Chapter 14
Emma brought Giselle to the top bar in Seaworth City. She was evidently a regular there.
As soon as they entered the private room, they were greeted by dozens of young men with different personalities and styles. It went without saying that they all looked good.
Giselle said nothing, but Emma generously told her to pick first. “We’re in the same boat, Ms. Stone. There’s plenty of fish in the sea, so don’t obsess over that one dumb fish. Pick whichever guy you like–everything is on me tonight.”
With her words, the men started showing what they were capable of. Giselle was at a loss for words. After a while, she held a hand to her forehead and said, “I’m not picking a gigolo, Ms. Jones.”
“Come on now. They’re just here to drink with you and alleviate your boredom,” Emma said.
Giselle was insistent on her rejection, so Emma gave up. The private room was a lot more spacious after Emma dismissed the men.
Giselle started pouring the drinks. She downed hers, which surprised Emma. “I would never have guessed you could hold your liquor so well, Ms. Stone.“,
Giselle smiled. “Should we see who can do better?”
She’d learned to drink after graduating from college. At the time, Jonathan had just started taking over the Lawson family and had to wine and dine with others almost daily. He’d drank so much that he’d gotten a gastric perforation. Giselle’s heart had ached for him.
He’d joked that it’d be nice if she could help him. She’d been love–brained at the time, so she’d started drinking ⚫ that day as practice. She hadn’t stopped even when she’d retched bile.
Later, Giselle realized her actions were unappreciated. Jonathan couldn’t bear to have Charlotte drink, so he’d made Giselle do it. The bitterness of that realization got her down, even to this day.
Giselle and Emma kept drinking, only slowing down when they were on their fifth bottle. Emma’s long hair billowed around her, her beautiful face red from the liquor. She looked at Giselle. “Jonathan really is a piece of trash. How is Charlotte any better than you?”
There were only so many people in Seaworth City’s upper crust, so everyone knew about Giselle and Jonathan’s situation. They were unmarried despite being together for seven years–it was clear there was a problem with their relationship.
Charlotte was that problem.
Giselle smiled self–deprecatingly. “Who knows?
Jonathan’s change of heart had come out of the blue. Giselle didn’t think it was because Charlotte was particularly good at seduction–it was that men were all like that. They got sick of their partners after a long time together; novelty and the excitement of new relationships were what they wanted.
Emma agreed wholeheartedly. She’d experienced it herself too. She lamented, “You’re luckier than me in a way, Ms. Stone. At least you’re not married.
“I married Larry immediately after graduation. We were actually considering starting a family this year when he suddenly decided he no longer loved me.”
Women were naturally more emotional than men. They could easily tell when men were no longer in love with them; they just liked turning à blind eye to the truth.
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Chapter 14
+15 BONUS
Giselle started, “Larry’s mistress—”
Emma cut her off. “I know Charlotte isn’t the one he likes. I just wanted to beat her up to vent my anger because I didn’t like her.”
Her personality was right up Giselle’s alley. They went from addressing each other formally to calling each other by name.
Emma couldn’t hold out any longer after plying herself with alcohol. She slumped against the couch, her head spinning.
Giselle was slightly better than her. She got up to head to the restroom, wanting to wash her face so she could wake up a little. She heard her name as she walked past the private room in a corner.
“I saw Giselle’s Instagram post, Jon. Have you two really called it quits?”
“It has to be fake–Giselle just likes being coy! Jon wouldn’t even need to argue with her if she were half as real as Charlotte!”
“She’s just a faker who’s stolen Charlotte’s life. I have to say, though, I think Charlotte’s a much better match for you, Jon.”
Jonathan sat in the middle of the private room. In terms of seating arrangements, he looked like the most important person in the room.
He took a sip of his drink, his handsome face stormy.
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