CHAPTER 2
1909 Words
Veronica gazed at the man who was seated beside her at the bar counter. Even though she was a little bit drunk, she was still able to appreciate his remarkable good looks. Her index finger seemed to have a life of its own, as it traced a line down his nose and ended on his rosy lips.
She suddenly burst into laughter. "Get out of my sight. I don't like men. I'm allergic to men." She kept her gaze on the man, her finger no longer pressed against his lips. The man could only stare in awe, rendered dumbstruck.
She inhaled sharply, her eyes burning with intensity. "Get out of my sight," she demanded, pushing the man away. "I don't need a companion. I can take care of myself. I'm an independent woman. Men don't look at me as a woman. You know why? Because men are stupid! Can't stand it!"
"Oh! Easy." The man said, who had been accompanying her until that moment.
"A glass of vodka, please," she said to the Bartender.
The bartender gave her the drink right away.
She rolled her eyes. "Come on, dude. Why don't you try flirting with someone else?"
The man let out a mischievous chuckle, which caught her attention. "You have a broken heart, don't you? We are both in the same boat."
"Are you brokenhearted too?" She inquired in amazement. What a good-looking man are you? And then the woman still left him?
The man gave a nod and said, "Yeah." He was holding a full beer glass.
She let out a chuckle to make her point. "Could it be because you're being a bit flirtatious?"
The man raised an eyebrow at her. "You're making a judgment about me without even knowing me? That's pretty harsh, woman."
She cast a suspicious glance at the man. "You're all the same," she remarked, before rising from her stool and making her way out of the club. As she was about to exit, someone grabbed her arm, causing her to bounce back and her face to hit someone's muscular chest.
"What is the matter with you?!" She gave a nasty look at the good-looking guy she had been speaking to within the club.
The man gave a cheeky smile and asked, "After you judge me, will you leave?"
She bravely met his gaze, determined not to back down. What's the problem with this man?
She was about to yell at the man when all of a sudden she heard someone calling her name from not far away.
“Veronica!”
The man was responsible for her shattered heart. It was Ace.
"Veronica, let's talk, please? They are waiting for you. Your sister is worried-"
"Oh, shut your f*****g mouth!" She couldn't contain her emotions any longer.
"Come on, we'll explain-"
"No need for an explanation," She chuckled lightly, trying to hide the tears in her eyes. She was a strong and independent woman who had been strong for years, even with the hope that there would be someone still waiting for her back home in the Philippines. "Just go away now, Ace. I don’t want to see your face.”
"Veronica-"
"Brad, it's clear that she needs some personal space. So, respect her feelings. I don't know what transpired between you two, but the best thing you can do right now is to leave. She is a woman, and you are aware of how a woman's feelings are different from a man's. They can be easily hurt."
When Veronica heard what the man who followed her said– her heart seemed to calm down. Her heart stopped crying. It was the first time a man had made her feel cherished and respected as a woman.
Ace just turned around and left without saying a single word.
"Who is he?" Then the man asked.
"You don't need to know," she said in a dull voice. “Do you often engage in gossiping?”
The man looked at her in disbelief. "Seriously? You're really going to be so ungrateful and say something like that after helping you?"
She eyed him with annoyance and asked sternly, "What do you think you're doing? Why are you following me?"
The man chuckled quietly. "You're unfamiliar with this club, right? I just saw you today and I'm just letting you know that there are a lot of idiots in this club."
"And so?" she said, walking inside. But the man reached out and grabbed her arm again. "What is your problem?!"
"I think it's best if you go home first. There will be trouble here later. Don't you know that there is only a business community inside that club? You don't want to be around that, so listen to me and I'll take you to–"
"I don't want to!" She firmly refused.
"Do you have a place to live? Are you living in an apartment or condo?"
"Nothing! I have just returned home from abroad."
"You know what, just listen to me because I am telling the truth."
"Are you one of them too?" Then she asked the young man.
The young man did not answer.
But after a moment, the young man inhaled deeply. "If you don't believe me, that's your choice-"
“Can I go to your place?”
The man arched his brows, "But we just encountered each other. Are you so sure I'm trustworthy? What if I'm not a good person?"
She gazed at the young man and studied him from head to toe. "Well, you don't seem to be a bad person," She commented. "Take me with you where you are. I want to forget, I want to lose the pain I feel even for a moment."
