Natasha Portman didn't wake up until the evening of the next day. By then, the butler downstairs was hesitating whether to knock on her door. She had locked herself in her room for a whole day and night, without eating or drinking, and the butler couldn't help but feel uneasy. After all, she was just a twenty-year-old girl, suddenly faced with such a change. He was worried she might do something rash.
When he saw her finally come out, he was visibly relieved and pleased.
"Miss, you're awake? The kitchen has prepared some food. Would you like to eat something?"
"Mm."
Natasha Portman nodded and walked to the dining room. After sleeping, she felt much better and the pain in her heart had faded somewhat.
Tomorrow... starting tomorrow, she would have to face those things.
While she was eating, the butler stood nearby, holding a small notebook and speaking to her.
"Miss, the old master from the Donald family called for you during this time."
"Mm."
She replied lightly, knowing full well why Harris M. Donald had called her.
The butler, looking at her expression, felt a pang of sympathy.
"Madam also came to see you. She heard you were sleeping, so she didn't disturb you."
"Mm."
She ate quietly, and the butler continued to report.
"Also, Mr. Antony Duan, the assistant to the old master's company, came to see you. He said the company can't function without a leader, and there are many things that need your decision and attention."
"I understand, thank you."
She looked up and gave the butler a faint smile. It was a little forced, but she was making an effort to hide her emotions, trying to adapt to the unpredictable world of business.
After finishing her meal, she went upstairs, applied light makeup, and changed into a black dress. Then, she put on her coat and went downstairs. When the butler saw her, he asked, somewhat surprised:
"Miss, are you going out? Shall I call the driver?"
"No need, I'm just going out for a drink."
She shook her head, declining. The butler was taken aback.
"Drink? Alone?"
Wasn't she someone who never touched alcohol?
"Yes."
She answered briefly, then stepped out the door. The butler sighed helplessly behind her. The master and madam had always been virtuous, how could they have encountered such a turn of events?
Natasha Portman didn't go to a noisy nightclub. She didn't like such places, and as a woman, she felt unsafe in them. She was always cautious in whatever she did, so instead, she took a taxi to a nearby quiet bar, one her friend Cecilia had taken her to once before.
Cecilia was currently in Paris attending a fashion show and wouldn't be back until tomorrow, so Natasha had to come by herself.
When the waiter brought the menu, she scanned the dazzling array of names and chose one called "No Turning Back." In truth, she knew nothing about cocktails, but she liked the name: "No Turning Back."
Subconsciously, she reminded herself that once a decision is made and a path is taken, there should be no turning back.
Since Louis Donald was forced into marriage by his grandfather, he had been drowning his sorrows in nightclubs every night. Of course, he frequented the loud and luxurious high-end bars. While he was drinking, his phone rang. It was one of his friends.
"Hello, Mr. Donald, this is Jimmy. I think I saw your fiancée drinking alone at the bar…"
"Fiancée?"
Louis Donald furrowed his well-defined brows and only then remembered who the other person was referring to.
"She can do whatever she wants, it has nothing to do with me!" Jimmy on the other end of the line chuckled slightly.
"Oh, if you don't care, then I won't say anything. But I just think it's not safe for a young woman to be alone in a bar. Though it's a quiet bar, once she drinks, who knows if some man will have ill intentions. After all, she's supposed to be your wife."
"I don't care!"
Louis Donald was already frustrated. As soon as Jimmy brought up the word "wife," he snapped irritably and hung up the phone.
However, after hanging up, he felt even more bothered. Her stubborn, proud face kept flashing in his mind. Thinking it over, her look and demeanor were indeed quite attention-grabbing. He definitely didn't want to be cheated on before the wedding.
With that thought, he stood up irritably and left the bar.
Meanwhile, Natasha Portman, who Jimmy had described as "drinking to drown her sorrows," hadn't even taken a sip of her drink. She had told the housekeeper she was going out for a drink, but in truth, she just wanted to find a quiet place to sit and relax. She knew very well that her alcohol tolerance was low, so she ordered a drink only to avoid feeling out of place in the bar.
There was a young man at the bar strumming a guitar softly, singing a gentle and clean song. It was an unknown English tune, but it relaxed and calmed those who listened. This was one of the reasons she enjoyed quiet bars like this.
At the next table, a girl had a whole row of colorful cocktails in front of her. It seemed she had ordered every kind of cocktail the bar had, and she was drinking one after another, tears streaming down her face.
Natasha Portman looked over with a sense of sympathy. If someone wasn't in pain, who would indulge in self-destructive behavior like this?
Just as Natasha Portman was about to stand up and try to comfort the girl, thinking that while alcohol might numb the pain, one's health was more important, a man in his thirties walked in. He looked mature and composed, and immediately grabbed the girl, lifting her up with a firm grip. His voice was laced with restrained anger:
"I've been indulgent with you, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"
The girl looked up, recognizing the man's face, and screamed hysterically, "Jimmy, you devil—"
The man ignored her curses, his face cold as he scooped the drunk girl into his arms and stormed out. As he walked past Natasha Portman, he gave her a thoughtful glance.
She didn't pay much attention, as she didn't know them. After the man left with the girl, she continued to sit quietly, listening to the singer's performance. However, when she tilted her head, she suddenly saw a familiar figure walking through the door.
She immediately felt annoyed and turned her face away. What a coincidence—how could she run into him here?
She raised a hand to adjust her hair, hoping the strands would cover her face so he wouldn't see her. Louis Donald was heading right for her; how could he possibly not find her?
While Natasha Portman was lost in frustration, she suddenly noticed a shadow looming in front of her. She looked up, and he was already sitting casually across from her, his handsome face seemingly filled with anger. She could only force a smile and greet him as if it were just a coincidence.
"Mr. Donald, what a coincidence!"
"Quite the coincidence," Louis Donald said, glaring at her, his words coming out between clenched teeth. He was burning with anger. He had clearly seen her deliberately trying to avoid him—what was it? Was she really so dismissive of him, Louis Donald, a charming and handsome man?
He glanced at the drink in front of her and raised an eyebrow.
"'No Looking Back'? Well, it seems like even if you want to turn back now, it might be too late for that."
He bluntly exposed her thoughts, and Natasha Portman felt a sense of embarrassment, as if he had seen through her completely. In a desperate attempt to destroy the evidence, she grabbed the glass and gulped down the drink in one go.
"You can really drink, huh?" he remarked with a smirk.
Natasha Portman felt a burning sensation in her throat, but then saw him stand up and walk over to the bar. She wasn't sure what he said to the bartender, but a few moments later, the bartender handed him several bottles of alcohol. He then took a seat on one of the high stools at the bar and began mixing the drinks skillfully.