A sharp scream cut through the air, shrill and jarring.


    Walter quickly pushed Be away. "Who are you? Looking for trouble?"


    Be stepped back but didn''t fight. She yed with her wine ss, staring at Andrea. "Andrea, what a coincidence!"


    Andrea recognized Be, her face shifting from anger to disbelief to embarrassment.


    Walter red. "Do you know each other?"


    I worried Be might escte things, so I tried to pull her away. But she shook me off and eyed Walter. "This guy''s way younger than my dad. Andrea, if you like younger men, why go after my dad?" "Is she the bitch always giving you trouble?" Walter asked, holding Andrea close.


    Clearly, Walter knew Andrea''s situation. She must''veined to him a lot.


    Andrea hesitated, pushing Walter, trying to leave quickly.


    Be''s wine ss shattered. She grabbed Andrea''s clothes, her tone calm but hostile. "Who''s the bitch? You seduced a married man and now use my dad''s money to keep a gigolo?"


    I remembered theirst bar fight and didn''t want a repeat, so I pulled Be hard, but she wouldn''t budge.


    Andrea was terrified, knowing Be''s Taekwondo skills and fearing a beating.


    But Walter, hot-tempered and unaware, pointed at Be. "Bitch, you want a beating?"


    Be pushed me aside and fought Walter. He had brute strength but was no match for her. He was soon beaten ck and blue.


    Ethan and Oliver stayed out of it, knowing Be wouldn''t lose.


    Andrea had to drag Walter away. Luckily, it was a quick fight, and the crowd dispersed.


    Be returned, drinking silently.


    I knew she felt bad and didn''t know how tofort her. Seeing her drink so much made me feel bad too, so I tugged her sleeve. "Bell, stop drinking."


    Ethan pulled me to sit beside him. "Let her drink."


    The two women with Oliver were gone, and now Oliver seemed topete with Be in drinking.


    I didn''t know how long it had been when a group burst into the bar. The leader scanned the room, fixed his gaze on Be, and strode over. Seeing their fierce looks, I got nervous.


    "The one with short hair, in the white shirt, that''s her. Beat her up good." The leader grabbed Be''s hair and yanked her off the sofa.


    I quickly stood up. "What are you doing?"


    Normally, even if they ganged up, they wouldn''t match Be. But she was drunk, barely able to stand.


    The man red at me. "We''re dealing with this bitch. Stay out of it."


    Just as he finished, he was punched, his head snapping to the side, and he let go of Be. She wobbled and fell back onto the sofa.


    Oliver stood nearby, fists clenched, jaw tight. Though he had drunk a lot, he was more sober than Be.


    The man recovered and started fighting Oliver. Two more men grabbed Be. Without thinking, I lunged to protect her. One was about to punch me when Ethan grabbed his fist and swung back. The scene turned chaotic. I was terrified; Ethan''s head bandage had just been removed today.


    One man, seeing Ethan and Oliver upied, dragged me away and yanked Be up, punching her in the face. With a low cry, Be fell but was caught by an arm.


    "Who dares to make a move?" The voice was familiar. I looked up and saw it was Zachary.


    With Zachary''s shout, the men froze, each calling out "Zachary" with guilty looks.


    Be''s mouth was bruised, and she could barely stand without leaning on Zachary.


    Zachary pointed at the man who hit Be and turned to her. "Which part of him do you want? It''s your call."


    Zachary''s tone was calm, his face always faintly smiling, but the man trembled with fear. "No, Zachary, I was wrong. I didn''t know she was rted to you." Be, still somewhat sober, pushed Zachary away. "Get lost."


    Without Zachary''s support, she couldn''t stand. I wanted to help her, but Oliver got there first.


    "This is my turf. Get out," Zachary said, still smiling as he pointed at the group. "From now on, treat her with respect. If anyone harms her again, I''ll kick their ass." The men quickly agreed, "Yes, we won''t dare anymore, Zachary."


    Zachary didn''t linger and left with his group.


    Be was sliding down, and Oliver held her up. Whether angry at others or himself, he suddenly kissed her.


    Be tried to push him away but ended up falling backward, pping Oliver in the process. But she was too drunk for it to be strong.


    Oliver steadied her again, unfazed. "I''ll take you home."


    Be started crying like a child in his arms. "I don''t want to go back. I hate that home."


    My heart ached for her.


    Be clutched Oliver''s clothes, her drunken eyes on him. "You kissed me because you want to sleep with me, right? Fine, I want the presidential suite."


    I was shocked. ''How could she talk like that?''


    Oliver picked Be up and walked out. I chased after them, but Ethan held me back.


    I shouted, "Oliver, Belle is drunk and not in her right mind. You can''t touch her."


    Oliver stopped and turned to me. "Just take care of Ethan."


    I watched Oliver take Be away, worried about what might happen.


    I anxiously tugged at Ethan. "Quick, call Oliver."


    Ethan pulled me back to sit down. "Emily, some things are beyond your control. It''s obvious Oliver likes Be, and Be likes him too. Can''t you see that? They justck the courage to take the next step." I replied, "But even if they like each other, it''s not to that extent yet."


    Ethan lit a cigarette. "They''re adults. They can take responsibility for their actions, just like you."


    Ethan suddenly looked at me, making my heart skip a beat. "You married me so quickly, which seemed crazy to others, but we''re adults and can take responsibility for our actions. I''ll take responsibility for you." My heart fluttered, but Ethan''s phone rang. He answered, "Yes, table 8, Blue Ocean Bar."


    Shortly after, a man with a briefcase walked over and extended his hand to Ethan. "Mr. Windsor, I''m the editor-in-chief of Starlight Times."


    Ethan shook his hand briefly and smiled. "Let me buy you a drink."


    The man sat down, smiling politely. "That would be generous of you, Mr. Windsor."


    He ced his briefcase aside, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitated after ncing at me.


    Ethan turned to me. "You should head home. I''ll have Ivan take you."


    "Aren''t youing back?" I blurted out.


    Ethan leaned in close, his voice low and suggestive. "Can''t be without me?"


    I blushed, and I quickly stood up. "I''ll go then."


    I walked a bit and looked back, seeing the editor talking to Ethan. Both looked serious, discussing something important.


    After Ivan drove me back to the vi, I took a shower andy in bed, unable to sleep.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Maybe the vi was too empty, making me feel particrly lonely. I kept wondering what they were discussing and why Ethan had sent me away.


    After midnight, Ethan sent a message: [I''m noting back tonight. Go to bed early.]


    I wondered, ''If he wasn''ting back, where would he go? Could they really talk all night?''


    I couldn''t sleep because of the message. To make matters worse, it started thundering and pouring rain.


    I''ve been afraid of thunderstorms since I was a child. Through a gap in the curtains, I saw the night sky split open by lightning, the thunder so loud it felt like it was exploding over my head.


    It was said that people shouldn''t use the phone during a thunderstorm, but I was so scared that I still grabbed my phone and sent Ethan a message: [Where are you?]


    About twenty minutester, I got a reply: [Come down to open the door. I left my keys in the car.]


    It felt like a ray of light in the darkness. I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs barefoot.


    When I opened the door, Ethan was standing there, drenched from head to toe, with lightning illuminating the sky behind him.


    My eyes welled up, and I threw myself into his arms. He smelled strongly of alcohol.


    "Didn''t you say you weren''ting back?" I choked up a bit.


    "I know you''re afraid of thunderstorms," he said, then picked me up, kicked off his shoes, and carried me upstairs, straight into the bathroom.


    He turned on the shower, and water poured over us. My vision blurred from the water, and I could only see him quickly taking off his clothes and thening to undress me.