17 Chapter 17

The stentorian music welcomed us the moment we entered inside the bar. The place is crowded with waves of fire. They are dancing with pleasure. Some are having a public display of sex, some are laughing, smoking and masturbating. And I grimaced because I don't like the entire place. If it's not necessary to be here, definitely I'm not here with my friends. And look, the entire place is suffocating. I feel like I want to vomit. I can smell different types of smokes and alcohols.

"Come on! Wohoo!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I held my glass high to make a cheer.

"Yeah!!!" They shouted too and hit their glasses with mine and we quaffed our wine all together.

I lost count of how many glasses of wine we have guzzled from the moment we ordered our drinks. And I can't remember what time did we start and what time is it now. All I know is we're enjoying every second here. Good thing no one fell back and took another table for some pleasure.

"Yeah!!!" I shouted as I dragged the shot glass onto the table and laughed crazily. My vision's been spinning around but I don't give any damn. I want to fucking forget everything, every pain people had given me. 'Cause I know after this, I'll face the reality. A reality that Royal's fucking engaged to Ria, my parents abhor me and I loathe myself more than anyone could. I started hating myself the moment I realized no one loves me. That everyone has the guts to hurt and betray me behind my back.

Fuck people! How I wish I'm no Alraine Raphaela Marcos at all. I wish I am somebody or no one at all for them. What's new?

And from now on, I'm gonna build a wall made of steel so no one will ever gonna hurt me again. NO ONE. And I swear, the old Raphaela will be burnt down. She will rise as a new one. A cold hearted woman. Perhaps no one could ever drag me down. Not Royal, not even my parents. If they can't treasure me as a human with feelings, if they can't treat me as one of their beings, then there's no reason to be good at all. They had hurt me, I'm gonna break them too. I've been through a lot. And I guess it's time to change. It's time to stand with my own feet. I don't need them anymore. I can build my new self even without them. 'Cause I realized I see myself as the worst girl ever existed everytime they are around me. I feel like I don't belong in this world. That I shouldn't dwell with them 'cause I'm different.

"Fuck you, people!" I shouted and quaffed my next shot. I abruptly closed my eyes because I feel like I want to vomit. I can no longer balance myself.

"Easy there." A voice of a man spoke up as I lost my balance and fell onto the hard chest of a man.

"Oh!" I exclaimed then turned around to face him.

Hmm. He looks very stranger to my eyes. He has masculine scent that every girl loves. He has built in muscles which resemble Royal's and a toothy smile that could melt any cold heart. But not mine.

"Hello there, lady." He greeted between his smile and he tried to balance me but because my feet were too weak, I clung my hands around his neck as he held my waist to keep me still.

"Hey," I greeted in a smile while closing my eyes. His scent smells like Royal's.

Fuck, Royal. Up to here, really?

"You're drunk." He commented against my ear.

"Obvious, isn't it?" I scoffed and a laugh followed.

"Yeah," he chuckled and pulled me closer to his chest.

"You smell like Royal," I groaned. I can feel myself falling out in any moment.

"Am I?" He asked playfully. Even his voice sounds Royal. Or maybe I'm just hallucinating.

"Oh, yeah. Even your voice." I rolled my eyes.

"Or maybe you're just drunk."

"I'm not." I quickly disagreed. I realized I can no longer hear my friends' voices. Where the fuck are they? "Just tipsy." I insisted.

I closed my eyes as I clung my arms around his neck. I felt his hands snaking my waist and just in a moment, the loud music turned into a soft one and I found myself swinging with the melody. With closed eyes and a smile beside my lips, I imagined myself dancing with Royal.

"Fuck you, Royal." I muttered and I felt his hand gripped my waist. "You didn't tell me you're going to marry Ria."

Tears pooled over my eyes. I can feel my chest tightening.

"I thought you love me too." I let out a heavy breath. "You fucking let me feel like you do and it turned out to be a nightmare after all."

Hot tears streamed down into my cheeks. I'm so damn hurt. But I believe time heals wounds. And they say, "Let bygone be bygone."

Suddenly, I felt a warm breath fanning my shoulder. A familiar sensation traveled down my spine, radiating like tidal waves. My heart abruptly skipped a beat which I don't understand. I only feel this with Royal. I don't even know who the hell I'm dancing with.

"I wish I could take away all your pain." He whispered against my ear and my heart twitched. "And I'm so sorry if he hurt you so much."

I bit my lower lip and pulled away my body from him. My vision is blurry and I don't see him clearly.

"I'm so sorry if you think he lied to you." He added. He really sounds like Royal. But I know it's too impossible if the man in front of me is Royal. I know he's with Ria right now. "And I'm so sorry if he has to hurt you."

I furrowed my brows. I don't understand why is he telling me 'bout this. Do I know him? Does he know me too? This man in front of me is a complete stranger.

"Who are you?" I asked in furrowed brows. Even if my vision is fuzzy, I can clearly see the smirk beside his red lips.

"Call me "Rourke"." He said.

"Rourke." I mouthed in a whisper. "Okay," I nodded. I have nothing to say.

