A Night To Forget

“Ah! It’s Gabriel Rowes! How handsome! He’s a hundred times more handsome than the rumours!”

Some of the cast, especially the women, had already started exclaiming in surprise upon spotting the new arrival.

“He must be here to escort Vanessa! I’m so envious of her, her acting career is going so well, her family background is so good and her boyfriend is so handsome! She really is a winner in life!”

“This kind of person has already won on the starting line. We don’t even have the right to envy her!”

Isabella held onto the wall, somewhat stupidly looking at the man who was walking towards Vanessa step by step.

The Rowes family had been doing quite well these few years. Gabriel Rowes’ social status had risen accordingly. Isabella could no longer see the youth of the past in him.

That sickly youth who had been living in the countryside to recuperate from a lung disease, the Gabriel who had read stories to her warmly, had already died in the passing of time…

“Babyy, why are you here? there’s no need to pick me up,” Vanessa skipped over to the man happily.

“I couldn’t stop worrying since it started raining outside.” Gabriel took off his jacket and put it on her. He looked at her unhappily, “Why are you wearing so little?”

She had a sweet expression on her face. “Oh you, I’m already a grown woman! Why are you still treating me like a child?”

Bella leaned against the icy cold wall with uneven steps. She felt that she was really unlucky today.

For the whole night, she had been treated to Vanessa’s show of parental affection, and now it was a lovey-dovey scene.

Vanessa was completely showing off everything she had taken away from her…

Not satisfied with just making her watch, Vanessa hugged Gabriel's arm and purposely walked towards her.

She said warmly, “Baby sis, you seem to be quite drunk. Why don’t you join us? I’ll let my boyfriend send you home!”

She said it while emphasizing the word “boyfriend.”

At this moment, Gabriel finally noticed Isabella.

His pupils abruptly tightened upon seeing her.

Bella…

It had been a long time.

In the years she had been overseas, he had not seen her even once. Even after she had returned, he had only seen her a few times from afar when he went to pick Vanessa up at the company.

He was caught off guard by seeing her up close.

She was so different that he almost couldn’t recognise her.

The little girl who had worn braids and a flowery skirt back then had blossomed into a woman who could move any man’s heart without his knowing…

Seeing that Gabriel was looking at Isabella dazedly, a dark emotion flashed across Vanessa’s eyes.

She grabbed his arm and shook it.

“Babe, what do you say?”

Gabriel suddenly regained his senses and nodded hastily.

“Yes, let’s go together.”

“Bella? Are you okay?” Vanessa showed a caring expression.

Bella pressed her forehead with the back of her hand.

Her mind was growing more and more hazy under the influence of alcohol. Her heart was beating faster and her blood was almost rushing backwards.

It was as if there was a beast roaring inside her body, struggling to break free so that it could tear up the two pretentious masks in front of her.

“No need…”

Bella turned and stumbled towards the restroom before she completely lost control.

Watching Bella’s sorry figure escape, Vanessa finally let out a refreshed smile.

However, her expression immediately changed into an extremely sad one when she turned towards the man.

“Gabe, I think she isn’t willing to forgive me… I’m already trying my best to make it up to her… I’ve been doing whatever I can to help her in the company, but she’s still like this. I don’t know what to do anymore…”

“Don’t mind it! You know her personality is like that, she’ll forgive you when time passes!” He reassured her softly.

---

At the ground floor of the hotel, a group of girls from the crew were excitedly discussing the sports car the man had driven in on.

Everyone looked on enviously as Vanessa entered that sports car, still wearing her man's jacket.

They waited until they could no longer see the car before sighing.

Not long after that car had left, the roar of another engine could be heard heading toward them.

Following that, a silver-white sports car zoomed past them and came to a stop in front of the hotel.

Most importantly, this car…

This car was so damn outstanding.

That handsome low chassis, smooth body and cool scissor doors gave off the feeling of a masterpiece.

Most importantly, the price.

“What the— that’s the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport! One of the world’s most expensive supercars…”

“It costs over one million dollars at the very least!”

“My god… which god of wealth has arrived…”

The group instinctively stepped aside.

The scissor doors slowly lifted upward.

A tall man stepped out of the driver’s seat.

The lights of the hotel lobby reflected faintly off the silver car behind him, outlining his sharp features and calm, restrained aura.

Someone gasped softly.

“Is that… Mr. Sterling?”

“The Sterling Group’s CEO?”

“To think I'll see someone like him here today”.

Alex Sterling ignored the whispers around him as if he had long been accustomed to such attention.

He handed the car key to the valet and walked toward the hotel entrance.

At that moment, the restroom door down the corridor opened.

Bella stepped out.

The alcohol had fully caught up with her.

Her head throbbed painfully and the world seemed slightly tilted.

She pressed her fingers against the wall to steady herself and took a few slow steps forward.

Her vision was blurry.

But even through the haze, she recognised the tall figure walking through the lobby.

Mr. Sterling…?

For a moment she thought she was hallucinating.

What is he doing here?

Bella shook her head slightly, trying to clear her thoughts.

The movement only made her dizziness worse.

“Ugh…”

She muttered softly and leaned against the wall again.

Not far away, Alex had just finished speaking briefly with the hotel manager when his gaze swept across the lobby.

Then it stopped.

A familiar figure was leaning against the corridor wall.

Her hair was slightly messy, her cheeks flushed unnaturally, and her posture was… unsteady.

Alex frowned faintly.

Miss Hartley.

