"Hey girl, you haven’t been out in ages. Want to come out and unwind?"
Riley Hawthorne received a call from her best friend, Lucy Ford, inviting her for drinks at a bar to relax.
"No thanks, I’ll just hang out with Zachary," Riley declined without a second thought.
"Are you ditching your friends for a guy? What if I told you Zachary Sutton is at the bar too?"
Upon hearing this, Riley got excited, "Send me the address."
Lucy knew that anything involving Zachary Sutton would instantly pique her interest.
After hanging up, Lucy sent Riley the bar’s address via WeChat.
Riley arrived at the bar and was immediately hit by the dazzling and intoxicating scene—gorgeous ladies on stage in sexy dresses performing pole dances. The source of thɪs content is 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⁂𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱
Riley frowned slightly; she wasn’t fond of such noisy environments. But knowing Zachary was there, she braced herself and walked in.
The bar’s lights flickered in a riot of color, creating a surreal and dreamlike ambiance.
The music blared deafeningly, its heavy beat almost penetrated one’s heart, making you involuntarily sway along. The air was thick with the mix of alcohol and perfume, along with cheerful laughter and chatter.
In the dance floor, people moved their bodies with abandon, unleashing their enthusiasm and energy.
In the surrounding seats, men and women were either toasting with drinks or laughing and joking, their faces lit with excitement.
Riley wove through the crowd, searching for her bestie Lucy Ford.
Finally, in a corner booth, she spotted Lucy.
Lucy was clad in a black overcoat, underneath which was a beige bodycon dress, her makeup was exquisite, looking bright and confident, exuding a unique charm.
Beside her were two young handsome male models feeding her fruits. Lucy wore an expression of utter enjoyment.
Riley quickly walked over, "You sure know how to enjoy life, my dear miss!"
"Riley, welcome! Would you like me to get you some male models?" Lucy joked half-seriously.
Riley quickly waved her hand, showing a trace of disdain. "No way, don’t mess around. Where’s Zachary? Didn’t you say he’s here too?"
Lucy smiled and pointed to the empty seat next to them. "I saw him head into the next private room with some guys just a moment ago. Why don’t you sit and wait?"
Riley sat down, her eyes occasionally glancing towards the direction of the neighboring room, feeling a bit uneasy. She wondered what Zachary’s reaction would be when he saw her.
Just then, the music turned even more intense, and people in the dance floor started moving even more wildly.
Riley frowned again, feeling like her ears were about to explode.
She turned to look at Lucy, who was, in contrast, excitedly swaying her body along to the rhythm of the music.
"Why do you like coming to places ? It’s so noisy, I can’t stand it," Riley complained.
Lucy chuckled, "That’s what makes it lively! I’m not a stay-at-home kind of girl like you are. You need to loosen up sometimes. Plus, there are plenty of eye-catching guys and girls here!"
Saying this, Lucy draped an arm around the male model next to her, winking at him, "Right, handsome?"
The male model flashed a flattering smile and nodded quickly. "The Eldest Miss Ford is absolutely right."
Riley rolled her eyes, "I really don’t see what’s so special. I prefer quieter bars."
Just then, the door of the neighboring room swung open, and several stunning women stepped out.
"Young Master Sutton is really something, always so generous."
"Totally! Today’s tip was even bigger than last time."
"If I could spend just one night with such a rich and handsome heir like Young Master Sutton, I’d do it even without pay."
"Eh, dream on! Don’t you know how many gorgeous women always surround Young Master Sutton?"
Their banter drifted clearly into Riley’s and Lucy’s ears.
Instantly, Riley’s expression darkened.
Seeing her friend , Lucy sighed, "Girl, I’ve got to say, why did you have to crush on Zachary Sutton? Don’t you know he’s notoriously a playboy?"
Lucy knew Riley had been fond of Zachary Sutton for years and wouldn’t give up easily. She wanted to help her friend win him over quickly.
But, Zachary Sutton, he really was a heartbreaker.
As those girls said, he was never short of beautiful women around him, and even if Riley got together with him, she’d only end up hurt.
"Lucy, enough. I believe Zachary will change," Riley said, eyes downcast, feeling a pang of sadness yet still clinging to self-comfort.
"Or, how about not falling for Zachary Sutton? I could set you up with someone else," Lucy offered, not bearing to see her friend saddened.
Riley shook her head, "No one else but Zachary for me."
"You’ve got to be infatuated beyond cure," Lucy rolled her eyes, momentarily unsure of how to help her friend.
"Can’t you be more like me? Look, when I break up, I just find the next one, who’s even better!"
"Liar!" Riley pouted, "Lucy, stop fooling me. As much as you like to party, you’ve never had a second boyfriend, have you?"
Riley knew someone lived in Lucy’s heart; back in high school, she had a boyfriend, though she was the one who dumped him.
At that time, her parents disapproved of her young romance and scorned the boy’s background, forcing her to break up with him.
Reluctantly, Lucy painfully initiated the breakup herself.
Afterward, the boy went abroad and never returned.
Therefore, Riley had never met her boyfriend, only ever hearing Lucy mention she had a first love.
Whenever asked, Lucy would evade the topic, refusing to respond.
Over time, Riley stopped probing, not wanting to stir her friend’s painful memories.
Lucy was momentarily taken aback, a fleeting trace of melancholy flashed in her eyes.
"Let’s not dwell on the past. You should think more about yourself! Zachary Sutton really isn’t right for you; don’t waste your time."
Riley resolutely shook her head, "No, I just like him. I’m sure, one day, he will see my worth."
At that moment, a man helped a very drunk Zachary Sutton out of the room.
Seeing this, Riley quickly stood up and approached, "What happened to Zachary?"
"You know Zachary?" The man supporting Zachary looked at Riley with surprise.
Riley nodded, "I’m a friend of his sister."
"Perfect, Zachary’s drunk, you take him home."
With that, the man placed Zachary’s arm around Riley’s shoulder.