CHAPTER 2: A RECKLESS DECISION
1339 Words
Tasha came out of her apartment building, her coat barely clinging to her shoulders. She couldn’t stay inside, and drown in her thoughts so she decided to go to a bar.
It was a dirty and dimly lit place smelling of cigarette smoke and alcohol. It was the kind of place where everything was low-key. Tasha slid onto a barstool and patiently waited for the bartender to attend to her.
“Hey, what would you like to have?” the bartender said.
“Whiskey, please” she said to the bartender, with a hoarse voice.
“Are you good? You look really depressed.”
“Well, I got fired and my ex moved on. I thought I had actually healed from that relationship but who the heck was I kidding.” she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
“So you're taking this whiskey so that you can forget everything, right?”
“Yes I'm hoping it will help with that.”
“Actually, I don't think you should let any man make you sit down in a bar and drink your life away, okay?”
“Okay, thanks but I think I still I need that drink.”
The man nodded and slid the drink over without a word. She downed it in one gulp as it burned her throat. It made her feel a little better but she felt like it wasn't enough.
“Another, please” she said whilst pushing the glass forward.
While taking her second drink, she noticed a man sitting alone at the other end of the bar, with a rigid posture and hidden face. His suit looked very expensive, it looked like the kind of tailored fit that only the wealthy and well-privileged people of the society could afford.
She was not that kind of person who approached strangers but tonight, she decided not to care. Besides she thought in her head, “It's just a one-time thing”. Grabbing her glass of whiskey, she slid onto the stool next to him.
“You look so miserable right now. I feel the same way too,” she said.
The man turned his head slowly, and she caught a glimpse of his face and noticed that he looked like he was carrying a lot of burdens. He studied her for a moment before he eventually spoke.
“Rough night, right?” he asked, his voice low and smooth.
Tasha laughed bitterly. “You could say that. Fired from my job. Found out my ex is married. And now I’m here, trying to figure out the next step I am going to take because my life isn't going to change on its own.”
The man asked. “Your ex…did he break your heart?”
“He actually shattered it if you must know,” she replied, her fingers tightening around her glass. “But it’s fine. I’m over it.”
“It doesn’t sound like it,” he said.
Tasha glared at him and was ready to snap at him, but something in his expression stopped her. He wasn’t mocking her. If anything, he actually looked...empathetic.
“So what’s your story?” she asked. “You don't look too good.” “What's your name?”
He said while swirling the drink in his glass. “I’m Ethan,” after a while he said. “I’m the CEO of the Lii Group.”
Her eyes widened. She’d heard of the Lii Group but she didn't think that the Ethan Li would be here, especially in such a dirty looking place.
“And you’re here, drinking alone? Shouldn’t you be at some fancy gala or on a private jet to Paris?”
Ethan smirked, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Not tonight. Right now, I’m just a guy who got dumped by the woman he thought was the one for him.” “It's sad.”
Tasha was surprised as she didn't think that someone like him would be drinking due to heartbreak.
“Well,” she said, raising her glass, “cheers to heartbreak.”
Ethan clinked his glass against hers. “Cheers.”
As the night wore on and the drinking increased, they exchanged their stories of love, betrayals and disappointments. For a few hours, they found solace in each other's sadnesses.
“I have an idea,” Tasha said suddenly.
Ethan said with a raised eyebrow, “Should I be concerned about your idea?”
“Probably,” she admitted with a laugh. “But hear me out. We’re both fed up with love, right? So why not do something crazy? Something to prove that we’re not as pathetic as we feel right now?”
He leaned back, crossing his arms. “I’m listening to you.”
“Let’s get married right now,” she said.
Ethan stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face.
“Why not?” he asked.
“Wait, really?” she asked in utter disbelief.
“Sure, it’s not like we have anything better to do.”
Before anything weird thing happened, Tasha grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door.
In the courthouse, Tasha and Ethan stood side by side, holding their hastily filled-out forms.
“Are you both sure about this?” the clerk asked.
“Of course we are, right?” Tasha said with a steady voice.
“Yes we are.”
The ceremony was quick. No flowers, no music, no guests. Just two strangers exchanging vows they didn’t mean, their voices tinged with alcohol and laughter.
When it was over, they stumbled back onto the street, marriage certificate in hand.
“Well,” Ethan said, looking down at the paper, “congratulations, Mrs. Li.”
Tasha burst out laughing and eventually said. “Congratulations to you too, Mr. Dwayne.”
Ethan grinned and actually felt good that night.
Tasha woke up due to the sunlight that streamed into the room. She groaned due to the pain that was in her head.
“Ugh, what happened last night?” she muttered while trying to sit up.
She kept on looking around the room until her gaze fell on the man sleeping beside her, and she almost had a heart attack.
“Oh my goodness, what are you doing here?” she asked.
Ethan opened his eyes, looked at the woman beside him with a small smile.
“Good morning to you too,” he said.
Tasha stared at him and said. “Please tell me we didn’t...”
Ethan glanced at the nightstand, where the marriage certificate lay in plain view. He picked it up and read the content.
“Well, it looks like we’re actually married.”
Tasha’s jaw dropped. “The universe has got to be playing a prank on me right now.”
“I don't think it is,” he said looking obviously amused by the shock on her face whilst handing her the certificate.
She snatched it out of his hand and read through the contents of the certificate. Her name. His name. The courthouse seal.
“This can’t be happening right now,” she said. “I don’t even know you! This is insane!”
Ethan shrugged, leaning back against the pillows. “You weren’t exactly protesting last night.”
She shot him a glare. “Don’t you dare act smug about this. We need to fix it. Right now.”
Ethan asked. “Fix it? You mean divorce?”
“Yes! Obviously!”
He sighed and suddenly said “Or…maybe we could give it a shot.”
Tasha froze. “Are you being serious right now?”
“You should actually think about it,” he said. “Maybe this is the fresh start we need.”
She stared at him as she didn't think that he'd actually do this kind of thing.
“You’re really crazy,” she said.
“Maybe,” he said with a small and mischievous smile. “But so are you.”
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- Writer
