The Sweetest Revenge

Chapter 5.5 - Hakuna Ma'vodka Part 2

"You're Emma, right?" His voice is smooth but casual, as if we've known each other for years.

I blink, realizing he's talking to me, and try to place where I've seen him before. "Uh, yeah. Do I know you?"

He chuckles. "I work here. With Jason."

And then it clicks—he's Jason's coworker, the guy from earlier. "Right, I remember now. You were the one who told him to get back to work. Sorry, I'm a little... buzzed." I shake my head, trying to clear the haze.

He laughs, leaning against the bar, looking more amused than anything. "That would be me. Liam."

"Nice to meet you, Liam." I extend my hand for a handshake. Why did I just give him a handshake?

"You come here often?" he asks, the most cliché pickup line in history, but there's a genuine curiosity in his voice.

I laugh, noticing his confusion. "Sorry," I say, "that was just such a cheesy line."

He grins. "Yeah, sorry. I was trying to think of something better."

"It's fine. No, I've never been here before. Honestly, until today, I didn't even know this place existed. Which is weird because I've been going next door for years. It's my favorite café."

"Favorite, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm surprised I've never seen you before. Did you just start working here?"

"Nope, been here for years, but I mostly stay in the kitchen," he says, taking a sip of his drink.

"Ah, a chef, I see."

"Yep, been making lasagna ever since I learned the difference between salt and pepper," he jokes with a grin.

I laugh. "That's funny."

A few moments pass, and I sneak a side glance at him, finally taking in his features. Messy dark hair—chaotic but somehow perfect. A strong jawline, covered in a bit of stubble. And his eyes—a light shade of blue, like the clearest ocean. His black shirt fits just right, giving away his obviously toned muscles.

I turn away before he catches me staring.

He leans in slightly, his eyes catching the light. "So, what's a girl like you doing drinking alone?"

"Well, I'm actually here with my best friend, but she's... on a mission somewhere," I say with a grin, glancing around the room to spot Sophie.

"But tonight, we're here to celebrate, I guess," I add, the vodka loosening my tongue. Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, "It's my birthday, actually."

Liam raises an eyebrow. "Happy birthday."

"Yeah," I mutter, swirling the ice in my glass. "Some birthday."

"What happened?" he asks, genuinely curious.

"Nah, it's just a lot of drama. You probably wouldn't be interested."

He chuckles. "I like drama. I've been told I'm quite dramatic myself."

I sense his obvious sarcasm.

I hesitate, feeling the vodka working its magic. "Well... long story short, my ex-boyfriend cheated on me, got engaged, and announced their pregnancy. He posted all of that today—on my birthday."

A brief silence follows.

"And to top it off, we only broke up two months ago," I add.

"I'm... sorry that happened to you. It's not easy being cheated on. Trust me, I know."

I turn to him, surprised. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, I got over it. Figured she wasn't worth crying over."

I nod softly. "Yeah, I guess."

Another silence stretches between us, but now I feel tempted to talk more.

"What makes it worse is that I got so mad I wanted to get him back."

Liam raises an eyebrow. "How were you going to do that?"

"You're going to laugh at me."

"I promise I won't," he says, placing a hand over his heart. "Scout's honor."

I squint at him playfully. "You don't look like a Boy Scout."

"I wasn't, but I always keep a promise."

I hesitate for a moment, then sigh. "I wanted to stage a fake relationship with someone. Show him off in front of Jake. I wanted to make him jealous, make him feel what I felt. I wanted him to suffer, to feel the pain he caused me, and I wanted to sit back and enjoy it."

More silence.

"Why not just find a real boyfriend?" Liam asks. "You're attractive, you could get one quickly."

I blush at that. "I couldn't do it. I can't put myself in a situation where I could get hurt again. Being in a fake relationship would be easier because there's no chance of developing feelings."

I look down at my drink, feeling vulnerable. "I know it sounds bad, but he hurt me so much."

"I get it," Liam says quietly.

"Why do bad things always happen to good people?" I ask, not really expecting an answer.

He looks away, his expression turning serious. "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out myself."

I study him closely now, realizing that behind his calm demeanor, there's a hint of pain. He's been hurt, too.

