NovelEnglishThe crowd mingled and laughed, the air thick with the scent of expensive cologne and the sparkle of fine jewelry. Among them
stood Odelia, a woman of both wealth and influence. Despite her divorce from her ex-husband, she'd walked away with a hefty
settlement, retaining a significant share in the renowned jewelry company, Starlight Gem, a fierce competitor of the esteemed
Miller Group.
Odelia, though was the ex-wife of the current CEO, still held sway within the company, her voice echoing in the boardroom. She
was the kind of woman who commanded attention, her presence bolstered by her financial prowess—a trait all too common in the
elite world.
The gof Truth or Dare kicked up another notch, and poor Felix, who seemed to have the worst luck, lost yet again.
Odelia, eager to impress her new boy, asked him with a flirtatious tilt of her head, "Truth or dare for Felix?"
"Dare, definitely. Drinking is getting dull. It's tfor a real challenge. Felix, your dare is to kiss a lady for ten seconds."
The women in the room were either spoken for or someone's date for the evening. No matter who Felix chose, he'd risk offending
someone. If he dared to pick Odelia, he'd be subjected to her scorn without a doubt.
From a distance, Carol watched as Felix stiffened under the pressure. She could almost see his lips pursing in silent anger, even
with his back turned to her.
The man who had issued the dare sat smugly by Odelia's side, his face etched with arrogance. He thought, "Felix, didn't you claim
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtto be lofty? Didn't you despisefor? Now | want you to please a woman in front of so many people!"
A chorus of jeers filled the room as the women instinctively shrank back, hoping to avoid being Felix's target.
Carol, concerned for Felix, decided to intervene but had barely taken a step when Felix suddenly seized her hand, his palm pressing
against the nape of her neck. A featherlight kiss brushed her lips.
Ten seconds stretched out between them, both quick and eternal.
When he released her, he muttered an apology before declaring his departure to the assembled crowd.
Carol's mind went blank. When she was let go, she heard him say, "Sorry."
Then he looked at the other people sitting there. "I quit."
Carol's mind was still in a daze. He pulled him out. Then she saw him go to the manager, saw him resign, and settled his salary.
She didn't cback to her senses until she walked outside and was blown by the night wind.
"Did you just quit?" she asked, the cool evening air beginning to clear her mind.
"Yeah," Felix replied nonchalantly. "Aren't waiter gigs easy to cby?"
Carol had said as much in passing, never expecting him to take it to heart.
Outside the BlueSky Bar, the city's nightlife thrummed with energy. A young girl sold roses by the bucket, two dollars for a stem.
Carol glanced at the blooms, not out of desire, but before she could decline, Felix bought the entire bucket, spending fifty dollars in
a heartbeat—a fortune to some, but for Carol, it was mere pocket change.
"Apology for earlier," he said, referring to the kiss.
Accepting the roses, Carol was about to ask more when Felix checked his phone.
"I've got to go. Need a cab?"
"No need to splurge on a cab. I'll take the subway. It's close," Carol replied, recalling how Maja had mentioned that those short on
cash usually chose the subway.
After another brief apology, Felix was gone, leaving Carol to clutch the unexpected gift.
On a whim, Carol began looking for a waiter position at a barbecue restaurant.
In the end, she really found one with food and housing excluded.
The barbecue restaurant owner saw her appearance and immediately passed.
On the first day of work, Carol was full of endless energy. It was not until she got off the night shift very late that she woke up.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmWhat was she doing? Was she addicted to this game?
Moreover, leaving behind the luxury car at home, was she really going to take the subway?
She thought that she was out of her mind.
Contemplating a call to the Miller family driver, she spotted a group of thugs approaching. They'd had a bit too much to drink and
were drawn to Carol's beauty, surrounding her with ill intentions.
"Let go!" she demanded, her face flushed with anger.
As one reached for her blouse, his hand was suddenly caught, and he was sent flying by a powerful kick.
Seeing Felix, Carol could hardly believe her eyes, especially when he took a punch, his handsface bruising.
She grabbed his hand, and they ran, the night air whipping past until they reached a brightly lit square.
Felix bought her a bottle of water, the cheapest kind, and handed it to her, cap already twisted off.
Carol, who never drank such cheap water, hesitated but then took it and gulped down three swigs, feeling the heat dissipate from
her body.
As her blood cooled, an idea struck her, and she suddenly saw Felix in a new light, especially as he stood before her, backlit by the
square's glow.
"Felix," she blurted out, pulling him into an embrace, "I've got to say, you've really grown on me. How about | pursue you?"
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