**Elena's POV**
**6:15 P.M. at the bar**
I ordered some drinks and sat on a bar stool in a corner.
It’s a rooftop bar. The first and last time I came here were two years ago. Back then, I was sad because I couldn’t find the evidence I was looking for related to my parents' deaths, and my best friend brought me here to cheer me up. I came here because the city view is beautiful. The soft breeze and the sunset calmed me down.
After a while, the bartender brought the drinks I had ordered. I took the glass and started drinking. I don’t particularly like drinking, and I haven’t had alcohol in the past two years. At first, it tastes bitter to swallow, but after a few sips, I begin to enjoy it.
I watched people enjoying the evening with their loved ones. Tonight's going to be bustling because tomorrow is the weekend.
I stirred my drink and thought about how I had fooled myself into trusting that cheater.
Even after preparing for revenge, how could I let my guard down? I should have been wary of the people around me after witnessing what happened to my parents years ago. Remembering them makes me feel even worse.
"Mom, Dad, I miss you. I’m so lonely without you," I whispered to myself, trying hard not to cry. If they were with me today, they wouldn’t let anything happen to me.
It’s all because of them that my parents are no longer alive. How could someone murder their own blood relative? How could that man do this to his own brother? *I will make him and his family pay for what they did to us,* I vowed to myself.
Nash and I didn’t have intimate moments. It was pure and lovely. Funny, I thought Nash was a good guy. But after seeing what I saw a moment ago, I was really speechless.
After graduation, I plan to return to where I originally belonged—California. I wanted to be in a long-distance relationship with Nash if he agreed, or maybe, after breaking up with him, stay good friends. But betrayal still hurts. Maybe it’s better this way. I won’t have to feel sorry for leaving him behind.
Now, I don’t have to worry about anything because I’ll break up with him tomorrow. I won’t be trounced, and I won’t feel sad because of that bastard who considered using me for a bet.
I keep drinking. I can feel my body getting numb, and the frustration I was feeling is fading away.
**After a while~**
Elena is drunk now. She has low alcohol tolerance and is feeling uncomfortable in her stomach.
Elena got up to go home, but suddenly she felt dizzy. She grabbed the bar counter so she wouldn’t fall. The uneasiness in her stomach was rising. She stumbled towards the bar entrance when she bumped into something hard.
“Ouch,” she mumbled, about to fall when someone grabbed her by the waist.
The man who caught her looked at her face, and he immediately realized something was wrong, but before he could do anything, she…
*Blargh.*
She vomited on his pants! She vomited on Richard Grayson’s pants.
He is a neat freak. He is the most influential and cold man in the business world—Richard Grayson, the CEO of GraySpace Tech and soon-to-be successor of Grayson Group.
People around them stopped breathing and looked at the scene in terror.
They could all sense the cold aura emitting from him.
Richard’s personal assistant, Mark Lewis, stood beside him and whispered cautiously, “Mr. Grayson, let me take care of this mess and her. You can go to the suite to change your clothes.”
This is a five-star hotel with a duplex rooftop bar, one of Grayson Group’s properties. Today he came here after signing the contract with Mr. Moore to celebrate the successful deal. But it looks like that celebration is impossible now.
Mark had already booked a presidential suite for Richard. He took out the key card and respectfully handed it to him. Mark said, "Here’s the key card. Let me hold her so you can go, and I’ll arrange a room for her." With that, he extended his hands to take Elena.
Richard looked at the mess around him and finally landed his eyes on the girl in his arms. She was unconscious after vomiting.
He was angry. He had the urge to throw her out of his arms because he couldn’t tolerate dirty things. He was already irritated about some work matter, but she had to make it worse.
Richard was about to hand her over to Mark when he thought of something and looked at the girl’s face again. He froze. After a few seconds, he said in a low voice, “No need. Buy a dress for this woman and bring my clothes to the room.”
“Ok, then I’ll tell Mr. Moore you can’t attend the party.”
Richard nodded and strode to the elevator, tall and straight, carrying her bridal-style. All the people stood there, dumbfounded.
'What just happened?' they all thought to themselves. Wasn’t he the indifferent, cold man who didn’t care about any woman? And what about his cleanliness? Did he like this young lady? Was he planning to make her his girlfriend? Maybe his wife? They were thinking deeply when they felt a cold gaze on them.
They shivered and looked in that direction to see Richard glaring at them coldly from the elevator until the doors closed.
They immediately understood that it was a warning to keep their mouths shut and not to tell anyone about what had happened.
Those people weren’t fools. They pretended nothing had happened and got back to their work.
Mark also went to do his job.
**Richard's POV**
After entering the suite, I placed this girl on the sofa. She looks pretty and innocent. Moreover, she looks just like her.
Why did she drink so much all by herself?
Mark brought my clothes and went to buy her some as well.
I took the bag she was holding and looked inside to see if I could find any information about her. Then I found an ID card—a university ID card. Oh, so she’s a student at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her name is Emma Joseph.
I took a photo of the ID card and placed the bag on the tea table after putting the ID card inside.
Then I looked down at my clothes, feeling very disgusted. I have never been in this situation before, and it’s all because of this woman.
I can’t throw her out because I’m not sure if she’s Ella or not.
But first, I have to clean myself, then I’ll think about what to do with her.
I went to take a shower. I can’t tolerate being this dirty anymore! I removed my clothes and threw them away because I wouldn’t be wearing them again.
I was done showering when I heard some noise from outside. So, I quickly put on a bathrobe and went to the living room to check if everything was alright.
Then I saw Emma lying on the floor. She had just rolled off the sofa and fallen to the ground.
Without picking her up, I took my phone to call Mark.
When he picked up the phone, I said coldly, “You don’t have to come. Tell Secretary Lopez to come over with the clothes you’ve prepared.” Then I hung up.
Then I turned around and picked her up, placing her back on the sofa. I might have praised her natural beauty if she weren’t so dirty right now.
Then I went to the bedroom to put on some pajamas.