I hear my phone ping and quickly pull it out of my bag. It's an i********: notification.

Noticing the silence between us, I decide to check it. But I shouldn't have. My gut told me not to, but I never listen.

One of my old college friends, Laiken, sent me a DM with a link to a story. My gut screamed no, but again, I didn't listen. I tapped the link, and it took me to a story Celine had posted. Of course, I don't follow her, but somehow, she always finds a way to haunt me.

It was a video of Jake proposing to Celine. On the beach. The same beach where I once told Jake I wanted to be proposed to.

A tear slips down my cheek.

Liam's deep voice pulls me out of my thoughts. "What's wrong?"

I quickly wipe the tear away and sniff, then I show him the video. He takes my phone, his expression curious.

"It's a video of my ex proposing to his new fiancée, Celine," I explain. "I once told Jake that I wanted to be proposed to on a beach."

Liam watches the video carefully, but then I notice something. His eyes widen, almost in shock. "So, that's your ex—Jake—and his new girl?"

"Yes, but she's not new. They've probably been together for months," I mutter.

He nods and hands me back my phone.

There's silence between us, despite the loud club around us.

Then, Liam turns to me, his voice steady. "I have a proposal."

"I'm not interested," I say quickly, assuming he's about to ask me out.

He smiles. "No, no, not that." He takes a sip of his drink. "I'll be your fake boyfriend."

I stare at him. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious. We could hang out, take some photos—do things Jake would hate."

I laugh, shaking my head. "Why would you do that? You barely know me."

"I know enough," he says, his tone suddenly serious. "I know what you're going through. Trust me. And because I'm tired of cheaters always winning while we get left in the dirt."

I look at him, realizing he's been hurt too. I want to ask, but I don't want to push.

For a moment, I don't know what to say. He's offering exactly what I wanted—a solution to my Jake problem—but now that someone's actually suggesting it, it feels even crazier.

Reality sets in, and I shake my head.

"I don't know," I finally manage, glancing around the room. "I should find Sophie."

I stand up, and the room spins. Okay, maybe I've had too much to drink. "Whoa."

"You alright?" Liam asks, standing up quickly.

"Yep, I'm alright," I mumble.

Before I can protest, he's already got an arm around me, steadying me. "Let's find your friend," he says.

We weave through the crowd, and sure enough, Sophie is exactly where I expected—making out with some guy in the corner. Liam looks towards her, "That's your friend?"

"The one and only," I reply with a laugh.

"You're right, she's definitely occupied. And with my best bud too." He grins.

"Of course he is," I mutter, rolling my eyes. "She's not going to want to leave anytime soon."

"I'll take you home," Liam offers. "I know you live just across the street."

I stop, narrowing my eyes at him. "How do you know that?"

He shrugs casually. "We're neighbors."

"What?" I blink, trying to process. "I've never seen you."

"You just never noticed," he says with a small smile. "I live on the top floor."

I stare at him for a moment longer, then sigh. "Okay, fine. But I can walk."

"You sure about that?" he asks, raising an eyebrow as I wobble slightly.

"Okay, maybe not," I admit, feeling defeated.

Without another word, Liam scoops me up in his arms, and I squeal in protest. "Put me down!"

"Nope," he says, grinning as he carries me out of the club.

The cool night air hits my face, and I relax a little in his arms, though my head is still spinning. He crosses the street, carrying me effortlessly, and I can't help but glance up at him.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask, my voice soft.

He smiles down at me. "Everyone deserves a little kindness."

I can't help but smile back.

By the time we reach my building, I'm too tired to say anything more. He helps me find my keys, and once I unlock the door, I stumble inside, immediately kicking off my shoes. I flop onto the couch, barely noticing that Liam is still standing there.

"Why are you still here?" I mumble, peering up at him through half-closed eyes.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," he says gently. "And that you think about my offer."

I groan, throwing my arm over my eyes. "I don't need a fake boyfriend."

"We'll see," he says with a chuckle. "I'll take that as a maybe."

I hear the door click shut, and when I peek through my fingers, he's gone. I stare at the door, wondering what the hell just happened. Jason's coworker is my neighbor, and now he's offered to be my fake boyfriend.

And, on top of everything else, I'm never drinking vodka again.