TBD

01

Growing up as the daughter of a powerful CEO, you were accustomed to pretending and constantly being in the public eye, never experiencing life without constant scrutiny. At the age of seven, you had perfected the art of pretending to be happy. A slight smile is recommended, neither too big to avoid being seen as an overachiever nor too small to avoid potential controversies.

At the age of fifteen, your father declared you the face of his company, and your familiar life was permanently altered. You didn't have time for your academic studies or meaningless relationships anymore. Instead, you dedicated your time to perfecting your catwalk strut and model expressions. Watching your peers mature normally, balancing intense studying with wild partying, over the years has fueled an unspoken envy within you.

You wanted to feel ordinary for once. You wanted to feel like your father's daughter instead of his employee for a change. You desired to let go of the world just this once and enjoy genuine freedom. This was how you ended up seated on a uncomfortable barstool, resting your elbows on the sticky countertop with a glass of an unknown drink in your hand. The outfit you had on clung to your body, revealing more skin than you usually showed in public. Your calves felt a slight ache from the high heels, but you ignored it while delicately sipping on the drink. Tomorrow, you would be meeting the man your father was giving you away to. You knew nothing about him other than the fact that he was one of your father's business partner's son. You silently tipped up your drink, a silent toast to your last night of freedom. Knocking your head back, you winced at the unfamiliar burn as you emptied the glass.

When you ungracefully dropped the empty glass onto the counter, red lips stained the rim. "Another, miss?" You vaguely heard the bartender ask. You nodded without thinking, eyes staring forward without focus. Your cheeks felt warm from the few drinks you'd had since you sat down. As the bartender poured you another drink, you allowed your gaze to drift, scanning the room in curiosity. Red lights lit up the space, random spotlights moving about from the ceiling. The music played loud enough to leave a slight ringing in your ear, your bones vibrating to the beat. Hundreds of people flooded the floor, you noted. Some pairs danced against each other provocatively, intriguing you as you eyed a girl making out with a taller man over her shoulder. Some people danced alone, mouthing the words to a song you didn't recognize.

As you looked around, your eyes met a stranger's from across the bar. He sat alone, unlike the many other patrons of the club, a half-emptied pint in front of him. From where you were, you could make out the details of his attire-a dark blazer that fit snugly over the expanse of his shoulders. He wore a silk button-up, rudely unbuttoned low, allowing you to see the curve of his collarbones down to the lines of his chest. When your eyes flit up to glance at his face, he was already staring at you. his expression, which you can only describe as alluring, prompted you to suck your bottom lip under your teeth, gently biting at the skin. Dark eyes watched you from across the room, looking you up and down slowly before settling on your face. You watched carefully as a tongue flicked out to lick his pink lips before the corners pulled up into a smirk. He rose a brow at you, hair pushed back enough to let you see his silent beckon. You mirrored his expression, taking a sip of your drink as you stared at him through the glass. The man held a hand up, showing off silver rings wrapped around his slender fingers that made you want to sin. Clearing your throat, you looked away and down at your drink, amber liquid sloshing around in the glass.
Tomorrow, you will meet the man your father is marrying you off to. You knew nothing about him except that he was the son of one of your father's business partners. You quietly raised your drink, silently saluting your final evening of liberty. Tilting your head back, you grimaced at the strange sensation while finishing the glass. Red lips left a stain on the edge of the counter after you clumsily dropped the empty glass. "Would you like another one, miss?" The bartender's question was barely audible to you. You unconsciously nodded, gaze fixed ahead with no particular target in mind. The warmth in your cheeks was from the limited drinks you had consumed after sitting down. While the bartender poured another drink for you, you let your eyes wander, observing the room with curiosity. The area was illuminated by red lights, with various spotlights moving randomly from above. The loud music caused a faint ringing in your ear and made your bones vibrate to the rhythm. You observed that the floor was overflowing with hundreds of individuals. As you watched, some couples danced provocatively with each other while a girl caught your attention by kissing a taller man behind her. A few individuals danced by themselves, silently singing along to a song you were unfamiliar with. While scanning the room, your gaze locked with a stranger's at the other end of the bar.

He was seated by himself, Gloomy eyes observed you from the other side of the room, scanning your appearance leisurely before focusing on your face. You observed attentively as his tongue flicked out to moisten his pink lips and then a smirk formed at the corners. He arched an eyebrow at you, pushing his hair back to reveal his wordless invitation. You imitated his expression, drinking from your glass as you gazed at him. The man displayed his slender fingers adorned with silver rings, tempting you to indulge in sin. You cleared your throat and glanced down at your drink, watching the amber liquid move in the glass. In confusion, you glanced upward and beckoned the bartender, who had already walked away from you. "Could you repeat that, please? I didn't ask for a shot," you shouted above the loud music. Before you could even take another sip, a shot glass was placed in front of you, its contents on the verge of overflowing...