Zoe's eyes narrowed, her lips pursed as she glared at the young man, who seemed to be in his early twenties standing opposite her, still stretching his hand as he asked Zoe for a dance.
The young man's drunk bloodshot eyes fixed on her and Zoe didn't fail to notice his disheveled hair sticking up in every direction, and his stained shirt, reeking of last night's party. His unwashed appearance made Zoe grimace in disgust.
"Please leave me alone, I'm not interested," Zoe responded as she turned away from the slurring stranger.
She tried to ignore the intoxicated stranger, but his persistent stare made Zoe's skin crawl.
"I'm trying to enjoy my drink alone," Zoe added with a low but firm tone.
"Fine," the young man muttered as he stumbled away.
Zoe breathed a sigh of relief as the intoxicated young man stumbled away, but her hands were still trembling as her eyes scanned the crowded bar, wary of another unwanted approach.
Zoe sat alone at the bar, nursing her whiskey as she tried to wash away the memories of her painful past.
Not until she saw another unwanted approach.
She saw another mysterious man in his late 30s. Holding a bottle of the same whiskey. There was a striking black cross tattoo inked on his arm.
And he appeared more reserved and composed than the previous man that had stumbled away.
Zoe would be lying if she said she wasn't terrified. But she did not intend to leave her comfortable space for him.
Her face scrunched up to form a frown, immediately suspicious that she might have been watched by him when entering the bar.
Zoe grew more suspicious, as he sat there just staring at her.
"Who is this man that dared leave his seat to come sit here with me? I guess he doesn't know I'm not in the right frame of mind. Why can't they just leave me alone so I could drink in peace," she muttered.
She has had a rough day and an even rougher night, now she had to face another unscrupulous man who kept staring at her.
He looks like someone with money. She was taken aback by his handsome face, which reminded her of a man she once admired back then in school. and those eyes of his that could petrify anyone at sight.
"W—Who are you? Why did you leave your seat?" She asked carefully.
Zoe felt a chill crawl up her spine as he observed her, and when he finally spoke, her heart beat faster.
"Which bastards dared to make you cry?"
Zoe's jaw dropped as soon as the question left his lips.
Where was the customary Hello? Wasn't that how you were supposed to greet someone you'd never met before?
There was an uneasy silence between them.
But Zoe kept asking the same question repeatedly about who he was.
"Seriously—" Zoe's head was starting to ache.
"You can either leave at your own free will, or I'm going to call the security to take you back to your seat," Zoe threatened, her eyes cold and tired at the same time. "I don't have time to banter words with you, not tonight at least."
"Hey…hey…relax. I'm not here to play with you, chill with me. I'm here to listen to all that you have to say. You look like you need some comfort."
"Do you take me for a fool?!" She questioned, clearly exasperated. "We're strangers. Don't act like you know me."
She tried to pick up her things, wanting to move to another spot.
"You want to leave your spot for me? I'm just an ordinary person who came to this bar to chill."
He was no ordinary person.
"Then go back to your spot to chill; you are making me feel uncomfortable."
"Hey?" The man was now even more amused by her response. His gaze intensified, and Zoe became aware of how he was eyeing every small movement she made.
She picked up her handbag and bottle of whiskey, almost leaving her spot.
"I can't leave my spot for you. I was here before you," Zoe said, putting her handbag down.
The young man raised a brow teasingly at her— leaving Zoe speechless.
To her surprise, he continued sitting lazily at her spot, watching her with the same teasing glint in his eyes.
"Hahaha!" He burst into a hearty laugh as if Zoe's panic was the funniest thing in the world. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I was looking for who to talk to until I saw you sitting here alone."
"H–How did you know I was alone?" Zoe questioned, eyeing him suspiciously. "Did you stalk me?"
He didn't answer. He continued staring at her wordlessly. "Why? Do you wish to be stalked?"
"Stop playing around!"
"No one truly happy would be drinking so much alone," he continued.
"And how would you know if I'm happy or not?" Zoe asked out of curiosity, wondering how he knew she wasn't happy.
"Is written all over you" he responded.
She swallowed and finally gave the man a better look from head to toe.
He had a perfect feature that Zoe never found in another man. His sculpted aquiline nose, chiseled jaw, and a healthy tan were all befitting a supermodel. Not to mention, he seems to have a well-tone body given how tight his suit was. Zoe found herself unable to turn away.
He stood out. Compared to him, Stanley seems plain and forgettable, even ugly.
The sheer difference between the two men made Zoe realize what an absolute fool she was to waste three years on Stanley.
'And Stanley had no hard work to compensate for his plainless; Zoe reminded herself.
His voice snapped Zoe out of her daze.
"Just because you saw me drinking alone doesn't mean I'm unhappy," Zoe began with a confidence that she faked.
"Your hair and make-up are a streaky mess.
I think it's pretty obvious that you are sad."
Zoe knew she did look ridiculous right now.
But so what? She didn't want his pity. She didn't want any man's pity.
Zoe hissed as she was forced to recall the scene of Stanley making love to Jenna. The pleasure on Jenna's face was unthinkable.
" I'm not a cheap woman."