“Hey! I told you I didn’t need—” I stammered, flustered and trying to decline.
“Seize the moment! Enjoy!” Ke Fei said with a laugh, hooking her arm around the other man and sauntering off.
Now it was just me and Anderson, the refined-looking man on the sofa. Though I couldn’t tell much about him, his demeanor suggested he was likely in the tech industry—probably working for either 2357 or 2353 (a reference to major Taiwanese tech companies, often used colloquially).
“Congratulations,” Anderson began, breaking the ice.
“Uh?” I didn’t understand what he meant.
“Aren’t most people here about to get married?” he said, as if it were the most natural assumption.
“Oh—” Realizing what he meant, I forced a dry laugh, remembering that I, too, was technically engaged, though I felt increasingly disconnected from that reality lately. Saying it out loud felt like setting myself up for ridicule. “Thanks.”
“I noticed you’ve been glued to your phone. Worried your fiancé is checking up on you?” he asked.
“Well... he’s on a business trip, and I’m waiting for his message,” I answered simply.
“Looks like I got lucky tonight,” Anderson remarked, a brief glimmer of excitement flashing in his eyes before he scooted closer.
I realized my response had been far too revealing.
“Actually, we agreed to video call tonight when I get home…” I swallowed nervously, subtly trying to put some distance between us.
“What a pity,” he replied, leaning toward me. “But I have another idea.” He moved closer to my ear and whispered, “Why don’t we head to the restroom now? The acoustics in there are great—I’d love to hear you moan.”
“What... what are you saying?” A chill ran down my spine. I hadn’t expected such a direct proposition from someone who seemed so polished and polite.
“You heard me.” Anderson leaned in to kiss me.
I turned my head away, and his hot, damp kiss landed on my cheek instead. The unfamiliar touch made my whole body tremble with discomfort.
I darted a glance around the room, searching for Ke Fei, but she was nowhere to be seen. Most of the men and women left in the room were lost in their own passionate entanglements, oblivious to everything else. The realization that I was completely alone filled me with a paralyzing fear. At that moment, I understood just how foolish I’d been to think my so-called “punishment” for Hao Yi could be anything but self-destructive.
Who could save me now?
Of course, there was no one to rely on but myself. The only way out of this mess was to escape on my own.
“Uh, you might have misunderstood. I really didn’t plan on… anything tonight…” I stammered, trying to reiterate my position.
But Anderson placed a firm hand on my shoulder and gave a sly smile. “FiFi said this was your first time here, right? Don’t be so nervous—just relax…”
Seeing his hand slowly moving toward my chest, I took a deep breath, and with lightning speed, grabbed my bag to block his advance. Then, I bolted for the nearest exit!
The moment I burst out of the bar and into the high-ceilinged hallway, I remembered that this was a hotel. If I wanted to escape completely, I still had a long way to go. My heels clacked against the floor—not speeding me up, but all I could hope was that they wouldn’t betray me tonight by giving out.
As I ran, I glanced back. Anderson was chasing me, shouting my fake name! People around us were staring, confused about what was happening. Amid the chaos, a familiar voice cut through the noise, startling me. Before I could process it, I realized someone was standing directly in my path, but it was too late to stop—I crashed headlong into them!
A solid chest.
0 Comments