Chapter 3. The first meet

"How about we go out tonight," Chloe suggested after dinner. Krystie was not a fool to not have realized that she was doing all this for her. Chloe was not a social person, obviously she wanted her to feel better from the betrayal, and she appreciated it because she really needed it.

Krystie and Chloe sat at the table, several bottles of liquor spread across the table. Mark, Krystie's colleague sat helplessly beside them. Watching Krystie sad broke his heart, he had always warned her about Alex and Cassandra, but never once had she headed to his warnings. But then, it wasn't the time to play blame games. He was her friend and always willing to support her in whatever decision she took.

Krystie wanted to drown all that she was feeling inside, all her pains which had resulted from the two people she used to trust.

Krystie shot Mark with a knowing look. She was very sure the reason why Mark had accompanied her was not entirely because she of her. After all, watching the way he looked at her younger sister she was very sure she hadn't mistaken it. It was the very same look she used to look at Alex with. Mark had feelings for Chloe!

Krystie had taken several shots of beer and was still asking for much more until all the bottles on the table were finally cleared, forcing them to clink their glasses whenever they paused drinking.

"Krystie, I think you should stop drinking already, you are drunk," Mark suggested as he tried to snatch the bottle from Krystie's grasp.

Krystie spared him a drunken glance before chuckling, "Who is drunk?"

At that stage, Mark was very sure that there was a headache on the way. Every time Krystie was drunk, there was always a drama or two accompanying them. She had once walked to the DJ's patio and forced him to surrender the work to her.

Krystie had just forcefully pulled back the bottle from Mark's grasp when she heard a familiar voice behind her. The voice that used to make her blush, and her stomach flip now disgusted her. She clenched her jaw, her fingers tightening around the glass.

Chloe and Mark stiffened beside her, exchanging uneasy glances.

"Baby, can I talk to you. Please just let me explain to you," Alex had spoken from behind. Krystie slowly turned around to meet Alex and Cassandra. She rolled her eyes in return. She felt those two were hypocrites and a match made in heaven.

"Alex," she called, her voice laced with cold amusement. "What more do you want from me? Haven't you done enough? Or are you here to rub it in my face that my so-called best friend is now your girlfriend?" Krystie blurted shocking Mark and Chloe, who looked at each other in surprise. Alex bent his head in shame while Cassandra only smirked.

"You two can have each other, I'm no longer interested in your childish games." Krystie declared as she drowned a bottle from the table. By the time Mark had jumped into action to take the bottle from her, it was too late already because there was no more liquor in the bottle.

"I have a new boyfriend, so if you will excuse me." Krystie had turned her face towards the entrance when suddenly an idea struck her mind. She had seen two men walk in, one of them taller with a well-built physique but very cold at a glance. Krystie presumed that they were some kind of businessmen from their outfits.

Krystie wanted to walk to the second guy who had a warm aura around himself compared to the first guy. Just before she could take a step ahead, the guy left to answer his phone.

Krystie's eyes shone with a new idea, a dangerous kind that frightened Mark and Chloe because Krystie's eyes only shone that bright when she had something terrible cooking up in her mind.

"I will be back soon," Krystie had spoken sluggishly and left, staggering towards the main entrance of the hotel. The liquor had already kicked in her brain system, and everyone watched her not very sure of what exactly she was up to.

"Krystie, wait..." Mark started, but she was already gone.

Mark, Chloe, Cassandra and Alex's gaze had followed her until she stopped before a certain young man.

She grabbed the man’s tie, pulled him down to her level, and whispered something in his ear. His brows lifted in surprise, and then his lips curved into an amused smirk before he nodded.

"Hello stranger, can you please help me? Just play along, and I will pay you well, I promise!" Krystie had said to the man she had approached at the entrance of the hotel, just before he had taken a step in.

Before the young man could say a thing, Krystie had pulled him with herself to the table where others sat, her arms intertwined in his.

"Here, I told you. This is my boyfriend. He is here to pick me up, right sweetheart?" Krystie had declared, leaving everyone speechless.

"Come on baby, you don't have to hook up with some random guy to make me jealous," Alex had declared when he watched the man's shocked expression.

"Krystie, you don't have to do that just to get Alex's attention, he is not interested in you!" Cassandra had interjected mockingly, rolling her eyes in the process.

Krystie laughed out loudly, "I knew you wouldn't believe me. I will prove it to you," she spoke. And then, to their horror, she did exactly what Mark and Chloe feared. She had placed her hands on the back of his neck before she tiptoed and kissed him.

Alex groaned while Mark cursed under his breath. The man blinked in surprise at her but didn’t pull away. He didn't expect that was the kind of help she wanted from him.

Gasps erupted from everyone on the table. Chloe’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Her expression was just very funny. Mark, frozen in place, muttered, scratching his neck embarrassed, "Oh, there it is. She has lost it this time."

The man had played along, his hands settling lightly on her waist as he returned the kiss with a smirk against her lips.

Then, as if suddenly remembering where she was, and everyone was watching them, Krystie pulled away, her breath a little ragged. She swayed slightly, and the man caught her waist, steadying her.

Alex’s face darkened even more. "That’s enough, Krystie," he gritted out, his voice low with barely restrained anger. " I can't believe you have been cheating on me!"

He trampled his feet on the ground and left the room, disappearing into the dark night. Cassandra lingered for a moment before she, too, walked away.

Chloe finally found her voice and rushed forward, grabbing Krystie’s arm. "They have left already, let's go back to the table."

Krystie had flashed the young man with a small drunken smile. "Thanks for the save, handsome. You kiss better than him, you know," she flirtatiously winked at him, "I owe you one. I will repay you."

The man had chuckled. "It was my pleasure."

Immediately Chloe had pulled her away before she could say more.