153 NO THANKS


    LUKE’S POV


    Since I had gotten a phone call from this crazy woman, I went to meet her. Tiffany had told me that the


    both of us should meet at this nightclub. And of course, I knew what she wanted to talk about. It was


    about her pregnancy; that’s even if she was pregnant.


    I couldn’t actually tell, though, but I had a feeling that she was just making up all of this, probably to get


    to me or something. Well, I couldn’t start jumping to conclusions or heeding these thoughts. She might


    be correct, and I might be the knucklehead around here.


    The moment I approached the nightclub, the thumping bass could be felt reverberating through the


    walls, setting the tone for the evening ahead. The neon lights flickered and danced, casting an


    otherworldly glow on the streets outside. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the heavy door and


    stepped into the dimly lit space.


    The club was a sensory overload; the air was thick with a heady mix of sweat, perfume, and alcohol.


    Strobe lights shed erratically, cutting through the haze and illuminating the gyrating bodies on the


    dance floor. I hesitated for al moment, taking in the scene before me.


    The music pulsed through me, a steady rhythm that seemed to sync with my heartbeat. I made my way


    through the crowd, feeling the energy of the ce enveloping me. The bass thudded in my chest,


    urging me to let go and to lose myself in the music and the moment.


    As I moved further into the club, the crowd seemed to part around me, a sea of faces and bodies


    shifting and swirling in a mesmerizing dance. I found myself drawn towards the bar, the promise of a


    drink and a momentary respite calling to


    1. me.


    Squeezing my way through the throng of people, I finally reached the bar and caught the bartender’s


    eye. Ordering a drink, I leaned against the counter, taking a moment to survey the scéne around me.


    There were people of all kinds in the club–someughing and chatting, others lost in their own world,


    their bodies moving to the music in a primal, instinctual way. The air was thick with anticipation, with the


    promise of something wild and unpredictable hanging in the air.


    I sipped my drink, and there was this feeling that went right through me. The music seemed to grow


    louder and more insistent, urging me to join the dance.


    floor, to let go of my inhibitions, and to surrender to the night.


    But, hell no, I wasn’t going to do that. Tiffany was the one who had made mee here, so I was


    going to keep my cool, wait till she arrived, get the conversation done, and get the fuck out of here. The


    music was really nice, though; it had me nodding to the beat.


    This desirabledy approached me with makeup all over her face and a mini dress that wlessly


    disyed her curves. I couldn’t stop staring at her, but I had to try my best to turn my face away. I didn’t


    want to be that kind of man who just fucked anydy he crossed paths with.


    “Why did you turn your face away?” This woman asked, and I had to cease drinking.


    I looked at her. “I’m sorry, are you talking to me?”


    “Who else would I be talking to?”


    “Well, there are tons of people in the building.”


    “But I’m standing close to you.”


    I let out a sigh after that and took a sip of my drink.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    “Wanna dance?” She asked.


    “No,” I replied.


    “Are you being serious?”


    “I should be the one asking you that,” I retorted.


    “What do you mean?”


    “Apparently, you have no idea who I am. But you just walked up to me and want me to start getting all


    intimate with you.


    “Intimate?” She made a confused face. “Not what I said, but is there something wrong with that?”


    “Is there something wrong with me refusing your dance offer?”


    She shook her head. “You know what? You are unbelievable. “You have a nice face, but you’re just…


    She stormed off. Aww, she wanted me so bad. So sad I couldn’t hit the pretty girl.


    ARIEL’S POV


    The night was one of swirling shadows and whispers in the city that never truly slept. My heart pounded


    in my chest as I pushed my way through the crowded streets, calling out Luke’s name over and over


    again. Panic wed at my insides,


    twisting my stomach into knots. Where could he be in thisbyrinth of noise and movement?


    I remembered this one time back then in Canada, when I had lost sight of him at the time we were


    browsing the market stalls in the evening. One moment he was tugging at my hand, his small fingers


    slipping from my grasp, and the next he was gone. At that time, my mind raced with scenarios of what


    could have happened to him in the chaos of the city, but I was lucky to have found him quickly. But this


    time around, the situation was a tough one.


    My voice grew hoarse from calling out for Lukel, my eyes scanning every face that passed by, hoping


    to catch a glimpse of my precious son. The flickering streetlights cast long, eerie shadows that seemed


    to dance and taunt me as I frantically searched.


    Turning around, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the narrow alleyway, sending a chill down my


    spine. I shivered, my breathing out in white puffs in the cold night air. I clutched my coat tighter


    around me, feeling the weight of fear pressing down on my chest.


    The echoes of my calls bounced off the walls of the buildings, blending with the distant sounds of


    laughter and music from the taverns nearby. My heart sank with each passing minute, each second


    feeling like an eternity as I continued my desperate search.


    “Where could he be now?” I whispered to myself, holding my waist. I was


    frustrated, frightened, and terrified. Use all the possible words you can. How was I going to see him? I


    didn’t even know the direction he took, so this was going to be really hard.


    I called Elizabeth on the phone, asking her if she had seen Lukel, but the answer she gave me was no.


    And here I was, my heart sinking in worry. I don’t even know what to do right now. I couldn’t tell if my


    little boy was kidnapped or if he was somewhere enjoying himself. I just couldn’t tell. But I hoped that


    he was neither sad nor terrified, wherever he was.


    I drove my hands through my hair, letting out a deep sigh, and I decided to continue my search. Just


    like I said earlier, no giving up. This was my son, whom we were talking about here. My blood, my


    treasure, my indefectible diamond.


    And as I continued to look around, my eyes caught someone standing close to a shop. Yes, these eyes


    widened immediately, but I wasn’t sure who I was seeing at moment. Thedy looked just like Harriet.


    Her shape, her hair, everything. I just couldn’t see her face since she wasn’t looking in my direction.


    the


    My phone fell from my hands, and I slowly picked it up from the ground. By the time I looked in that


    direction, I didn’t see this woman any more.


    154 SEEN