Semua Bab Love Brewed Bitter: Bab 1 - Bab 10

10 Bab

Chapter 1

...I read those messages while my childhood sweetheart, Aidan Black, passed out drunk on the bed.I had just wiped him down and changed his clothes to make him comfortable. I had even considerately placed a glass of honey water on the nightstand.For ten years, I had handled every detail of his life, never doubting our bond. We were each other's closest family until I scrolled up and saw the full conversation.His friend, Callum Bailey, started, [Aidan, are you really marrying Lorelei?]He sent a screenshot of my engagement post, and the group chat exploded.Aidan: [I've proposed. No backing out now]His friends weren't impressed, voicing their disapproval one after another.[Bro, with your status, you could snag a younger and cleaner girl.][Lorelei is almost 30. Even if she's pretty, aren't you bored?][Selling drinks got her what, a few bucks per bottle? But she raked in three million dollars in three years. We've been to those places. We know what pays like that.][Aida

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Chapter 2

The next morning, Aidan woke up expecting his usual hangover soup.When he didn't see it, he sulked, "You're up this early and didn't make anything?"He treated me like a maid, but a maid got paid $3,000 a month. I'd served him for a decade and got nothing.In the cloakroom, he yelled for me to dress him. Without me, he didn't know which shirt to wear or which tie to match.He enjoyed my care and service like a giant baby.After he left for work, the wedding planner sent me a slideshow.It was my dream wedding with a hall full of roses. I glided down a spiral staircase in a white gown, Aidan took my hand as everyone cheered.Some said roses were cheesy, but to me, they meant love. The first rose he gave me was on the day he asked me out.I texted back, [Looks great, but I haven't set a date yet. Hold off.]The wedding planner agreed.I slipped off the engagement ring and stared at our only group photo at the orphanage. I studied the frail boy who once shielded me.'Why has i

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Chapter 3

We weren't married, so technically, Aidan wasn't lying.His words cut deep, and I moved to lift the curtain. But my hand paused because ripping that veil would break me.After Sophie was settled, I left the hospital.At home, a delivery arrived with a bouquet of my favorite roses, but the name on the card wasn't mine.It read, [Happy birthday, Miss Newman!]To my surprise, it was also Isabella's birthday.Back in college, Aidan had spent a week's wages on my birthday, buying a cake and roses. When he asked me to be his girlfriend, I burst into tears and hugged him.Now things had changed.I waited till late hours, but Aidan hadn't called or texted me. The dinner I'd cooked and the cake I'd ordered sat untouched.Back in our broke days, he never missed my birthday. Once, he drank himself sick at a business event just to rush home to me.I hugged him, feeling bad. He said that he could never repay me. Hardships never swayed his love for me.My phone chimed with a text from Cal

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Chapter 4

"We shouldn't say this, but when Aidan's startup crashed, Lorelei said she'd sell liquor to bail him out. He didn't want her to. She went ahead anyway and made three million in three years," Callum replied."That much? From selling drinks?" Isabella gasped.Callum scoffed, "No way. Drinks don't pay that much."Isabella pressed, "So, where did she get the money?"The room fell silent. They all assumed I'd sold my chastity.Slander was cheap, but words could ruin one's life.I stared at Aidan. He just remained silent. His lips pressed into a thin line.Isabella clung to him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry, but a good man like you shouldn't marry someone so..."She didn't finish her words, but everyone knew what she meant.This moment killed the boy who had broken down the warehouse door and braved flames to save me. What was left was a tech hotshot who was too good for a no-degree, ex-barmaid like me.Back when loan sharks came knocking, I took a blow for Aiden. He begged me to f

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Chapter 5

"If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have heard how everyone trashed me," I snapped. "When did you see me go upstairs with a guy? Where was it? What did he look like?"Aidan was lost for words.Back when I got harassed at the bar, he told me to suck it up. By the time I stumbled home drunk at dawn, he was fast asleep.I swallowed my pride to pay his debts. In return, he smeared me like that just to dump me."You're disgusting!" I spat. "I drank myself sick to clear your debts. My stomach never recovers."Turning to the others, I continued, "You say I sold myself. Did you see it or hear it from under the bed? Do you even hear the poison coming out of your mouths?"Isabella stood up. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have brought it up.""Pair of snakes!" I spat.Aidan shot up, furious. "I saw you go upstairs with him. I followed, worried I got it wrong, but then I heard you moaning. Every time I think about you with all those guys, I want to puke."I trembled with rage, but no explanation w

