Chapter 41
The world around Serena grew increasingly blurry. She forced herself to stay sijuight and grabbed her bag as she rose. Her steps started to become
“Excuse me, I need to ute the restroom,” she said with a strained smile toward the group
Erika watched Serena leave him the corner of her eye and slowly smoothed the collar of her blouse with deliberate care.
As soon as Serena stepped out of the private room, a wave of heat and dizzinesshit her like a wall. She shook her head hair, trying to force helft some kind of clarity, and stumbled toward the restroom.
When she came out, she leaned against the sink, head down, beating hersell with both hands as the tried to regain her balance. Suddenly, the sharp stench of alcohol filled the air behind her
A middle–aged man in a wrinkled shirt staggered up, sharing his words, “Pretty girl like you standing here alone? Dangerous, you know? Can take you home?”
Serena’s bows furrowed. She angled her body away from him, her voice cold and clipped. “I don’t know you. Please step aside
“Aw, come on. No need to be so cold. We can get to know each other,” said the man,
He raised a bottle in one hand, swayed it slightly, and blocked her path. His grin was greasy and leaning “I’m gentle, pretty lady. Way better than thoor brats who only care about your looks.”
“Back off. Or I’ll call for help Serena shouted,
“Oh?” The man’s gaze darkened. Instead of backing down, he reached to grab Serena’s wrist.
-Just as Serena kept stepping back, a firm hand shot out and camped around the man’s wrist with force. The grip was on tight. The man struggled,
ying to pull away, but it was no use.
Serena looked up at the person. In the dim light outside the restroom, the man before her looked even sharper, every 1
line of his face carved with
restraint and tension:
His suit jacket was slung casually over his arm, and the sleeves of his shirt pushed up to his elbows, revealing his lean and powerful forearms.
Serena called out his name almost instinctively, “With?”
Keith turned slightly toward her. His gaze swept across her face, and he found her eyes unfocused, sweat clinging to her forehead.
Without saying anything, he placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her behind him.
Then he turned to the drunken man, his tone flat and cold. “She said she doesn’t know you. Do you not unders
The man hiccupped, clearly emboldened at first, but before he could speak, Keith twisted his wrist sharply. The man yelped in pain. He tried to pull back again, but the grip didn’t ease in the slightest.
Keith leaned in slightly and snapped, “Apologize.”
The man winced, cowed by pain and Keith’s menace. “5–Sorry”
With added, “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”
The man’s face contorted with pain as sweat beaded on his forehead. His voice grew louder. “I’m sorry, miss, I drank too much. I was too rude. Please forgive me
Serena wiped the sweat from her rows with her hand, her voice solt. “Enough Let him go
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Chapter 41
Keith finally released the man’s wrist, licking his hand afterward with visible dispost, as though he had touched something filthy
He pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket and carefully wiped his fingers. He asked Seresa, “Are you alright?”
Serena turmed slightly, leaning against the cold porcelain edge of the sink. Whether it was from the alcohol or the aftermath of adren her forehead was still damp with sweat
She looked down, fingers curling tight around the edge of the sink, the tendons in het hand standing out faintly
