Meanwhile, at the Sunset Strip Nightclub in Private room No. 5, Zane was drinking and flirting with the club's hostesses, each on the arm.
Zane Gu was the ultimate social butterfly of the group of friends. He was the heir of The Marblegate Corporation, the largest bank in Country X. He was the confident womanizer. He changes women more than his underwear. He's never emotionally attached to anyone.
"You're early sweetie!" Zane exclaimed. "I thought you're always fashionably late."
"Fuck off," Ethan said coldly. He sat down, crossed his long legs, and poured himself a drink. He sat there looking very distinguished and hostile.
"Feisty baby. So, tell me what happened on your trip? I told you to make it into a getaway for us but you refused. At least you would've had fun, instead of sulking. You know all work and no play makes Ethan dull as dishwater," Zane said as he eyed him. Being the thick-skinned idiot of them, he was the only one to ignore Ethan's temper.
Ethan squinted his eyes at him and continued to drink his liquor.
Zane ignored him and continued, "When was the last time you got laid?"
The atmosphere in the room became stilted and Zane was about to continue probing him about his trip when the door flung open. Cade walked in with a smile on his face.
"Babyface you're in town!" Zane exclaimed.
Cade Qin called Babyface because he was really cute, like a baby. Only they knew that under that cute face was a ruthless man. He was Major General and commander of the Special force. Coming from a background of generations of military dignitaries, this path they layout for him before his birth. He excelled in every task they had given him and made the country proud. He was honorable and courageous.
"Only briefly passing through," said Cade as he sat next to Ethan, who seemed glum and nudged him. "What's up?"
"Nothing."
The men expected nothing else. This was just Ethan being himself, cold, indifferent, and disconsolate, however, it was worse tonight.
Soon after, Toby and Lexi came hand in hand and anyone could tell what they were up to before they arrived. The fresh marks could hardly be conceal, her lips were fuller than ever and a plastered smile on his face.
Toby was the most patient and knowledgeable of the four. His nickname was old man. He was a man of considerable insight and gave the best advice, considering his academic background and family history. He came from a family of scholars and historians.
"Yikes...Why does this place feel so very depressing?" Lexi asked as she sat next to her fiancé and all eyes turned to the man in the all-black suit drinking heavily.
"We were just waiting on you guys."
"What took you so long? Nevermind don't answer that, I have eyes."
Blurted out Cade and Zane respectively. While Ethan brows knitted at the couple.
The club manager came in and his eyes lit up instantly when he saw the four young masters in the private room. He decanted the wine and set the mood with the right music. Then headed out and sent in two of his best girls to entertain the single men.
The girls sat beside them and started flirting and pouring them drinks while the men just talked about business.
Ethan glared coldly at one of the girls when she rubbed his inner thigh, and she pulled away in fright. On a typical night, he would indulge himself with their tease, but not tonight. Too much has happened on his trip and he felt like a haul truck crushed him.
************
Senior Chen's driver drove Ally to the address Madison sent to her via WhatsApp.
When she arrived and looked out of the car window, of all the places, she could not believe that Madison would choose such a spot to meet.
"Wear something gorgeous, gorgeous," Madison had said in the message. Ally now realized her intentions.
With the flashing Colored Led lights illuminating and the loud music, she was a bit taken back and sighed. It feels like ages since she's been in a nightclub and technically her third time. The first time she went with her university mates and the second time she was hunting a rat.
She stepped out of the car looking exquisite in a black spaghetti strap bodysuit, a midi Off-White Draped striped skirt with a split on the left that leads to the waist, and paired with a three straps single sole heel. She wore a barely visible gold bracelet, no makeup except for mascara and a pink lip stain. She let her hair flow down her back in waves.
"I'm here. Where are you?" She sent a message to Madison.
"At the bar on the ground floor," Madison quickly replied.
Ally walked through the crowd, ignoring the stares and cat-calling from thirsty men. She spotted her friend in the corner wearing a very sexy red dress, not exposing her skin but showing her curves.
"Alyssa!! Come here, you've been avoiding me for far too long," Madison said as she pulled her in for a hug and kiss on the cheek.
Ally grinned widely and embraced her back tightly. "It's been a while Sugar-daddy, I missed you."
"Don't call me that in public, Muffin," she teased. "I missed you too. Come...come sit. This is the A-list club of the city."
"It's extravagant," Ally said as she observed the interior design.
"All the top socialites and celebrities come here to party, but to mostly flash their clothing and jewelry."
"Is that why you picked this place to meet? To see your celebrity crush!" Ally teased.
"No..No," Madison stuttered. "You're my favorite celebrity crush. Happy now?"
"Hmm...Definitely!"
Ally smiled at her friend's bantering. She truly missed this chatty person in from of her.
"Anyways, tell me everything I've missed since we've last seen each other," Madison said as she sat facing Ally like an eager child waiting for a bedtime story.
"Nothing much."
Madison looked at her and sternly said, "I know you, Ally. You bottle up everything and hide behind the fake smile just to please people. You should know you can't fool me."