I woke up with my head hammering in kaleidoscope of pain. I sat down on the bed, holding my head. I feel like my brain is sunk and chopped into tiny parts.

"Oh, goddess." I blurted out and shook my head. "What are you doing to me?" I whined under my breath.

"Good morning." A familiar cold voice greeted me and I immediately widened my eyes in surprise.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed and covered my face in unknown reason.

I heard his soft laughter that sounds like a music to my ears.

"How do you do?" He asked playfully and my cheeks heated up in embarrassment.

Wait...

Why the heck am I here?

I brought down my hands to wander my eyes around. I blinked my times but I only see one environment.

How did I get here?! Where are my so called good friends?! Why did they leave me with this man?!

Nice, Alpha. Oh, what a good morning you have.

"You seemingly enjoyed last night with your friends inside the bar." He scoffed and I turned to him with a scowl, who's leaning on the wall with crossed arms in front. "Did your date leave you in the bar?"

I knotted my brows together. Date?! What is he talking about?

"I'm innocent here, Royal." I muttered and rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Hmm," he hummed sexily and brought his hands down as he walked towards me. "I love how you play around, Raphaela."

"Oh, well. Thank you." I sarcastically replied with a so called pleased smile. "And I love how you mess around too." I scoffed and he looked down, chortling.

"You're still a hard-headed naive little girl." He commented as he eyed me. "Do you even know what you did last night? Are you even aware who you're with early this morning? And to think, inside a bar. What are you?"

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Don't you ever dare to say that to me." I warned with a scowl.

"Why? What else can you do?"

I clenched my jaw tight. I'm starting to think of a bloody way to end his life right now. After what he did to me, he has the guts to slap his words onto my face?

I chinned up in a tightened jaw.

"I don't know what are you talking about, Royal. As far as I remember, I was having fun with my friends."

"Was." He mouthed, nodding and pouting. "If you were with your friends last night, where do you think they are right now?"

I stared at him for a moment, gasping in silence. I can see playful anger in his eyes.

"Will you please stop pissing me with your interrogations?" I whined and he curled his lips into a smirk. I can see amusement written on his jaw-dropping face.

"Well," he shrugged as he took a deep breath. "I'm just wondering what will happen to you in case Mr. Raphael Marcos will know about what you did last night."

I clenched my jaw even tighter. I can feel him under my skin. If only he's not Royal, I should have been kicking his ass off.

"Then tell him." I demanded. "I don't care."

He stared at me with his suspicious eyes and I remained stolid. I don't have any time playing with him around. I'm not a baby anymore.

"Okay," he shrugged and my heart automatically skipped a beat. Anxiety made my flesh creep. "Worry not. I'll tell them later."

I hang my lips in the air, ready to protest but I don't have any strength to voice out.

"Please don't!" I cried when he was about to step outside his room. He froze for awhile and slowly faced me with his victorious smile. "I-I'll do everything. Just spare me this time." I begged. I swallowed hard as he drew a smirk beside his lips. I know him well. Once the situation is on his side, he'll take advantage on it.

Tears pooled over my eyes. Fuck you, Royal! You'll pay for this. I'll make sure of that.

"Good." He commented between an odd smile. "I'm happy you've changed your mind. 'Cause I'll make sure..."

"I know you will." I cut him off. I know once he'll say his word, he won't take it back. What Royal said is what he'll do.

"Okay. Get up now and take a bath. After that, go down the stair and we'll eat lunch together."

"Lunch?" I mouthed in furrowed brows.

"Lunch. Do I have to explain what lunch is?" He shot his brows up, insulting me.

"Of course you don't have to. I'm not stupid. I'm just wondering why lunch." I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"It's because it's almost one in the afternoon, missy.  What else do you want to know?"

I rolled my eyes and mocked at him mentally. I'll let you insult me this time, Royal. But next time, I'll make sure you'll fall under my bait.

Just like what he wanted me to do, I took a shower to freshen my mind up. I'm a sober now. Thanks to the cold water that made my body numb.

After that, I changed into his white shirt and I have a maong short inside his cabinet so I decided to wear it for the mean time. Then, I descended to the ground and went immediately to the kitchen.

"You always move like a turtle." I heard a familiar voice voiced out the moment I reached the kitchen and I decided to ignore him.

Come on, Royal. For the mean time, you're free to insult me. And after this, you can no longer see me.

I took a glass and filled it up with a cold milk and drank it immediately. At the corner of my eyes, I saw Royal watching me with his furrowed brows. I don't know why he's acting that way when in fact, I should be the one to be cold at him 'cause he had hurt me. He broke me into tiny pieces that no one can fix me again.

"Feeling better?" He asked and I remained quite. I don't have any time playing around. I want to go home and don't want to at the same time. I want to because I don't want to see Royal's face and I don't want to because I know people in the house will only remind me how worthless I am.

I heard him sighing and I turned to him whose face looked exasperate.

"Stop trying. I'm not going to talk to you." I curtly muttered and rolled my eyes.