Veronica perched on a single sofa in the condo of an unknown man, both with glasses of wine in hand. The man was sitting on the floor as they shared the common pain of broken hearts and needed to be forgotten.
The young man presented a bottle of beer for the fourth time. She accepted it, as she longed to get drunk and wallow in inebriation.
"Why do men have to be so unfair?" She muttered in her inebriated state.
The man approached Veronica and knelt in front of her, placing his two elbows on her legs. He leaned in and she could feel her heart pounding. She felt her body getting warmer. She couldn't take her eyes off the young man's attractive features, while the young man looked at her as if he was studying her completely.
The young man grinned, his eyelids drooping. It was obvious that he was getting tipsy.
"I–I don't know your name yet."
She wanted to know the man's name.
His grin broadened as he said, "I'm Mirko," he said, introducing himself. "How about you, young woman?"
"Veronica Sedulga," she replied.
He gazed at her with admiration and commented, "Your name is absolutely stunning, just like you are."
She paused, and her face became flushed. "W-what are you saying? You certainly know how to make a lady feel special."
Mirko chuckled. "You are beautiful. But the way you blush is even more beautiful."
"Why am I being left behind if I am beautiful?" She asked, her voice devoid of emotion. "I provided them with all I could, refusing to abandon them out of love. I made sacrifices to spare them from suffering. I chose to be alone, becoming an independent woman. Despite my exhaustion, I still think of them. Why is it still not enough? What have I done wrong? Is something wrong with me?" Tears streamed down her face. Her heart was aching for her family and boyfriend, but she couldn't do anything about it.
The young man rose from the floor and sat beside her. "It isn't your fault. You're perfectly fine the way you are. Like you said, you give all of yourself for love, so don't think that you're not good enough." He cupped her face in his hands and tenderly stroked her cheek. "They weren't content, that's all there is to it."
"What is it about you that makes people feel better so easily?" she asked, her lips forming a slight pout.
She nestled her face into his hand, and it felt pleasant and comforting. "We're on the same page."
She scoffed and said, "You must be kidding! You are twice as handsome as Adan. There is no way that woman would ever part ways with you!" She didn't seem to believe the young man at all.
The young man chuckled, causing her mouth to gape even wider. "Do I appear attractive to you? Are we a good match? Because, in my eyes, you are twice as lovely as Eva."
“You sure know how to use your words to flatter people, don't you?"
He had won her affection. His kind and sweet words and attractive looks have brought a unique feeling. His smiles and chuckles brought joy. Now she has encountered a man who truly values her beauty. But she must still be cautious, not allowing herself to be captivated by any man. They are all the same.
Mirko chuckled, and he stood up.
When he stood up, he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her upright.
"Can we dance, Miss Veronica?" Mirko asked and slid his arms around her waist. It was an intimate embrace. "Let's dance. To forget, to have fun."
"Okay." She agreed.
Veronica wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling a sense of comfort and solace. That night was unforgettable. The young man had the power to soothe her emotions.
The young man whispered to her, "We are both valuable..."
She wanted to find out if she was really worth it. "If you were him, would you hurt me? Would you replace me with someone else?" She didn't think about what she was asking.
"No." The young man responded without hesitation. "I'll make you happy and contented."
Veronica smiled despite the pain that stabbed her heart. She recalled the betrayal of her lover and her sister, a wound inflicted by her own family. Every time the image of her sister and boyfriend kissing crossed her mind, it felt like a sharp blade piercing her chest. Though the pain was intense, Veronica was determined to move on. She had learned that she couldn't rely on anyone else for her happiness, so she had to find it within herself.
She stopped dancing with Mirko and removed her arms from around his neck. Gently cupping his face in her hands, she asked, "May I kiss you, Mirko? If you please."
When he was speechless and unable to respond, she started to chuckle, making him think she was only kidding.
She chuckled and stepped away from him. "Just kidding!" She turned her back away from the man, as she was no longer comfortable with his touch. An odd sensation was running through her mind. Goodness, gracious!
She expected him to let her go; yet one of his hands grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to his body and, without saying a word, pressed his lips to hers.
The flavor of the beer lingered on their tongues. It had a bittersweet taste. She was taken aback and couldn't move for a few moments. She was unsure of her own motives for asking the young man to kiss her. Maybe it was because she had seen Annika and Ace kissing.
- Writer
