TWO MINUTES AGO
Francis stepped back into the private restaurant hall, his empty glass held within his fingers as he made his entrance.
People stood awkwardly and he could sense the tension in their eyes. The once vibrant halls filled with laughter were now silent.
His brows pulled together as he noticed the waitress crouched at the side of the room, picking broken glasses into a tray, with another worker silently wiping off the alcohol with a towel.
His steps came to a pause, with too many eyes avoiding eye contact out of uncomfortable guilt.
"What happened?" he questioned, his expression hardening slightly as he glanced around.
Silence remained
Most tried avoiding eye contact while some acted like they heard nothing.
His face stiffened, his eyes randomly searching the room again.
Then he noticed their absence. Anna and Ben were both absent, with no one saying anything.
"Where's Anna?"
No one answered. Even Stephanie, who stood near the centre of the room grabbed her hair, her fist clenched in frustration.
Her face further stiffened as her name echoed from his lips.
Francis's gaze sharpened, and his voice dropped, with his fist tightening on his glass.
"Where is she?" This time, his voice was louder, sharper, and colder.
Still, no one spoke.
Until finally, one of the waitresses, the same one who was cleaning the broken glass, slowly lifted her hand with hesitation and pointed toward the hallway.
Toward the restroom corridor.
Francis' eyes followed the direction immediately, and his expression changed for the worse.
"Not again," he said, rushing fast toward the corridor.
****
Francis moved quickly, his heart pounding with every step, his shoes striking the polished floor hard.
His breath was uneven as he stood just outside the door, gasping for air.
Then he knocked twice.
Hard.
"Anna?" His voice was filled with urgency but controlled at the same time.
No response.
"Anna, are you in there?" He called once more. His hands repeatedly slamming hard against the door.
Silence remained.
Inside the restroom, Ben's body tensed up, with Anna passed out on his chest and her warm breath faint against his neck, with a strong scent of alcohol still clinging to her.
"Shit!"
He said instinctively, tightened his grip around her to support her weight.
His heart raced faster than normal, with his mind continuously moving from one thought to another.
He glanced down at Anna who was now calmer in his arms, then began moving towards the door.
His jaw tightened, and he himself tensed.
Outside, Francis stood, knocking again, loud enough to echo through the corridor.
"Anna?" He paused slightly.
"If you can hear me, I'm coming in."
Ben's eyes sharpened instantly. What he least wanted was now about to happen.
He adjusted Anna more securely in his arms, one hand beneath her knees, the other around her back, then stepped forward just as the restroom door began to open.
Francis was caught off guard as he stepped in. Tension grew almost suffocating, and silence remained between them. The sight of an unconscious Anna awkwardly in Ben's arms was one too hard to see.
"What happened to her?" Francis questioned as he slowly moved closer.
Ben said no word. He only stepped forward, ignoring Francis and his words, and walked right past him.
But the moment he did, Francis reached out and grabbed his shoulder firmly. His expression clearly darkened slightly, but remained controlled at the same time.
"I'm talking to you." His voice was lower and firm.
Still, Ben remained silent.
That silence only made Francis' chest tighten harder. He glanced back at Anna, her face flushed, her breath heavy from alcohol.
"What happened?" His hand stretched again toward Ben's shoulder once more.
Ben tilted his head slightly, just missing Francis' hand by the tip of a finger, but enough for his side profile to show.
"She's fine." His face remained unreadable, and his voice cold as ever.
Francis' expression hardened.
"She doesn't look fine."
Ben's eyes grew visibly annoyed. He slowly turned toward Francis, just enough for their eyes to meet.
"You want answers? Start with the people faking those smiles."
Francis's grip loosened instantly. Memories of Stephanie's expression, how they had all awkwardly avoided eye contact, and the dead silence in the room all suddenly made sense.
Ben immediately pulled free from Francis' hand and walked past him, headed straight out.
Francis turned immediately, watching him leave with Anna still unconscious in his arms. He tried stopping him but hesitated out of guilt.
