Chapter 6
631 Words
It was not until evening that Elaine finally went back to the dorm to collect the rest of her belongings.
But after turning the entire room upside down, she suddenly realized her bracelet was missing.
She remembered it clearly.
During the school's New Year's party, students had been told not to wear any jewelry, so she had placed the bracelet inside the dorm drawer beforehand.
It was the last thing her grandmother had left behind for her. To Elaine, it was more precious than her own life.
Panic washed over her as she searched everywhere, sweating anxiously while emptying every drawer and box.
Still, the bracelet was nowhere to be found.
Just as she was about to lose her mind, her phone suddenly rang.
A message from an unknown number popped up.
Unknown: [If you want the bracelet back, come to Room 801 at Highland Club.]
Without stopping to think, Elaine grabbed her coat and rushed out the door, hailing a taxi straight to Highland Club.
She hurried through the maze-like hallways, where every door looked exactly the same.
After searching for what felt like forever, she finally pushed open the door to Room 801.
The private room was thick with cigarette smoke, and the deafening music nearly swallowed her whole.
A group of boys from school were partying wildly inside.
Simon sat right in the center, drinking glass after glass of hard liquor.
There was a coldness in his face and eyes that Elaine had never seen before.
The moment she appeared, the men in the room immediately burst into loud whistles and teasing laughter.
"Well, well, the leading lady's here!" one guy shouted.
"Isn't this our college's precious little good girl, Elaine?" another sneered. "I heard you've got one hell of a body under those clothes."
"Come on, sweetheart," someone laughed drunkenly. "Drink with us. If you outdrink us, we'll let you leave. But if you lose, you'll have to be our girlfriend!"
Their filthy words slithered into Elaine's ears like venomous snakes. Fighting down the urge to throw up, she kept her eyes locked firmly on Simon.
But he only glanced at her indifferently before calmly lifting his drink and taking another sip.
"Elaine," he drawled lazily, "you sure changed your tune fast. Couldn't stay away from me for long, huh?"
Without another word, Elaine rushed straight toward him and held out her hand.
"Give me back my bracelet!"
Simon looked up at her, confusion briefly flashing across his eyes.
He clearly had no idea what she was talking about.
Before Elaine could say another word, the private room door suddenly swung open again.
A woman in a tight bodycon dress walked in confidently on high heels.
It was Suzy.
Her makeup was heavy, her figure seductive, looking every bit like a glamorous nightclub beauty.
But Elaine's eyes instantly locked onto the bracelet dangling casually in Suzy's hand.
That was her grandmother's bracelet.
Elaine immediately turned and rushed toward her.
"Give it back to me!" she demanded anxiously.
The fake smile on Suzy's face stiffened for a moment before she pouted pitifully and walked over to Simon's side.
"Simon," she complained softly, "I kindly picked up Elaine's bracelet and wanted to return it to her, but look at her attitude."
Pinching the bracelet between her fingers, she held it out toward Simon.
"Why don't you give it to her instead? Otherwise, she'll accuse me in front of everyone again later, and then I'll really be the one suffering for nothing."
Elaine could not care less about any of that.
All she wanted was her grandmother's bracelet back.
She immediately reached out to grab it.
But just as her fingertips were about to touch the bracelet, Simon suddenly closed his hand around it, trapping it tightly in his palm.
- Writer
