Truthfully, if it were someone ordinary, I might have been eager to make a new friend.
But Briar was no ordinary person. He was a popular boxer, just like Kael. Because of this, I instinctively wanted to keep my distance from him. So many beautiful girls around, yet he had his eyes on me? I wasn’t in the mood to play games with a man like that. Thinking of Kael still brought me some pain.
“I don’t have any ulterior motives toward you,” Briar said. “I just think you’re very capable at your job, so I wanted to introduce you to work at our club. You’d be a great fit.” Hearing his words, I felt a wave of shame. I’d misunderstood Briar. He was trying to offer me a job, and I’d assumed he had some ill intentions. If I could really land this job, it would be perfect. It was a great opportunity, and a boxing club felt like a familiar environment to me.
“Is that possible? But at my last job, my boss said I was let go because of poor performance,” I honestly told Briar. I was wary of them all now. I didn’t want to be played with again.
“Oh, that’s just Eagle Club being blind. The way you stood up for Kael in front of everyone that day-they shouldn’t have fired you,” Briar said with a laugh. “Would you like to come in for an interview?”
“Of course, it’s all up to you. If you’re interested, you can give me your number.” This opportunity was undeniably good for me, much better than working at a bar. So we exchanged our numbers. I returned to the bar and got back to work, but I couldn’t shake the strangeness of it all.
He was Kael’s rival, yet he’d offered me a job. But I wouldn’t reject it just because I liked Kael. As long as it was a safe job that paid well, I was willing to try it. Kael couldn’t even protect my last job, so why should I consider him when deciding where to work? I also thought this could be my chance to distance myself from Kael, to minimize the impact he had on me. For me, having another job opportunity was a good thing.
The next day, during class, Briar sent me the part-time job details for their club. The pay and tasks were similar to what I’d done at Eagle Club. “Seraphina, if you’re free this weekend, I’d like you to come in for an interview.”
“Sure,” I replied. But for now, I decided to keep working at the bar. I couldn’t just quit after one day. I needed to give proper notice. Thankfully, the bar paid weekly, so I could leave whenever I wanted.
When I returned to my dorm and looked in the mirror to do my makeup, I didn’t go overboard like before. I didn’t pile on thick foundation or draw strange tattoos on my face. Both Kael and Briar had recognized me instantly, so I figured my makeup skills were terrible enough that there was no point in hiding my appearance anymore.
That day, the bar wasn’t particularly busy. But after a while, I saw Vivienne and her friends arrive. There were four of them, all dressed quite provocatively, especially Vivienne. She wore a strappy top and ultra-short jeans that showcased her ample chest, slender waist, and curvy hips. Her golden hair was styled in loose waves, cascading over her shoulders. The moment they walked in, every man in the bar turned to look at them. There were even whistles and gasps.
When I saw them, my expression stiffened, and I turned away, trying to avoid them. But Vivienne’s sharp eyes quickly spotted me. She flashed me a smile. Her makeup was heavy today-smoky eyes and her signature bright red lipstick. Under the lights, she looked like a star.
After a while, the boss said to me, “We would like a bottle of whiskey, a dozen beers, and two margaritas over there.” I turned to look and saw Vivienne’s table. They specifically wanted me to deliver the drinks? I was shocked. Were they up to something, planning to mess with me again? But it was part of my job, so I had no choice.
As I set the drinks down, Vivienne spoke up. “Seraphina, I didn’t expect you to find a new job so quickly, and at a bar no less. Is this to make it easier for you to seduce men? Truly, a slut can’t live without men.”
“Are you talking about yourself?” I shot back coldly. Vivienne glared at me.
“Slut, you’re just a waitress now, and you still dare to talk back to me? Did your bar forget to train its staff on basic manners?” Vivienne picked up a margarita. The drink looked almost transparent under the light, with a sweet aroma. But the next moment, she threw the drink in my face, then smashed the glass on the floor. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the bar.
“Where’s your manager?” Vivienne shouted. “This woman broke my glass and insulted me. If you don’t want to run this place, just shut it down. There’s no need to treat customers like this.” I was stunned. Vivienne’s lies came so easily, as if she’d rehearsed them.
The boss quickly arrived and looked at Vivienne’s table. “What’s going on? Seraphina, I need a reasonable explanation.”
“She’s lying. I just brought the drinks over. I didn’t do anything. She threw the drink in my face.” I put the remaining drinks on the table and wiped the liquid from my face. I could taste the sweet and sour flavor of the margarita in my mouth. Jack’s carefully crafted drink was wasted.
And inside, I felt an endless wave of frustration, like a turbulent sea. This had nothing to do with me, yet all the blame was being thrown my way. Many people were watching, and some men, eager to please Vivienne, said to the boss, “This woman’s attitude really is terrible. What’s with that look in her face when she brought me my drink.”
The boss looked at Vivienne, then at me.