Chapter 3 The Encounter in the Club
924 Words
The nightclub was awash with neon lights and loud music. Emma sat alone at the bar, ordering a few drinks and watching the crowd dance.
Despite the noise around her, her mind was eerily calm, like the eye of a storm.
She just wanted to drown herself in alcohol, to briefly forget the mess her life had become.
A single woman drinking alone in a bar rarely went unnoticed, especially one as striking as Emma.
It wasn't long before a man approached her.
"Hey, is this seat taken?"
Emma glanced at the man who looked to be in his thirties or forties, dressed decently, with no beer belly in sight. She shook her head slightly as an admission to let him sit beside her.
"Drinking alone is no fun. Let me join you," the man said, sliding a drink her way and putting his hand on her leg.
Emma could hold her liquor well. Yet thanks to a father who drank too much, she wasn't fond of alcohol. Even when she did drink, she never got drunk and always kept her wits about her.
If she wanted to stop this, the man's hand couldn't have moved an inch further.
However, she did nothing, implicitly allowing his advances. Seeing no resistance, the man grew bolder, his hand creeping higher.
"Hey buddy, what do you think you're doing to my friend?" A hand landed on the man's shoulder, seemingly casual, but the pressure was unmistakable.
The man turned to see the towering figure of Lucas. Though Lucas was smiling, the warning in his eyes was crystal clear.
The man then slunk away.
"Hey Emma, fancy meeting you here," Lucas said, taking the seat beside her without waiting for an invitation.
Lucas was still in his tailored suit, looking out of place in the bar's lively atmosphere. Yet, his striking face drew plenty of attention from the women around.
Noticing the frequent glances their way, Emma clinked her glass against his. "You're quite the hit here."
With a chuckle, Lucas replied, "So are you."
Emma gave a bitter smile and downed her wine. Running her fingers along the rim of the glass, she said, "Mr. Morgan..."
"Call me Lucas," he interrupted.
"Alright, Lucas." Emma conceded, not wanting to argue over it. "Look, if everyone around me is hiding something from me, does that mean... does it mean I've really messed up? I'm in the wrong, right?"
From Lucas’s perspective, Emma’s eyes were filled with confusion and innocence. Yet, her lips, stained by the alcohol, looked like roses waiting to be plucked, exuding full temptation.
'It's strange. How could a woman be both innocent and alluring?'
Lucas glanced away and replied to her question in a light tone, "Oh, come on, why would you think that?"
Emma’s voice wavered. "But they're all keeping it from me..."
Maybe it was the alcohol finally hitting her, or maybe it was the subconscious trust she felt towards Lucas, but for once, the strong woman let some emotion show.
"Listen, it's not your fault they're hiding things from you," Lucas said, gripping her shoulders and making her look at him.
Lucas’s eyes were intense with sincerity. He told her, "People do what benefits them. If they're all keeping secrets, it means it's in their best interest."
"Is that so?" Emma’s sad expression softened Lucas’s heart.
"But I can't figure it out... Some people, I get it, they have something to gain, but others, I don't know why they'd betray me..." Emma mumbled, trying to make sense of Lucas’s words. But her head was getting heavier... and heavier...
"Oh, sweetheart. Some benefits you can see, and others you can't. There are material gains and emotional ones," Lucas explained patiently.
Emma’s head dropped forward, and she vaguely heard Lucas calling her name. "Emma? Emma? Damn..."
Even in her daze, she realized that the first guy's drink had been spiked.
Her last thought before blacking out was if she should have a thrilling one-night stand to revenge against Jake.
She'd like to see if cheating was really so irresistible.
She didn't expect to be spiked in her drink. It was a small comfort that at least it was Lucas, not some random creep.
The next morning, Emma woke up to unfamiliar surroundings. It took her a moment to realize she was in a hotel room, and the events of the previous night slowly came back to her.
She shot up from the bed, her head pounding with a hangover.
Looking around, she saw no sign of anyone else.
She was a bit surprised.
They were both adults, and she knew she wasn't lacking in attraction. She had resigned herself to a night of indulgence. She had been relieved it was Lucas who brought her here instead of some weirdo.
She expected chaos when she woke up, but the room was tidy, with half a bottle of water sitting on the nightstand.
Emma vaguely remembered someone gently urging her to drink more water last night.
Beside the bottle, she found a note with wild handwriting.
It read: Don't fall into anyone's trap again. A good hunter is patient. I found out where your husband usually goes. Check the address in your phone.
The signature was Lucas. His neat handwriting reminded Emma of his handsome face.
This guy was surprisingly reliable.
Emma shook her head, trying to erase his roguish smile from her mind.
She checked the address on her phone and saw it was a nursing home.
'Why would Jake be going to a nursing home?'
- Writer
