CHAPTER 2 

It was already late at night, but the bar remained crowded and noisy.

I sat alone in a corner, watching the man who had rescued me earlier. Several empty bottles of liquor were scattered across his table, while two women sat on either side of him, keeping him company. One occasionally leaned close to whisper something in his ear, while the other laughed at whatever he said.

Not that I cared.

I had no idea who the man was, and after witnessing him shoot two people without hesitation, I wasn't particularly interested in getting to know him.

Still, I couldn't help wondering why he had brought me here instead of simply letting me go.

"Hey."

I turned when a woman approached me, carrying a glass.

"Mister Cueva, asked me to give this to you."

I glanced at the drink. Fruit juice.

My eyes traveled toward the man across the room. He was watching me, his brows slightly furrowed, as though he were silently telling me to drink it.

"Come on," the woman encouraged with a smile. "It's only juice. Mister Cueva said you should drink this instead."

"Oh... all right. Thank you."

I accepted the glass and offered her a polite smile. Whatever his reasons were, at least the man seemed concerned enough to make sure I wasn't drinking any more alcohol.

I took a sip, then another, eventually finishing half the glass before leaning back in my seat.

For a few moments, everything seemed normal.

Then something changed.

My head suddenly felt heavy, and the lights above me began to blur. I blinked several times, hoping to clear my vision, but the room only seemed to spin faster.

What the hell?

I pressed a hand against my forehead.

"What's happening to me?" I whispered. "Why am I suddenly so dizzy?"

My heartbeat quickened as an unpleasant suspicion crept into my mind. I looked toward the woman who had handed me the drink, but she was already walking away.

"That woman..." I struggled to focus. "Don't tell me she put something in my—"

My knees suddenly gave out.

I reached for the table, but my fingers slipped against its smooth surface. Before I could grab anything else, I collapsed onto the floor.

The impact barely registered. My entire body felt strangely weak, as though I were sinking into a darkness I couldn't fight.

Voices surrounded me. Someone called out, and chairs scraped against the floor, but the sounds seemed distant.

I tried to open my eyes.

Everything was blurry.

Then I saw him.

A familiar face emerged through the haze, and for one impossible moment, I forgot where I was. I forgot the bar, the strange man who had rescued me, and even the terrifying sensation of losing control of my own body.

Because the man standing before me was someone I had spent far too many nights trying to forget.

Someone I thought I would never see again.

My lips trembled.

"Jacob..."

The name escaped me like a prayer I had been holding inside my chest for too long.

Tears immediately welled up in my eyes. I tried to keep them open, afraid that if I blinked, he would disappear.

"Jacob..." My voice broke. "Is that really you?"

He didn't answer.

I wanted to reach for him, to touch his face and make sure he was real, but my arms felt too heavy to lift.

Why wasn't he saying anything?

Was he angry with me? Did he hate me now? Or was this another cruel trick my mind had created because I missed him more than I was willing to admit?

A sob escaped my throat.

"Jacob..."

The tears came faster, blurring his face until I could barely see him anymore.

I had tried so hard to be strong. I had told myself that I could live without him, that I could survive the pain, and that someday his memory would no longer hurt.

But the moment I saw him again, all those promises crumbled.

I was still that same broken woman who couldn't stop loving someone she had lost.

And I hated myself for it.

I felt someone bend down beside me. Strong arms slipped beneath my body, lifting me from the floor with surprising gentleness.

I didn't resist.

Instead, I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck, afraid that if I let go, I would lose Jacob all over again.

He carried me through the crowded bar, ignoring the curious stares of the people around us. I could barely keep my eyes open, but I felt the cool night air brush against my face as he carried me outside.

A moment later, I was inside his vehicle.

I pressed myself against his chest, clinging to him as though he were the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

"Honey..."

The endearment slipped from my lips before I could think about it.

"Please stay with me."

My voice trembled as fresh tears soaked his clothes.

"Please don't leave me, Jacob. Not again. Please..."

He remained silent.

I cupped his face with trembling hands, desperately trying to hold on to the familiar presence before me. My fingers brushed against his cheek, and I leaned forward to press my lips against his.

I didn't know whether I was kissing Jacob or simply trying to convince myself that he hadn't disappeared from my life.

All I knew was that I couldn't bear the thought of being abandoned again.

At first, he didn't respond.

But after several lingering kisses, he finally kissed me back.

The gentle touch caught me off guard. I clung to him as though I had been waiting for that small sign of affection for an eternity. One kiss followed another, and the emotions I had buried deep inside me came rushing to the surface.

I was confused, overwhelmed, and far too intoxicated by whatever had been slipped into my drink to understand what was happening.

All I wanted was for him to stay.

That night, I surrendered to the arms holding me, believing for a few precious moments that the man I had lost had somehow found his way back to me.

I didn't know that when morning came, I would have to face the consequences of a night I could barely remember.