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Chapter 6

As I looked back, the signs were there. I was just blind.I rented a cheap apartment and hunted for jobs online. My college was cut short by the bar gig, so I only held a high school diploma and no real experience. My options were slim.A former coworker, Mia Clark, learned about my situation and suggested a high-end club. They were recruiting a bartender.I hesitated. The bar days were rough, and though I wasn't ashamed, the stigma stung."Don't hate who you were. You and Sophie did nothing wrong," Mia said.I nodded and decided to give it a shot.Breeze Lounge was a private bar for the elite. It felt calm, not like a nightclub.The vibe was soothing, and the manager, a 35-year-old lady, was easygoing."We need a bartender. Hours are from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Staff dorms are on the third floor. There isn't much work. Most guests go to private rooms to negotiate deals. Just serve drinks to walk-ins, otherwise, do your thing," Susan Hayes said, taking me upstairs to the club owner's

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Chapter 7

His friends stared, awkward.Aidan softened his tone. "I messed up. Let's talk. Don't throw yourself away like this."His words made me sick. I wanted to gag but held back.I skillfully opened a bottle, poured a drink, added ice and lemon, and slid it to a customer. Annoyed by my attitude, Aidan grabbed my wrist.Before he could flip out, Noah appeared.Every head turned to see the commanding man. His mixed-race features were sharp, and his vibe was cold.Aidan froze, then plastered an ingratiating smile on his face. "Mr. Bennett, I'm Aidan Black from Horizon Tech. I sent you my business card once. Didn't expect to run into you here.""I've seen you before," Noah replied curtly.Aidan grinned, thinking he'd scored points. If Noah remembered him, it could only mean his career in Florough was about to level up.But in the very next second, his wishful thinking fell apart.Noah continued, "If you're here to cause trouble, I'll have you thrown out.""No, it's a misunderstanding,

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Chapter 8

I threw myself into preparation, studying hard.With the invitation and Breeze Lounge's signature liquor, I entered the competition.Contestants were a mix of types. The male and female were 50-50.I wore a sharp suit, catching attention the moment I walked in."Who is she? Never seen her before. She is gorgeous.""Some actress they hired?""No way. She is dressed like a bartender."I ignored the whispers, grabbed my number tag, and waited.Noah sat in the front row in a navy blue suit and gold-rimmed glasses. His face was expressionless as always, but his presence boosted my confidence.Groups of three competed, and it was judged live. I was in the last group, up against last year's runner-up.The pressure was real, but the process felt like a rebirth. This was the path I was meant for.I mixed rum and gin, a new flavor for Breeze Lounge. Then I added vodka and mint syrup.The emcee called me up. "Contestant No. 13, explain your creation."I took the mic. "I first called

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Chapter 9

The internet turned on Horizon Tech.Aidan's recent proposal video to Isabella got slammed, but I cared more about Noah's note, quoting 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'.[Like a compass needle pointing north, a man's accusing finger always points at a woman.]He pulled a plane ticket from his desk. "Go study in Clont. I'll cover tuition and living costs. You just need to win a regional bartending championship."I stared at him, tears welling up. I blinked them back.Noah was my mentor and my savior, the one who taught me to start over and be my own hero.I took the ticket and bowed. "I won't let you down."As I reached the door, he removed his glasses, revealing his hazel eyes. He gazed at me and said, "When you're back, I've got something to tell you."I fled, scared.In the past decade, I had loved Aidan and poured everything into him. I couldn't handle another failed love.Noah was different. Stern yet kind, he was respectful to all women. I couldn't help falling for him, but I

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Chapter 10

"We were in the same orphanage," Noah said.Someone brought over a tattered doll he'd kept, and that evoked some old memories. My first crush wasn't Aidan. It was an older boy at the orphanage, scared of the dark.I always wanted to protect him. Later, he left, and I forgot. That doll was my gift to him."You're my hero, Lorelei. I waited 17 years for you," he said.I choked up at his words.Noah walked over, knelt, and hugged me. He was tough in business but soft for me.I didn't make him chase me. We became a couple naturally.I returned to Breeze Lounge, helping develop new drinks. A year later, I met his parents and younger brother.I braced for judgment, but they welcomed me like family.Noah was adopted but loved. The outsiders didn't know the Bennett heir wasn't blood.At the engagement party, Noah's mother gave me a pair of antique bracelets, saying they were heirlooms for the bride.I shed tears, touched by her kindness.His teenage brother grinned, "If Noah messes

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