He knew the problem wasn't Ben, but the same people who bragged about fake success and inflated stories.
His hand slowly curled into a fist before sending a strong punch straight into the wall.
****
When Ben stepped back into the private hall carrying Anna in his arms, the room went silent all over again.
Every eye turned to them, but no one said a word, not a single word.
Ben didn't even wait for a second. He just continued moving fast, headed straight for a brown wooden door that led directly to the reception.
Most of the crowd instinctively made way for him to pass. Even Stephanie moved forward as though she had something to say. Maybe she tried to explain, or maybe defend herself, but the moment Ben's eyes flickered toward her, she stopped completely.
The warmth in his eyes was present no more. All that remained was cold disgust that made her throat tighten.
Ben continued walking, moving past the tables, the people who laughed while Anna slowly broke apart, even the ones who faked kindness and affection.
No one had the courage to stop him as he pushed through the doors and disappeared into the hallway without a word being said.
Even after he was gone, no one resumed talking. The silence stayed behind.
---
As Francis returned back to the private hall, whatever patience he had walked out with slowly faded with every step back.
His face was visibly pissed, far colder than before. His gaze wandered from person to person until it settled on Stephanie.
She stood still, with her arms folded tightly into each other. Her usual poise was absent, hidden behind fear.
Francis stared at her.
"Talk." he said, just one word in a low, sharp voice, one that said he was serious and wasn't joking.
Stephanie blinked.
"Francis, I..."
"What happened?" His voice didn't rise, calm and soft but frightening this time.
Stephanie's lips parted. She tried speaking, but no words could come out. Her mouth continuously shivered from fear.
Francis's jaw tightened. The silence irritated him even more.
One of the girls finally muttered, "It was just… some misunderstanding."
Francis looked at her, then looked back at Stephanie. "A misunderstanding," he repeated flatly.
Stephanie slowly walked closer toward him, her hands raised, signaling he should calm down.
"It wasn't meant to go that far," she said quietly. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true," she paused. "Why is everyone acting like I'm the villain now?"
Francis' eyes shifted coldly as he looked at her for another second. His jaw clenched before he stepped back.
Stephanie reached toward him instinctively.
"Francis, wait..."
He tilted his body slightly, just enough to avoid her touch, his face remaining calm but his voice clearly angered.
"Don't touch me."
Stephanie's expression cracked, her eyes almost tearful.
"Francis..."
He didn't stop, not even looking back once. He just marched straight for the exit door, leaving her there standing in utter disgrace.
****
Ben didn't take Anna outside. Even though he could be stupid sometimes, he wasn't stupid enough to drive in this state.
The hour was already late, and even getting a ride would be hard, especially at this time.
Instead, after a brief and cold conversation with the receptionist, he was able to lodge in one of the private guest suites that cost an arm and a leg.
The room was quiet, with large glass windows and a good view.
He walked carefully toward the bed, then lowered Anna down as gently as he could, even if it meant straining his back in the process.
Her body sank straight into the soft sheets.
For some moments, he just stood there, watching her, making sure she was okay, that her breathing was calmer and proper.
He slowly reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, a warm smile on his face.
He exhaled quietly as he retracted his hand from her face, then quietly stepped back slowly so as not to wake her up.
The room darkened as he switched off the light from the wall, leaving only the silver wash of moonlight spilling through the curtains.
Outside the room, the wind moved calmly against the glass, with the city lights shimmering faintly through the windows.
The city lights shimmered faintly beyond the window. His hand paused on the door handle as he stole a glance at her once more.
Her brows were drawn together, and her breathing became uneven once more. Her fingers began twitching weakly against the sheets.
Then her lips parted, and her soft voice broke out.
"...Don't leave me…"
Ben froze.
Again, her face twisted faintly, her face now filled with pain even in sleep as another tear slipped down from the corner of her eyes.
"Please…"
"Don't leave me again…"