Ally didn't know how to retort, her friend knew her too well.
"Well...I don't know where to begin. Oh, Madison, don't make me relive these unpleasant moments," she pleaded, but her friend didn't give up.
Ally exhaled and down a shot of alcohol in her throat.
"After Dad passed away, I had a hard time coping, which you've witnessed," said Ally as she took her second shot.
"I did, and it was the worst I've ever seen you. I mean, you were already reserved, but you got more withdrawn and disconsolate. It was full-blown depression," Madison said as she held her hands and had a grave expression.
The Chen's treated her like one of their own. They offered her a place to stay during her studies so that she could save her rent for future use. She had a front seat to their kindness and generosity and when she heard about the tragedy, all she thought about was how they'd get through this loss.
"I went to therapy and eventually got healthier with the support of mom and Callum. They had it rough mourning and taking care of me simultaneously. When I snapped out of my misery, I wanted to forget everything and live a positive life. So, I started University and occupied all my time with volunteering. I worked with mom for a while during that time too."
Madison hugged her again, "I'm so sorry Ally. I've been a really terrible sister to you. I was so busy with my shit and didn't check in on you and mom."
"Don't feel bad about it," Ally sighed. "What about you? What mischief has My Sugar-daddy been up to these past few years?"
"Well, I'm a lawyer now...working with a friend. I didn't want to depend on those people anymore." She said dejectedly.
"You could've come back to us."
"You guys already had it hard and I didn't want to add to it. Plus it was a decision I made after much deliberation. I needed to get strong on my own, so no one could bully me anymore and that I did," Madison said with a forced smile.
"I'm glad you're okay, but if there is anything you need don't hesitate to ask," Ally stated.
"I need a husband can you find one for me?" Madison said with puppy eyes and burst out laughing.
"I'm sure you'll have no problem doing that on your own. However, when you do, let me feel him out first before you say 'I do'."
"I don't just want anyone. I want to marry someone I love. I want to find my soulmate and have lots of babies, but it looks like I'll be an old woman with lots of cats," Madison said and they both burst out laughing.
"Anyway, enough about these sad stories, let's make a toast," Madison said with excitement masking her unhappiness.
Ally raised her glass and said, "To new beginnings and friendship."
Madison added, "To finding love and happiness and making plenty babies."
They both shrieked with laughter at the last part of the toast and poured the liquid down their throats. They coughed from the tingling burn in their throats.
Ally looked at Madison and felt great comfort in seeing her friend after so many years. She blurted out, "As soon as you get time, I have someone I want to introduce to you."
"Please god let it be a handsome man," Madison said with a prayer-like gesture.
Ally laughed heartily until she hiccuped. It's been a while since she's laughed so much and her friend didn't disappoint. Madison was like the electricity running through the wires, lighting up her life.
Madison realized she wanted to use the ladies' room and Ally got up to accompany her. The one on the floor where they were had a long line, so they headed to another on first floor. They peed and Madison retouched her makeup while Ally just lightly patted her cheeks and forehead with the damp paper towel.
On their way out they ignored the group of men who were cat-calling them, but the drunkards were presumptuous and one of them squeezed Madison's butt. She abruptly halted, turned around, and gave him a slap across his face, not caring to find out the true culprit. 'Birds of a feather,' she mused.
The man was angered, and she was too late to dodge his slap which caused her to stumble and she immediately alerted Ally.
Ally thought Madison was right beside her until she heard the sound of her falling and the contents from her clutch purse fell out.
Ally walked up to the group and without asking, she punched the man in his face and kicked him in his crotch. The skirt she was wearing gave her limitless freedom to move. His friends rushed to her, but she avoided them effortlessly. She's dealt with people much worse than them. She punched, kicked, and dodged with exquisite fluidity.
The people in the room closed by rushed out and witnessed this scene.
She was like a warrior princess in fashionable attire. Her long wavy hair shadowed her movement. When she finished, she dusted her hands and rolled her eyes at the punks on the floor.
"Wazzocks," she muttered.
Ally helped Madison up and frowned at the red mark on her face and the bruise on her arm from the fall. Her eyes blazed with fury and she turned back to the groaning man on the ground. She kicked the man and then stooped down, grabbed his hair, and demanded, "Apologise to her."
The drunkard cursed and she punched him in the face. She lifted his head again to face Madison.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Have respect for women or you'll be sorry next time," Ally declared.
Her friend's transformation stupefied Madison, but she quickly snapped out of it. They both did self-defense classes with Gabe and Callum when they were in high school but Ally's aura just now was totally different. It was lethal.
She looked at Ally proudly and whispered, "Thank you, Muffin."
They walked through the crowd and when they tried to pass the last person, they couldn't move. He stood there blocking their path. Ally was a bit frustrated at this point. She just felt deeply irritated and she gritted her teeth.
The person was very tall, so she looked up and saw inky eyes and long lashes staring at her. The silent man had a stony face with thin lips and had no emotion on his handsome face. 'Such a handsome devil!' she mused.