Chapter 17 A Thoughtless Gesture
ELENA
The bar was buzzing with life, as always during my night shifts. The clinking of glasses and bursts of laughter from different corners could be heard, followed by the low hum of chattering people filling the air.
I moved through the crowd with practised ease as I tried to balance a tray of drinks while dodging overly tipsy patrons. I was exhausted, and my body ached painfully from the double shift I had already pulled earlier at the hospital.
But the bills weren't going to pay themselves, so I pushed on.
I needed to raise as much money as possible to support my research.
I was just about to drop off a round of beers at a table when I felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere, characterised by a sharp jolt of awareness that sent a shiver down my spine. I turned my head as my breath caught in my throat.
There he was.
Alexander Harrington stood at the entrance, his tall frame commanding every bit of attention, even in the poorly lit room. His piercing steel-grey eyes locked onto me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken under my skin. Then he began to stride purposefully towards me, and I could feel my heart in my stomach.
What the hell does he want this time? I wondered.
His designer suit seemed out of place among the casual bar crowd, but he seemed unbothered.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him tersely, hardly even sparing him a glance while I placed the drinks on a table.
Ignoring my question, he leaned closer as his jaw ticked.
"I told you before, I'm paying you more than enough. You need to quit these side jobs, Elena. Starting with this one—and the janitorial job at the hospital, too." He said in an authoritative and edgy voice.
I straightened and narrowed my eyes at him.
"And I told you, I'm not as rich as you. I can't just quit my jobs because you don't like them." I told him.
"You don't need to work here anymore," he insisted in a clipped tone. "I've ensured you're financially secure for the next year at least," he said.
I let out an eye roll at that.
"Financially secure?" I shot back with a dry laugh while I placed my hands on my hips. "Do you have any idea what real-life expenses look like? Rent, utilities, groceries—not to mention insurance and stuff? No, Alexander, I am not quitting my job." I maintained.
"But I can take care of all of that," he argued. "You can decide to stop working right this instant, and I will cater to all your needs without you having to raise a finger," he said, trying to convince me. I remained indifferent.
"No thanks," I said, almost like it was said absentmindedly. "I can take care of myself," I told him. He let out an irritated sigh as he watched me.
I was so unbelievably.
Any other woman would want to kill to be in my shoes, and here I was, acting indifferently as if this wasn't something most women wanted.
Then again, I am Elena Carter.
And I did things my own way.
He said he usually liked that.
But not now.
Right now, he was irritated at my stubbornness.
My defiance seemed to irritate him, and his jaw tightened. His teeth were almost aching from being clenched so hard. But before he could respond, I turned on my heel and walked away, which, to me, was a signal that the conversation was over. He watched me go.
But she didn't get far.
In the blink of an eye, I collided with one of the patrons, and my tray tilted as the drinks spilled all over the man's expensive shirt.
Shit!
What had I done? Even Alexander's eyes widened at the accident.
"Watch where you're going!" the man barked at me, his voice loud enough to draw attention.
"I'm so sorry," I began as I grabbed a cloth to help him clean up.
Alexander rolled his eyes at the gesture.
"Clumsy and lazy," the man sneered and violently pushed my hand away.
"Exactly the type of staff this dump hires. Pathetic." He went on to say.
My stomach twisted painfully at the insult, and my mind flashed back to the first time Alexander had used the exact words to describe me. I gritted my teeth and held my tongue as I didn't want to escalate the situation.
I had already taken a lot of queries from the manager, and he had warned that this was the last time he would get a report from me. So I tried to act cool when I wanted nothing more than to talk back at the harsh old punk.
But Alexander wasn't so restrained.
His expression darkened as he stepped forward.
"Apologize." He said in a low growl.
The man turned to Alexander, clearly unimpressed.
"What's it to you?" He asked as he looked him up and down.
He probably couldn't recognize who Alexander was because the bar was dark, and he was likely intoxicated.
Before I could intervene, Alexander's fist collided with the man's jaw, sending him stumbling backward into a chair.
Gasps and murmurs were heard all over the bar as the commotion drew everyone's attention.
"Alexander!" I snapped, completely horrified, as a security guard rushed over to separate them.
"You're going to regret that," the patron hissed as he held his jaw.
"Get in line," Alexander shot back at him in an icy voice.
I grabbed his arm angrily.
"What the hell is wrong with you? I didn't ask for your help!" I was yelling at him.
"He disrespected you," He said as if that justified everything.
I scoffed at the irony of the situation.
"And you've disrespected me just as much in the past!" I retorted.
"What gives you the right to step in like some knight in shining armor now?" I asked him.
He didn't respond. His expression remained steady and unapologetic.
I shook my head as I let out a frustrated sigh.
"I can take care of myself. I've been doing it my whole life. The last thing I need is you making things worse," I told him. "Now, please leave," I said.
"I'm leaving with you." He glanced at his Rolex wristwatch. "Your shift should be over in about... a few minutes," he clarified.
He was right, and I didn't want to know why he knew that piece of information, but I shook my head nonetheless.
"Leave now," I repeated. "And I would appreciate it if you frequented this bar less," I added.
"You can't tell me where to be and where not to be. Just like I can't tell you what to do and what not to do." He said to me.
"Alright," I conceded. "Now go away. You're distracting me. I need to round up," I said.
But Alexander was adamant. He wouldn't even bulge.
"I'm not leaving without you," he said firmly, crossing his arms.
"Alexander—" I was saying.
"Either you walk out of here with me, or I carry you out." He deadpanned.
"Either way, you're leaving with me," he said, and his tone left no room for further argument.
The sheer audacity of his statement left me momentarily speechless. I saw the determination in his eyes, and I just knew that he wasn't bluffing. He was going to carry me out if I refused to leave on my own.
Resignedly, I let out a long breath.
"Fine. Let me grab my bag," I sighed.
He waited by the door while ignoring the bar's patrons' curious stares and whispers.
When I returned, I followed him outside as I half expected another lecture from him about my stubbornness.
But what I saw stopped me in my tracks.
Parked right in front of the bar was a sleek Audi SQ5, standing in all of its beauty, its dark paint gleaming under the streetlights in the middle of the street.
What caught my attention, though, were the giant red ribbons tied around it, which gave it the unmistakable look of a gift.
Holy cow! I hoped this wasn't what I was thinking it was.
I could feel Alexander watching me from the corners of my eyes. I desperately prayed it wasn't what I was thinking.
That he wasn't the one gifting me.
We both stood there as Prescott—I remembered his name now—came out of the car and walked towards us. He was smiling and handed the single car key to Alexander, who was still watching me. I was still too flustered to look his way.
"Happy birthday, Elena." I heard him say from beside me, and my heartbeat skyrocketed in my chest!