CHAPTER FOUR

Third Person:

Damian silently watched what was happening.

There was still no emotion on his face.

While the two women with him continued trying to pull the waitress toward their table, he remained seated, as if carefully studying the young woman's every move.

He noticed her trembling hands.

Her pale face.

And the eyes that were on the verge of tears from fear as she desperately tried to free herself from the two women's grasp.

"Please, ma'am..."

"I-I'm just a waitress..."

"I-I'm not an escort..."

The young woman's words came out in broken fragments.

She continued backing away while trying to pull her hands free.

Suddenly, the scene he had witnessed that morning flashed through Damian's mind.

Her...

She's the woman I saw at the pedestrian crossing.

The woman whose face had carried such deep exhaustion.

And now...

Those same eyes were still there.

Tired, yet filled with determination.

Just as one of the women was about to pull the waitress again...

Damian slowly stood up.

The entire VIP room immediately fell silent.

"Enough!"

It was only one word.

But it was enough to make the two women release the waitress's hands.

He quietly approached the young woman. His steps were slow but heavy.

When he finally stopped in front of her, she cautiously looked up at him, her eyes slightly trembling. Their gazes met once again, and for a moment, it felt as though the entire room had fallen silent.

He noticed her swollen eyes and the paleness of her face even more clearly.

She did not simply look frightened.

She looked utterly exhausted by life.

Damian silently pulled out his thick wallet.

He took out several bills.

He did not speak right away.

Slowly, he slipped the money into the pocket of the young woman's blouse.

"This is your tip."

His words were brief and cold. There was not even the slightest change in his expression or emotion in his voice.

He briefly glanced at the two women beside him before turning his attention back to the waitress.

"That's a shame."

"I could have given you much more if you had agreed to join us."

"But it's clear that you don't want to."

He gave a slight nod toward the door.

"You can go."

He said nothing more.

Meanwhile...

Sera could not move right away.

She first looked at the money tucked into her blouse, then slowly raised her gaze back to the man standing in front of her.

Shock and confusion were evident on her face.

She could not understand why.

Despite his cold aura...

She saw no desire or coercion in his eyes.

Instead...

There stood a man who was impossible to read.

She quickly bowed her head respectfully.

"T-Thank you... Sir."

Her voice was still soft and trembling.

She tightly held the money he had given her.

Not because of how much it was...

But because she thought it might help pay for her brother's medicine.

Then she quickly left the VIP room.

She did not look back and left the room. But she had no idea that as she walked away, Damian was still silently staring at the closed door. He did not take his eyes off it, as though he were lost in deep thought.

The noise inside the VIP room gradually returned to normal.

The two women accompanying Damian laughed and sat down beside him once again.

"Babe..."

Lauren whispered softly as she gently held his arm.

She moved closer and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. But as usual, Damian showed no reaction. He did not return the kiss, and not even the slightest smile appeared on his lips.

He simply remained silent, cold, and impossible to read.

The woman could only sigh.

"I've been with you for years..."

"I still can't figure out what is really going on in your mind."

Damian remained silent.

He lifted the crystal glass in his hand once again.

But before he could bring it to his lips...

The image of a certain woman once again crossed his mind.

"What's wrong?" Lauren asked with a smile as she looked into his eyes.

Damian did not answer.

He simply drank the contents of his glass in silence.

A moment later, the face of the waitress once again crossed his mind.

******

SEREA'S POV:

My knees were almost giving out as soon as I stepped out of the VIP room.

I had not even realized how fast my heart was beating.

It felt like I could finally breathe again only after the door had completely closed behind me.

I quickly made my way to the staff restroom.

The moment I stepped inside...

I immediately leaned against the sink.

"My God..."

"I feel completely drained..."

I whispered, my jaw still trembling.

I looked at myself in the large mirror.

My face was pale.

My lips had almost completely lost their color.

I still could not forget that man's cold gaze.

But with just one word, "Enough," those two women stopped.

It felt as though I could still hear his cold voice even now.

I shook my head.

"What is wrong with you, Sera..."

I whispered to myself.

A moment later, I suddenly remembered the money he had slipped into my blouse pocket.

I quickly reached into my pocket.

It was still there.

I slowly pulled it out.

My hands were still trembling as I counted the bills one by one.

"One..."

"Two..."

"Three..."

"Four..."

"Five..."

I froze.

My eyes widened.

"Five..."

"Five thousand...?!"

I gasped.

I almost shouted in shock, so I quickly covered my mouth.

"My God..."

"F-Five... five thousand pesos?"

I kept looking at the money in my hands, wondering if I had counted it wrong.

But I hadn't.

It was really five thousand pesos.

In my entire life...

It was the first time I had ever held such a large tip.

These five thousand pesos would be enough to buy Liam's medicine for several days. It could also cover some of his laboratory tests and food for the two of us for a few days.

My eyes slowly filled with tears.

Not because I was happy...

But because, for the first time in a long while, I felt a small glimmer of hope.

A sense of relief I had not felt in so long.

I hugged the money tightly and closed my eyes.

"Thank you..."

I whispered softly.

"I may not know that man..."

"But this will help us so much."

I quickly wiped away the tears that had escaped my eyes.

This was not the time to cry.

I needed to get back to work.