He had come to this hotel tonight for a business meeting. He hadn’t expected to see her in this state.

Bella tried to walk toward the exit.

Her first step was steady.

The second… less so.

By the third step she almost collided with a decorative stand near the hallway.

Alex watched silently for another two seconds before finally walking over.

“Miss Hartley.”

Bella froze.

That calm, low voice instantly cut through her hazy mind.

She turned slowly.

Sure enough, Alex Sterling was standing in front of her.

For several seconds she just stared at him blankly.

“…Mr. Sterling?”

Alex’s eyes briefly swept over her condition.

“You’re drunk.”

Bella frowned faintly.

“I am not.”

She attempted to stand straight to prove her point.

Unfortunately, the movement caused her to sway dangerously to one side.

Alex reached out instinctively and caught her arm before she could lose balance.

Bella blinked.

She looked at his hand holding her arm, then slowly looked back up at him.

“…I was just adjusting my balance.”

Alex said nothing.

The silence was more embarrassing than any comment.

Bella cleared her throat awkwardly and tried to pull her arm back.

“I’m fine. Thank you, Mr. Sterling.”

She turned and took two determined steps toward the exit.

On the third step she walked directly into a tall indoor plant.

The leaves shook.

Bella stood there for a moment, staring at the plant as if it had appeared out of nowhere.

Behind her, Alex pressed his lips together briefly.

He walked over again.

“Miss Hartley.”

Bella turned slowly.

“…Yes?”

“You’re about to walk into the glass door.”

Bella turned back.

She was, in fact, heading straight toward the glass wall beside the actual exit.

“…Oh.

She quietly changed direction.

---

Outside the hotel, the night air was cool.

Bella shook her head.

“No need. I can go by myself.”

She took one determined step forward.

Then another.

By the third step she nearly missed the edge of the pavement and stumbled slightly.

Alex caught her arm again before she could fall.

Bella looked down at his hand, then slowly backed up at him.

“…Mr. Sterling, I’m not that drunk.”

Alex released her arm.

“You are.”

Bella frowned.

“I just need a taxi.”

Alex glanced at the empty street.

“You won’t make it into the taxi.”

Bella opened her mouth to argue.

At that moment she swayed slightly again.

The words never came out.

A quiet sigh escaped her instead.

Alex pressed the unlock button on his car.

The Bugatti’s lights flashed once.

“Get in,” he said calmly.

Bella stared at the car.

“…Mr. Sterling.”

“Yes?”

“…Are you kidnapping me?”

Alex looked at her.

“If I were, Miss Hartley, you wouldn’t have the opportunity to ask.”

Bella thought about that.

“…That’s reasonable.”

After a moment she opened the passenger door and got in.

The car pulled away from the hotel.

After several minutes of silence Bella muttered quietly,

“…You know where I live.”

“Yes.”

Bella leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes.

“…Right.”

The ride was a mix of her swaying, hiccuping, and occasional muttering about how unfair life had been, and him responding in increasingly amused, but controlled tones.

“Remember five years ago?” she murmured suddenly, her voice low and trembling. “It… it was the same… feeling of despair. Like everything… everything was impossible.”

Alex glanced at her. “I remember.” He didn’t say more, but the quiet acknowledgment seemed to soothe her a little.

---

When they reached her apartment building, Bella stepped out and walked toward the entrance with surprising determination.

Alex followed a few steps behind.

Bella stopped in front of the row of mailboxes and took out her key.

She inserted it into one of the locks.

Nothing happened.

She tried again.

And again.

The metal key scraped softly.

Behind her, Alex finally said,

“Miss Hartley.”

“…Yes?”

“That’s the mailbox.”

Bella froze.

Slowly she looked down at the small metal box she had been trying to unlock.

Then she looked at the actual apartment door two steps away.

“…Right.”

She walked to the correct door and unlocked it without another word.

---

Inside the apartment, Bella dropped onto the sofa.

After a few seconds she sat up again.

“…Water.”

She stood up to pour herself a glass.

Half the water landed in the glass.

The other half spilled onto the table.

Bella stared at the puddle.

Then she looked at the kettle as if it had betrayed her.

Alex quietly took it from her.

“Sit down.”

Bella obeyed.

He handed her the glass of water.

“…Mr. Sterling.”

“Yes?”

“You’re surprisingly good at taking care of drunk people.”

“I’m not.”

Bella nodded slowly.

“…You look like you are.”

A few minutes later her voice became softer.

“…Today was a really unlucky day.”

She stared at the water in her glass.

“…Do you ever feel like some things… never really change?”

Alex glanced at her.

But before he could answer, her head slowly tilted to the side.

She had already fallen asleep.

Alex stood there for a moment.

Then he pulled a blanket from the nearby chair and covered her.

After that, he sat down in the armchair across the room.

And stayed.

---

The next morning, Bella woke up with a splitting headache.

Sunlight streamed through the curtains.

She groaned and slowly sat up.

Then she froze.

Across the room, Alex Sterling sat in the chair, calmly reading something on his tablet.

For several seconds Bella just stared at him.

Then the memories from last night began returning.

The plant.

The glass door.

The mailbox.

Bella slowly covered her face with both hands.

“…Mr. Sterling.”

Alex looked up.

“Yes, Miss Hartley?”

Bella spoke from behind her hands.

“Please tell me I didn’t do anything too embarrassing last night.”

Alex paused and thought for a moment.

“That depends on your definition of embarrassing.”

Bella slowly sank back into the sofa.

“…I see.”