Buy you a drink

Bella's POV:

I practically bolted out of that VIP section, my face burning with embarrassment. Walking into the wrong place, then blabbering at some stranger who gave off this intense, scary vibe... I was beyond mortified! That guy, Todd, had looked at me like I was some clueless clown who didn't know my limits at all.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, and finally found the real Table 8 tucked away in a quiet corner of the main room.

Sure enough, there was a man sitting there, looking pretty annoyed from waiting. He wore a perfectly pressed suit, had his hair neatly styled, and sported an expensive-looking watch. Honestly, he was decent-looking, but his impatience and judging glare totally ruined my first impression of him.

Well, since I was here, I might as well get it over with. I tried to steady myself, smoothed my outfit, and walked over with what I hoped looked like a polite smile.

"Sorry, I'm late! Traffic was terrible, and I was helping some old lady, I'm Bella Shane, 28, andrologist, and I make about 300 grand a year-

"Stop."

He cut me off sharply before I could finish. His eyes scanned me with pure contempt.

"Andrologist? Sounds like you're always around men. Ar your age, you're still stuck in a job like that with no assers Do you really think any man would want to marry you?"

His words hit me like ice. I never thought my job was shameful, but being insulted like this by a blind date I just met was beyond humiliating.

"And you're late, too?" He frowned harder, his tone turning mean. "Do you think you have the right to waste my time?"

I opened my mouth to explain that I had gotten lost, but looking at his arrogant face, I figured any excuse was pointless.

He sneered, "Hmph, 28 and still single. Now I see why. No sense of time, a shameful job-what man would want a woman who will just hold him back?

"Going on a date with you is just a waste of my time!"

With that, he grabbed a glass and, without hesitation, splashed the ice-cold water right in my face!

Splash!

Cold water ran down my cheeks. I froze, completely caught off guard and deeply humiliated. I could hear a few low whispers and snickers around me, making me want to vanish.

He didn't even bother giving his name. He just threw a last contemptuous look my way, slapped some cash on the table for the drink, grabbed his briefcase, and walked off without a second glance

I sat there shivering, my face still wet. The water mixed with tears of shame. A wave of anger and helplessness crashed over me, but what could I do? In this harsh world, without money or connections, I was basically left without dignity.

Quietly, I wiped my face and left the café, feeling gloomy and defeated.

As I stepped outside, I noticed a scene nearby. A stylish man with long hair and a reckless air purposely bumped into a sleek, expensive black sedan, then dramatically fell to the ground, screaming.

"Oh, no! Someone got hit!"

"My leg! It's broken! Pay up now!"

As soon as he hit the pavement, three or four tough-looking guys who clearly were his crew surrounded him, yelling at the car's owner. It was obviously a scam.

A young man stepped out of the car. He wore a sharp, dark gray suit, stood tall, and had a handsome face. He looked worried but calm, his eyes sharp and steady.

"What's going on? I was going slow. I couldn't have broken your leg." he said softly.

"Cut the crap! Pay up! Now!"

"Yeah, you hit someone and want to deny it?"

The thugs ignored his words, closing in on him aggressively. One even gave the young man a creepy look and sneered, "Hey, handsome, why don't you come have some fun with us? Forget the money."

How bold of him to say such things right out in the open!

Though a crowd had gathered, no one dared speak up for the young man against these intimidating goons.

The young man frowned, weighing his options, then sighed. "Fine. How much do you want?"

"Ha! Easy. In that case.... "The gang leader was about to demand a huge sum when his eyes greedily swept over the young man's wrist and clothes.

My blood boiled. More bullies were picking on the weak! I'd just been humiliated, and now, watching this was too much for me to bear.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing myself between the young man and the thugs. My voice was cold as I spoke.

"Broken leg, huh? Want compensation?"

My sudden move shocked both the gang members and the

young man.

At first, the thugs just sneered at me, but when they met my icy stare, they instinctively took a step back.

The next moment, I kicked the long-haired man, who'd been wailing on the ground, hard in the leg

"Arght"

The guy with the supposed broken leg jumped up, hopping in pain.

The crowd gasped and then burst out laughing.

"Huh? Didn't you say your leg was broken? You're hopping pretty well now! I taunted sharply With the truth out, whispers started spreading as people accused them of being scammers.

"Bitch, you're ruthless! We'll get you back!"

Seeing things go south, the thugs cursed and slinked away.

"Thanks for stepping in." The young man finally came over, giving me a gentle smile and a curious look. "I'm Will Macy. Can I buy you a drink?"

His smile was charming, his voice warm. If it were any other day. I might've considered his offer. But after everything I'd been through, I just wanted to get away from it all.

"No, thanks. It's nothing," I said coolly, turning away without hesitation.

Behind me, I could feel Will's surprised, searching gaze linger.