Chapter 2: Alcohol

Chapter 2: Alcohol

Emerald’s Point of View

I went to a well-known club to indulge in alcohol, regardless of the situation I was in. Jude made me lose my mind, giving me enough pain to endure until the moment I die.

In his eyes, I am merely a hostage to him, serving as a substitute bride to take my sister's place.

Despite my unwavering affection for him since we were young, it won't work anymore, and I still grasp on a man like him. I can no longer sacrifice my happiness for him. If I continue this marriage, then I don't have any respect and dignity left in me.

I was on the verge of finishing the last shot of whiskey in my hand when my friend unexpectedly grabbed it from me. Her eyebrows shot up, sitting beside me in front of the bar counter.

“Look at you, Emerald. You're too messy!” She snapped me back to reality.

Thea is the only friend I have. She's been with me since middle school, and I grew up with her. Thea has always been the person I could rely on in times of need. She's always there for me, and our friendship has been through ups and downs, yet up until now, we've been able to hold onto it.

However, no matter how close we are, there are still some things I can't share with anyone.

I scoffed. “That's how my life has been.”

“Was it because of your husband again?”

It felt as though something had become lodged in the back of my throat. I couldn't make a sound, and the burning feeling deep inside my heart intensified when she brought up my husband again.

“What did this good-for-nothing husband of yours do?” She confirmed this, rolling her eyes, before placing an order for a margarita.

I sighed. “He's working and obviously not a good-for-nothing husband.”

“Oh, come on! Don't try to defend him!”

Although Thea knew I had a husband, she didn't know who it was. I choose to keep it private from her, adhering to the rules they imposed. All family members should keep the matter confidential, and it should never come out.

“I couldn't stop admiring him despite his harsh words killing me,” I affirmed in my low, weak, baritone voice.

Tears almost want to streak down my face. Now I'm crying again just because of him.

“What’s the point of staying in a loveless marriage, then? Divorce him, girl!” Thea cheered, as if divorcing Jude was an effortless task.

I took a deep breath and sighed. I calmed myself first before drinking a new shot given to me. I should pay for everything. It's my fault.

Suddenly, Thea's phone rang. She said I should stay put, and she will come back after the call. I listened to her and remained in my seat. Regrettably, the alcohol I consumed started to negatively impact me. My head was spinning around, and I wanted to throw up.

When I look toward the bathroom and see a man standing there, the pain in my heart intensifies. The man's eyes narrowed sharply at my location. I tried to stand up, but I lost my balance. Thankfully, someone was there to catch me.

“Jude…” I murmured to myself. I can't believe Jude came here to see and soothe me. But was it really him?

Everything happened too fast. I was on the verge of tears when I went to the place where I saw him, only to find him no longer there. Why did he suddenly vanish? He moved too quickly!

My eyes wandered around. I looked for his traces, but I didn't find anything.

"Excuse me, have you seen someone standing here for so long?" I asked one of the girls, who was having fun at their table. I approached one of the girls as they were enjoying themselves at their table.

The girl chuckled. “Girl, you're just probably drunk. No one's standing here for a long time unless you're hallucinating.”

I nibbled my lower lip. Am I really hallucinating?

Maybe she's right. I'm simply intoxicated, and I urgently need to go home. I know Jude won't come here and take me home; my delusions are fueling my dreams that he cares for me. A bitter smile crept on my lips. Why do I need to get my hopes high? I'm the only one who's hurting myself.

I feel disappointed and hurt. Why did I expect him here anyway? It doesn't even matter to him when the kidnapper kills me earlier.

Beaten by a surge of emotions, I decided to leave the place. I was looking down when I accidentally bumped into someone else. The alcohol I was holding spilled onto his shirt. I was about to burst out with what I felt when he apologized first using his familiar voice. As I raised my face, I was taken aback to see Carlos.

“I knew it was you,” Carlos said, showing me a bright smile.

Carlos is my senior. In essence, I have a strong friendship with him back then. People tend to ship us but I respect him a lot and I don't intend to ruin our friendship. Regardless, among our friends, I'm the only girl he has treated right in our circle of friends. I believe he's now a successful medical practitioner. He's 6 feet tall. His broad shoulders caught my attention.

“I'm s-sorry, I didn't see you coming through…” I confirmed this while glancing at the tattered shirt he was wearing.

He chuckled and spoke. “Don't worry about it. It's nothing big.”

“A-Ah, I'll just buy you a new one.”

“In your case, I don't think you can still buy a new shirt for me. You're too drunk; how about we go out and buy me a coffee?”

I took his offer and came out with him. Carlos went behind me, and he became my shield as we crossed the vast crowd. He's holding my arm, while the other one is shielding my head for possible accidents. Fortunately, we exited the club without facing any injuries.

I can clearly see the mess I made with his shirt, and I feel terrible about it. Knowing that I'm with my high school crush makes me feel awkward.

“Are you sure coffee is enough for—”

He cut me off. “I don't mind.”

Carlos was the one who bought it at the shop. He then handed me his jacket, patiently waiting for me outside while I sat on the bench. It's been years since we last saw each other, and I haven't heard from him since then.

Carlos came back with an Americano in his hands. A small smile crept on my lips when I took it from him. I noticed his eyes were twinkling. I smiled because of it. I drifted my eyes away from him and took a deep breath.

“I’m thrilled to see you again, Emerald. We lost contact after college.” He affirmed in his normal tone.

“Yeah. I've been busy with life too. What about you? How have you been?”

He bobbed his head a little and spoke. “Well, I'm alright. I just passed the physician licensure exam, and I am now a licensed doctor.”

I was amused by all the news I heard from him. He said he often sees me on the news, being the main anchor, but he doesn't have any chance to reach out because he's busy with his patients.

“You didn't change. You remain the same, attractive, and straightforward Emerald.”

I chuckled and then sipped on my cup.

“Let's exchange contacts!” I stood up, wearing a bright smile. Fortunately, I got sober after a few sips of my coffee, and I don't feel like my head is spinning anymore.

Carlos took out his wallet. He was about to give me his calling card when my friend, Thea, pulled me away from Carlos.

“I'm sorry for my friend! She's drunk; I hope she didn't bother you enough. It wasn't her intention to spill her drinks on you!” Thea apologized, then grabbed my hand, ready to pull me away.

Oh, right! Thea doesn't know about Carlos’ existence and being a close friend. Carlos and his family migrated abroad, studied there in highschool, and college. Later on, they chose to live there.

“Wait—”

Thea looks apologetic and ashamed. Before Carlos could still finish his words, Thea immediately pulled me away, but I was lucky enough to snatch his calling card from him.