Salvar sat in the VIP section of the bar, where old businessmen hovered over beauties, while spoiled youths drank loudly and blew smoke into the air.
He could hardly believe he had once been the same. Who in their right mind would find this impressive?
But was he any different?
A small part of him still craved this life, even now.
Yet every time that thought surfaced, Salvar would close his eyes and remember how his life had ended.
People never truly change. Only their morals shift, and that is what makes them seem different.
If he could, he would abandon everything and pursue peace like a saint.
But he could not.
He wanted revenge on every soul that had wronged him.
And among those many faces, two sat right beside him, casually gossiping about a rising star in the entertainment industry.
"Oh, do you guys know about Jeremy, the new rising star?" Damon's eyes widened as he got excited.
"What about him?"
"That notorious boy is not only going after directors, but he even tried to seduce the general manager of Lavish Lifestyle Company just to get investment for his new film."
Salvar was bored of gossip that was already outdated. He picked at his nails and looked down at the dance floor, where people moved under flashing lights.
"Such a slut," George commented as he finished the last sip of his wine.
Salvar suddenly stopped and looked at George.
Sensing his gaze, George glanced back. "What happened? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Aren't you the same, George?" Salvar replied. His brows lifted slightly as he continued, "But instead of chasing bodies, you go for this."
He pointed toward his heart.
George was taken aback. His hand clenched under the table.
"Are you drunk, Salvar?"
"Isn't that the point of coming here? Are you stupid?"
Damon, sensing the tension, quietly placed a hand over George's and shook his head.
"Salvar, do you want to dance?" Damon asked, trying to ease the situation. A slight twitch appeared near his brow.
"No, I don't."
How could Salvar go dance when it was time to stir trouble? Tonight should not go to waste, and he already had a plan.
"George, did you ever like me?"
Salvar stood up and walked toward him, his body swaying slightly before he settled onto George's lap.
"I… yes, I did like you. But you are way out of my league. I am not your standard."
Salvar ran his hand over George's chest before speaking again.
"Liar. Then why do I see you dating the young master of Fidibank Corporation?"
He leaned closer, closing the distance between them.
"Does he kiss better than me? Or does he pay better than me?"
A faint smile curved on Salvar's lips as he leaned forward and kissed George.
He held his chin and deepened the kiss. George's eyes widened at first, but he did not resist. Instead, his hands moved into Salvar's hair, pulling him closer.
Damon gasped, blinking rapidly as the unexpected scene unfolded before him.
What the hell?
This was not Salvar. He would never do this. Damon was sure of it. Salvar had always been reserved, stubborn, full of pride.
Damon turned away in discomfort, but something caught his attention and left him staring in shock.
"Ahem."
A clearly fake cough came from behind them.
Salvar and George broke apart and turned toward the source of the sound.
George's face drained of color as he pushed Salvar away from his lap.
Standing before them was none other than Federic, his current boyfriend, the spoiled young master of Fidibank Corporation.
Salvar leaned back against the couch, supported by the armrest, watching as Federic walked closer to George and slapped him across the face.
Salvar gasped dramatically, covering his mouth with his hand. He shifted slightly as Federic approached, but before anything could happen, George quickly spoke,
"Federic, he is Salvar… the one I told you about…"
His voice trailed off, leaving an uneasy tension in the air.
But Salvar already knew what was happening.
In his previous life, George and Damon had taken advantage of him while he was drunk and made him sign as an agent of Fidibank Corporation. The contract required him to bring high end businessmen to trust their bank, and failure meant paying a massive amount of money.
That day, Salvar had been too drunk to even read it. He trusted them and signed without hesitation.
Federic was a bastard, but Salvar doubted this contract was his idea. It had to be someone else. And Salvar suspected Damon or George.
He glanced at Federic, dressed in an olive T shirt and cream trousers, his blonde hair neat and his blue eyes sharp. Federic licked his lips before slamming the contract papers onto the table and walking away.
"Federic! Federic, listen to me!" George rushed after him.
Soon, only Damon and Salvar remained.
Damon looked at Salvar, who appeared distressed, unaware that it was all an act.
A smile slowly spread across Damon's face as he approached him.
"Salvar, why did you do that?" he asked, trying to start a conversation.
"I could not hold back anymore, Damon."
Salvar stepped forward and hugged him. His eyes remained open, unblinking, as tears slowly gathered from the irritation of the air.
"My heart aches every time I see him with that spoiled man. Am I not better? Am I not attractive? And what hurts me more is that I am leaving in two days. I may never be able to touch him or feel him again. Why is fate so cruel to me?"
Salvar wailed softly, sniffing as he wiped his nose… using Damon's bare hand.