Chapter 2 Unwanted attention
1085 Words
The music is just as loud as last night.
Last night’s scene begin to play in her mind.
For Liana , something has changed.
She feels it before she even sees him.
That presence, unavoidable and always watching.
---
Her hands move gracefully as she wipes down the counter, serving drinks, forcing polite smiles, but her mind isn’t fully there. It keeps drifting, anticipating something she doesn’t want to acknowledge.
Or maybe… someone.
“Liana, two martinis!” a customer calls out.
“Coming!” she replies quickly, snapping herself back to focus.
She reaches for the shaker, her movements slightly rushed now. She doesn’t understand why she feels so unsettled tonight. Nothing has happened yet.
But still.
Her heart beats faster.
---
Then she hears it.
“Red wine.”
Her hand freezes mid-motion.
Slowly, she looks up.
And there he is.
Adrian Cole.
Standing in the same spot as before, his gaze already locked onto her like he’s been watching her the entire time.
Liana swallows.
He came back.
Of course he did.
“Of....of course,” she says, her voice quieter than usual as she sets aside the martini and reaches for the wine bottle.
Her fingers feel clumsy under his gaze. She tries to steady them, but it’s difficult when she can practically feel his eyes tracing her every move.
Why does he keep looking at her like that?
What does he want?
---
Adrian watches her carefully.
Every reaction.
Every shift in her expression.
She’s nervous again.
More than before.
Good.
Not because he wants to scare her, but because it means she feels him , notices him and reacts to him.
Most ladies try too hard to impress him.
She doesn’t.
And that… intrigues him.
“You’re quieter tonight,” he says as she places the glass in front of him.
Liana blinks, caught off guard by the comment.
“I’m working,” she replies simply.
A lie.
And he knows it.
A faint smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. “You were working yesterday too.”
She doesn’t respond to that.
Instead, she turns away quickly, attending to another customer.
Creating distance.
Avoiding him.
Adrian’s eyes darken slightly.
Interesting.
---
Minutes pass, but Adrian doesn’t touch his drink.
He just watches her.
The way she moves faster when she’s near him.
The way she avoids looking directly at him.
The way her shoulders tense whenever he speaks.
She’s not comfortable.
And yet… she hasn’t asked him to leave.
Hasn’t complained.
Hasn’t told Marcus.
Why?
---
“Liana,” a familiar voice calls.
She looks up to see Marcus approaching, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp.
“Boss wants to see you after your shift,” he says quietly.
Liana frowns slightly. “Me? Why?”
Marcus shrugs lightly. “Didn’t say.”
Her stomach tightens.
“Okay…”
Marcus nods and walks away, but not before casting a quick glance at Adrian.
A glance Adrian notices.
Of course.
---
Liana’s mind races as she continues working.
Why would the boss want to see her?
Did she do something wrong?
Was it about… him?
Her eyes flicker toward Adrian unconsciously.
He’s still there.
Still watching.
Still… unreadable.
A strange feeling settles in her chest.
Something tells her this isn’t just a coincidence.
---
The hours drag on.
Longer than usual.
By the time her shift ends, her body is exhausted, but her mind is wide awake.
Anxious.
Uncertain.
She unties her apron slowly, glancing around the now quieter bar.
And then.
Her eyes meet his again.
Adrian hasn’t left.
Not once.
He’s been there the entire night.
Waiting.
For what?
For her?
A chill runs through her.
She quickly looks away, grabbing her bag.
“Goodnight,” she mutters to her co-worker as she heads toward the back office.
---
Marcus is already inside.
He stands by the desk, arms crossed, as if expecting her.
“You wanted to see me?” Liana asks, her voice cautious.
Marcus nods. “Yeah. Close the door.”
Her heart beats faster, but she does as told.
The click of the door echoes louder than it should.
“What’s going on?” she asks.
Marcus studies her for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully.
Then
“There’s a guest staying at the hotel upstairs,” he begins.
Liana nods slowly. The club is connected to a luxury hotel, it’s not unusual.
“He requested… a private drink service.”
She frowns. “Okay… so?”
Marcus exhales. “He specifically asked for you.”
Her stomach drops.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Her mind immediately goes to one person.
“No,” she says quickly, shaking her head. “I… I don’t do that. I just work the bar.”
“It’s just delivering a drink to his room,” Marcus says, though his tone lacks full conviction. “That’s all.”
Liana hesitates.
Something feels off.
“Why me?” she asks again, quieter this time.
Marcus doesn’t answer directly.
“Look, it’s a simple request. Take the wine up, give it to him, and leave. You’ll be paid extra.”
She needs money.
She always needs it.
But still
Her chest tightens with unease.
“Who is it?” she finally asks.
Marcus pauses.
Then says, “Adrian Cole.”
---
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Liana’s heart begins to pound.
“No…” she whispers, more to herself than to him.
It all makes sense now.
The staring.
The attention.
The way he never left.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” she says, her voice shaking slightly.
Marcus sighs. “Liana..”
“No, it’s just… something feels wrong,” she insists.
But Marcus’s expression hardens slightly.
“It’s not a request.”
The words hit differently.
Her shoulders slump slightly.
She feels trapped.
If she refuses… what happens? Does she lose her job?
She can’t afford that.
Not now.
Not ever.
---
A few minutes later, Liana stands in front of the hotel elevator, holding a tray with a bottle of wine and a glass.
Her hands tremble slightly.
She hates this.
Every part of this feels wrong.
The elevator dings.
The doors open.
She steps inside.
And as the doors close, one thought echoes loudly in her mind
What does Adrian Cole want from her?
---
Upstairs, in a dimly lit hotel suite, Adrian stands by the window once again.
Waiting.
But this time… not for memories.
For her.
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