"Because I'm giving you a challenge... Choose one man from the crowd and kiss him."
"What?.... No way." Coral laughed, shaking her head.
"You have to. It's a dare." Einar insisted. "Look at them and decide who you are going to kiss."
Subconsciously, Coral let her eyes wander from one man to another. She had no intention of kissing anyone, but she found it odly amusing. But most of the men repelled her.
"Like anyone?" Einar asked.
"No.. How could anyone kiss a stranger?" She wrinkled her nose.
"Actually you can if you find the right man. You will feel the attraction immediately." She whispered into her ear.
Coral rolled her eyes before returning her gaze towards the crowd as she took another glass.
...
On the second floor, inside a VIP room, a man sat on the couch, leaning on it with an air of dominance. his presence seemed to command the room. His dark and cold eyes were locked on the two persons before him, his business partner and his secretary. They were on their knees, trembling with fear. Papers were scattered across the glass table in front of him.
"You actually thought you could cheat me?" his deep voice echoed through the silent room.
The secretary's lips trembled. "S-sir... please, I..."
"Silence!" He snapped.
The woman went silent, lowering her head.
"Liam." He looked at the man near the wall.
The man named Liam nodded before exiting the room. Moments later, two guards entered and held the man and the woman.
"Please have mercy, sir. Don't ruin us."
They pleaded desperately, but the man didn't even bat an eye as he sipped his wine leisurely.
"You should have thought twice before crossing Danzel Knight." He stated arrogantly.
The guards dragged them out and the room fell silent.
His gaze then shifted to another figure, standing near the door.
"You hired her." He stated, placing the glass on the table. "Did you even bother to check her background? Or were you just impressed by her pretty face?"
"Sorry, Mr. Knight. I didn't know. Please don't fire me. I have a family, sir." The manager rushed forward and fell to his knees at his feet. In his panick, he knocked the glass off the table, shattering it on the floor.
"I will clean it, sir." He hurriedly picked up the shards with his bare hands.
Danzel abruptly stood up and pressed his shoe on the manager's hands, driving the shards mercilessly into his flesh. The manager gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying out in pain.
"I don't want useless people in my company. It's your problem if you can't feed your family." He said coldly before lifting his shoe and rubbing it against the carpet to clean it. He left the room after that.
"Everything is done, Mr. Knight." Liam reported as he stepped out of the room.
He simply nodded and headed downstairs while Liam went inside the VIP room. As Danzel made his way through the crowd, a red-haired girl stumbled into him. She was drunk and could barely stand straight. He made no effort to catch her from falling. Luckily, the girl grabbed his jacket and steadied herself. His eyes turned red with fury. No one touched him like that. But he froze the moment he saw the girl's face.
Coral had been dancing when she lost her balance and stumbled into a rock of a man. She clung to his jacket as she was about to collapse onto the floor. And when she raised her eyes and looked at his face, she felt an intense pull of attraction. Thanks to Einar's dare, she had been looking at men for a while, but none had caught her interest. But this man knocked the breath out of her. Even in the sea of people, he stood out from them all. As their eyes met, Coral metled into his blue eyes.
In a daze, she cupped his face, tiptoeing to reach his height and kissed him on the lips. She kissed him the way she had seen Phillip kiss Elvira. The man froze in shock by her boldness. But the trance was short-lived. He brutally pushed her away, causing her to collapse to the floor with a thud and cry out in pain. His face turned red with anger as he glared at her murderously.