Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

The bar was filled and strewn with people indulging in luxuries.

Camille leaned against the counter and downed glass after glass.

She was not a person who liked to drown her sorrows in alcohol, but this time, it seemed that nothing but alcohol could temporarily numb the pain she was feeling inside.

Three years of their marriage were lost. While she was determined to spend the rest of her life with him, he was planning to get back his ex-girlfriend.

Camille raised her cup and poured herself another glass.

She had always been a good drinker, but she was a little drunk at the moment. 

The cell phone in her bag suddenly vibrated.

She reached out her phone with hazy eyes and answered the call.

“Who is this?”

“Sis, you lost again!”

It was Cassie, her twin sister.

Camille's lips tugged in mockery.

“Did you call me just to tell me that?”

Cassie laughed in satisfaction.

“Sister, did you know that I’m getting engaged?”

Camille’s expression sank.

She looked at the people on the dance floor and said coldly, “Why are you telling me that?”

“You’ve been with him for three years, but he has never touched you. It’s simply because you didn’t interest him sexually. Just the sight of you makes him nauseous.”

Camille’s hands clenched into fists.

She took a deep breath and scoffed. “Cassie, is that all you wanted to say? I don’t have time for you!”

“Sister, you can tell me if you’re angry. I won’t laugh at you.”

“Why would I be angry? After all, you’re the one treating garbage I threw away like a treasure.”

“How dare you!”

“Anyway! I don’t have time to talk nonsense with you anymore.”

Then, she hung up the call.

Although she did not admit it verbally, Cassie’s words undoubtedly pierced her heart.

She still remembered what Sean said when he was courting her.

He said that he had moved on from Cassie. He will slowly learn to love her.

However, the reality was that he went behind her back to meet Cassie, and now they are even getting married.

A great feeling of irony rose from the bottom of her heart. She raised her hands to cover her face as her eyes started to sting.

She ordered a few more shots and while waiting for the bartender, her eyes focused on the man who passed by her table.

From the looks of it, he looked sober like he hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol, and on top of that, he was in a suit.

He had his first two buttons opened and his jacket unbuttoned making it look like he had a long day at work and just wanted to unwind for the evening. 

The resounding question in her head was why a responsible-looking businessman would come to a bar like this on a Monday evening.

She observed him closely, his hair was dark, and had tendrils dropping in his forehead. His shoulders were slightly hunched, exuding an air of dominance anyone could notice.

As if feeling someone’s gaze on him, he turned in her direction, his blue eyes roaming about to see if anyone was watching him. His eyes skipped over her and she couldn’t be more grateful.

He took his seat at a table not so far from hers while Camille ordered yet another shot from the passing waiter.

She swayed on her feet, the room spinning around her like a top. She grasped the bar countertop, her fingers closing around the edge like a life line. Even the waiter gave her a concerned look, his words slurring together like a distant echo.

"Miss I think you've had enough. Maybe I should call you a cab?"

 She waved him off, assuring him that everything was fine. "N-no, I'm f-fine. J-just need... another .... d-drink." She spoke slowly and carefully like each word was a struggle.

As she stumbled off the stool, her legs wobbled beneath her, like rubbery sticks. The floor seemed to tilt and she subconsciously tried to reach out to hold something, but her feet suddenly felt soft and she fell forward.

However, a long, strong arm reached out and scooped her up. She slammed into the man's arm, her head already dizzy, stumbling even more. He caught her with both hands, looking at her drunkenness into a paralyzed mess, his brow furrowed slightly.

Camille had her arms around the man's neck, her drunken face tinged with a flush. 

He guided her to a stool, his arm around her waist, holding her steady. As she leaned against him, her weight heavy on his arm.

"How much have you been drinking?" He asked, his voice firm but soft.

She slowly turned and raised her head to meet a pair of bright blue eyes looking at her intently with a bit of worry.

“You’re pretty too, you shouldn’t have so much to drink.” He continued, not waiting for her response.

She mumbled some words that really should have been ‘Why do you care?’

It was then that she realized that she was fully drunk and way past tipsy.

He took a seat in front of her and grabbed the cup from her dainty hands. Too weak to do anything, she let out a weak laugh. ‘This is pathetic’ she thought.

“What are you doing in the bar alone?” he asked again, this time his voice closer as he leaned in closer to her.

Camille watched him with a blank look as her eyes settled on his facial features. He was very handsome and had some very feminine features, she observed. 

His long eyelashes for instance fanned over his cheekbones and she stared at it with so much envy.

“My name is Sean and you are?” He extended his arm to her in a handshake.

“Camille,” She replied after a minute of staring at his outstretched hand. 

Oddly enough, he seemed quite polite despite the proud air put up around him. He was easy to talk to and seemed pretty concerned about her excessive alcohol intake.

“Now, Camille, how about I get you a bottle of water to dilute all that alcohol you’ve been downing since you arrived,” He suggested and Camille nodded in agreement.

It was unsafe to be this drunk in a place like this and she had to admit that he was quite a gentleman for making such a suggestion.

“Sure, thank you,” Camille said gratefully as he stood up to get her a bottle of water.

Just then, the phone in her bag buzzed.

Camille frowned and reached into her bag a few times, finally pulling out her phone and pressing listen.

“H-hello?”

“Camille, where are you?”

It’s Fredrick Williams!

She opened her eyes wide, “Why do you care?”

The noise was overwhelming and there was loud laughter among the people due to the entrance of someone popular among them, “Wait a minute! Don’t tell me you’re in a bar?”

“And what if I am?”

“What if someone sees you in that bar? Don’t you realize it could affect my image? We just got divorced, at least wait a while before you begin to act slutty. How could you….”

Camille was not in the mood to listen to him, she interrupted impatiently, “What are you trying to express?”

“Where are you? I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

“Does Cassie allow you to do that?”

Cassie’s not as bad as you think, she’s your twin sister, and if anything happens to you, she’ll be the saddest.”

Camille sneered.

For the first time, she discovered that there are such shameless people in the world.

“Did she also tell you that she called me to show off that she finally got my husband and to tell me that you are both engaged?”

Without even thinking about it, Fredrick said, “No way!”

Camille eyes narrowed, her anger and hurt boiling over. "Fredrick, I want to know why. Why you lied to me, why you broke our vows."

He spoke in a mocking tone, "Oh, Camille. Don't be dramatic. It was just a show. Our marriage meant nothing."

Camille felt a sharp pain hit her. "A show? You call our marriage a show. Breaking my heart and our marriage meant nothing to you?"

His voice remained calm, uncaring. "Camille stop being irrational, you were never enough for me. I've moved on. You should too."

Tears streamed down her face, her shoulders heaving with sobs. "You've moved on to my sister, Cassie! My twin sister! How could you do that to me Frederick?"

"Camille it's time to move forward. I have. And Cassie.... well she's everything you're not. Beautiful, charming and willing to do whatever it takes to keep me happy. She was the one I've always loved and nothing can change that."

Her eyes were red, and for a moment she suddenly laughed in a low voice, laughing at the utter irony of it.

“So that’s what you thought, great! Remember what you said today! I won’t forgive you, and sooner or later, I’ll make you regret it!”

Afterward, she just cut the phone off.

Fredrick’s words were still ringing in her ears, but she only felt ridiculous.

Camille closed her eyes, only to feel endlessly sad and ridiculous.

Sean returned and handed her the bottle and she ran a check on it just to be certain it was still sealed.

Finally, she decided to drink from it.