27: Intoxicated

Khana found herself pulling into the parking lot of a bar. The neon sign flickered invitingly, and she realized she needed something to numb the pain, even if just for a little while. She walked inside, the dim lighting and murmur of voices a stark contrast to the chaos in her mind.

She made her way to the bar and ordered a drink, her hands still shaking. The alcohol burned as it went down, but it provided a momentary relief from the storm inside her. She drank another, and then another until the edges of her reality began to blur.

The dimly lit bar buzzed with the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses, but for Khana, the noise was nothing more than a dull background to her swirling thoughts. She sat alone at the corner table, nursing her drink, lost in the whirlwind of her own troubles.

She wanted to forget all her troubles: First was about her father lying in the ICU, his frail body fighting for each breath. The weight of his illness pressed heavily on her heart, casting a shadow over any semblance of joy. And then there was Richard, the man she was supposed to marry. The thought of spending her life with him felt suffocating, like a cage closing in around her. But duty and obligation loomed over her, forcing her to consider a future she couldn't bear to imagine.

But above all, there was Henry. The memory of his touch lingered on her skin, a bittersweet reminder of a love that could never be. He was everything she wanted, but his unwavering faith kept him bound to a life she could never share. Their forbidden love burned like a flame in her heart, consuming her with desire and despair in equal measure.

Suddenly, a guy approached Khana. He knocked on the surface of the toolbar. However, the lady pretended to be deaf and only ignored it. Yet, the guy thought he might give it another try; maybe this time, the beautiful maiden would glance. He wished to accompany Khana since her beauty captivated his eyes. More than that, he wants to bed and add her to his trophy.

Khana rolled her eyes and bitterly pressed her shot glass on the table. Without glancing at the guy, she drove him away. 

"Tsk," she murmured.

Then, another guy approached her. This time, it struck a conversation. 

"You are too pretty to be left alone in this place. If you want..."

The guy was unable to finish his statement since Khana interrupted. She said, "Pretty or not, it's not your effin business. Just leave me be."

The guy walked away. Luckily, the guy did not think of creating chaos. If the guy had chosen violence, he would have started a fistfight since Khana hurt his pride.

Lost in her thoughts, Khana barely registered the parade of men who approached her. Their words were slurred with alcohol and desperation. She brushed them off with her killer mood and brutal words. Her mind was too consumed with her own turmoil to entertain the advances of strangers.

"What a bunch of stupid guys. I rather drink alone than join those losers," she mumbled. 

"You, give me one more of this drink," says Khana, requesting more liquor from the bartender.

In the middle of sipping a glass of champagne and tequila, her phone beeped. 

"Hmm.. Serena?" She asked herself, then laughed a bit. "Right, this was my best friend who never betrayed me, unlike that bXtch Bettina."

"Khana, where are you?" Serena asked.

"In a place where you can forget all your problems," Khana replied.

"I'm dead serious! Come on, everyone here in your father's ward is worried about your whereabouts. You ignored all their texts and calls. I'm glad you answered mine."

"I don't want to talk to anyone, but you are exempted since you haven't betrayed me yet," Khana replied.

"Where are you? I'll fetch you there," Serena uttered.

"I'll just share my location. I don't exactly know where I am," Khana replied.

Shortly after the call ended, she felt a little dizzy. Khana went to the restroom to pee and returned to her seat once done.

And then, amidst the haze of alcohol and emotion, a familiar figure materialized before her. Khana squinted, unsure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but there was a guy she had imagined was standing near the entrance.

 "Henry?" she mumbled, her voice slurred and unsure. She blinked, trying to focus, but everything was a distorted mess.

The man leaned closer, his voice gentle and concerned. "Khana, are you okay?"

"What do you think?" Khana replied.

While Khana felt a moment of hope she had never experienced before, they were together and walked together down the isolated streets. 

They were alone and vulnerable through the pathway, and Khana discovered a gleaming light of hope within her heart, thinking Henry looked for her everywhere, and suddenly the faith led him to her.

The gentleman glanced at Khana and shook his head while looking at the lady who'd fallen asleep. "What have you done to yourself? You weren't like this, Khana," he said.

The guy never wanted to wake her up. Hence, he carried her and entered the house. Khana was awakened when they reached the doorstep of her bedroom, then turned to him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. 

"I never knew you would come, Henry," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

But as the man before her smiled gently, she realized her mistake. It wasn't Henry standing before her, but Richard – her betrothed, her obligation, her burden.

She had clung to him, mistaking his presence for the one she truly longed for. And in that moment of misguided longing, she had betrayed the man who promised to love her.

His heart sank as the weight of her mistake crashed down upon him. With a heavy heart, Richard's smile faltered, his eyes clouded with confusion and hurt. And as he turned to leave. His tears mingled with the cold pavement beneath. 

"Henry, I still love you," says Khana. She kissed the man whose heart was shattered to pieces.

Richard closed his eyes and let the time tell what would happen next. All he knew was that he wanted her, even if her heart belonged to someone else.