Chapter 06

Melissa settled on a long chair close to the counters and rested her hands on it breathing heavily. Her eyes repeatedly kept blinking without stopping her tears from falling as it made it fall freely to it's satisfaction. Her life was becoming a real mess, and she blamed it all on her father.

"An heir, a stupid heir?" Melissa questioned herself, recollecting the stupid words of her father to bear an heir for Edward. Only then would she be regarded and treated like a queen she is by his family.

Melissa took in a deep breath and shifted her gaze to look at the bartender waiting to get her order. He had stood beside her with his white apron looking at her while she was lost in her thoughts.

"Don't just stand there and look at me, do I look amusing to you?" Her anger made her question him. She roughed her hair acting so crazy as Melissa didn't know what was up with her new behavior.

She needed someone to take out all her anger on, a scapegoat to slap and punch heavily, to hit and chest and call him a jerk, to hug and tell she wasn't all right and needs help.

"Get me a glass of the strongest alcohol you have here?" Melissa finally requested and roughly hit her head on the table while totally ignoring his presence.

"If you drink in this state, you might actually collapse" He said without moving to attend to her order.

"Who the hell do you think you are to tell me what to do, drink or how to live." Melissa asked recalling the dammed husband she left at home.

"Andrei Blake," He replied standing firm at his position while his hands remained behind him.

"I didn't ask for your name. Just get the hell out and get me what I ordered. Gosh fine. Where's the manager?" Melissa retorted trying to lift herself and cause a scene but he held her hands back.

"I'm sorry. You'll have your order now" Andrei said and smiled helping her seat back. He turned to look at her again while pouring her a drink and his eyes admired her body, eyes, and lips.

"Here you go." Andrei dropped a glass of vodka close to her and watched Melissa gulped down everything at a go. His eyes lightened up in shock as she dropped the glass on the table hitting it so hard that it scared the living hell outta him. He paused and looked at her, "Another glass please" Melissa requested.

"Another glass?" Andrei questioned, but the moment she glared at him, he turned to get another glass.

"Here" He said placing it on the table and like before, she gulped down the whole content within seconds and her eyes immediately shut trying to digest the liquor

"Can I get another glass again?" Melissa asked, this time her tears fell freely touching the table. She stared at him like a toddler yarning for it's momma.

"I wanna forget everything, every damn things that's happening right now, I wanna forget it all and escape this wretched life of mine" Her voice wasn't stable. Melissa grabbed her hair trying to pull it all out and give herself a different look.

"Tell me, do I look okay? Do I look okay to you? I'm lost, I hurt, I'm miserable" She continued and gulped down the liquor which he kept on the table.

Andrei watched her, listened to her every words, and moved closer to her. " Look at me" He said staring at her, but Melissa wouldn't look at him.

He sighed and released his hands from hers. "Who the hell is making you feel this way. You don't deserve to be hurt this way. You're pretty, rich, smart and most importantly, strong. Don't let anyone hurt you ever again" His words suddenly consoled her, Melissa found herself slowly staring at him. Her tears ceased from falling and she cleaned up the rest which remained on her face.

Melissa smiled, and seconds later, she began laughing out loud enough to shift all the attention to herself. "Yeah, you're right. What did I do wrong, nothing. Absolutely nothing. I shouldn't let anyone hurt me or make me feel Inferior."

Melissa smiled again, and it just dawned on her that she just said something scary. "Andrei, help me. Help me escape from this torture" Melissa begged. Just like before, she became totally lost and weak again without even realizing why she was scared.

"Another shot" Melissa said.

To her, it felt like alcohol was the only thing she needed right away, and not some stupid piece of advice from a stranger and worst, a bartender who knows absolutely nothing of what living a wealthy but miserable life felt like.

Andrei sighed in disappointment and walked away to pour her another shot. Once he did, he watched her take it all down her burning throat. It hurt like hell, and he could see it by the expression on her face.

"One more" Melissa requested again, her eyes burning red with anger, while Andrei watched her with pity. He poured her another, another and another again till she had enough of it already.

Melissa eyes, head, and body felt sour and miserable like her heart. Her vision weren't clear and her head kept hurting like hell. She carried her bag and when she stood her, her legs felt weak, making her stagger a bit before standing properly.

Before she turned to leave, she dropped a few dollar bill on the table. "Thank you" Melissa said even when no one stood beside her.

The moment Melissa walked through that door, his entire body urged him to run after her. Andrei disregarded the thoughts at first, but when his mind and body kept battling with him, he took off his apron and ran out to go look for Melissa.

She was in no condition to walk out this late on her own, and Andrei mind wouldn't stop bothering him as he ran outside.

He stood in front of nowhere watching every passerbys till his eyes caught hold of a lady seated close to a fountain on her own. He sighed and inhaled before walking towards her.

"Take my hands, I'll take you home." Andrei said and stretched his hands towards her.

Lost in her own thoughts, Melissa looked up at him and smiled in her drunken state. She stretched her hands and took his hands.

"Thank you, thank you" She leaned towards him when he lifted her to his feet and hugged him passionately starting a fresh tears over again.