Chapter 8 The People You Like Are Always Met Suddenly
Caroline's heart was still racing when she returned to her seat after her first experience at Bubbly Bar. She finally understood Erica's excitement about this place. For Erica, this was nothing special, but seeing Caroline involved made her squeal with delight.
"Caroline, I'm sending you the video right now. The chemistry between you two was so intense! You were practically eye-flirting with each other. I'm so jealous," Erica gushed.
"Stop it, we weren't," Caroline protested. She noticed Leopold watching her from across the crowd, which only made her cheeks burn hotter. "I need to use the restroom," she said, standing up.
The DJ switched to the next track, and Erica spun around, shouting, "I love this song!"
Cliff scanned the crowd with his eyes and announced into the microphone, "Here we go!"
At the next moment, the entire venue erupted in song, with Erica's voice rising above everyone else's.
Caroline couldn't make out what they were singing, but judging by how effortlessly everyone knew the lyrics, they were clearly regulars. In these women, she saw freedom and joy. If she had been half as uninhibited as them in her younger days, she wouldn't be living such a conventional life now.
The restroom was quieter than the main area. Caroline turned on the faucet, letting the cool water run between her fingers. She pressed her damp hand against her burning face to cool down. Images of Cliff leaning close to her flashed through her mind—his deep eyes, long lashes, and straight nose. When he'd given her the rose, his hair had brushed against her cheek, giving her the illusion of romance.
These MCs were impressive, she thought. They could easily stir a woman's emotions, knowing exactly which buttons to push.
Caroline took a deep breath, reminding herself to stay calm. It was all just part of the show—she shouldn't take it seriously.
After composing herself, she opened the door and immediately ran into Leopold coming from the opposite direction.
They passed each other, and she couldn't quite describe the feeling—as if he had caught her daydreaming about another man. She quickened her pace, not daring to look back as she disappeared into the crowd, wishing she could hide.
The bar closed at 2:30 AM. Caroline had work tomorrow, so she leaned over to Erica and whispered, "I can't stay any longer. I have to work tomorrow, so I'm heading out."
Erica, who enjoyed staying up late, nodded. "Alright, make sure you call a driver service."
"I will."
Caroline said goodbye to everyone, and just as she stepped outside the bar, Leopold followed her out.
She heard footsteps approaching from behind and turned to see him.
"Calling it a night, too?" She asked.
"Yeah," Leopold replied. "I have work tomorrow. Would you mind giving me a ride since we're heading the same way?"
She couldn't really say no—they lived near each other.
Caroline handed her car keys to the driver's service. "You didn't drive?"
"No."
Leopold sat in the passenger seat. Last time he had driven her home, and now their roles were reversed.
The night was deep, but the sky wasn't completely dark, tinged with a shade of blue. Stars sparkled like tiny diamonds, and the city seemed to be sleeping alongside its people.
The streets were quiet and calm. Most shops had closed, with only their signs still illuminated. The city had a dreamlike, mysterious quality in the night.
Neither of them spoke during the ride. Caroline sat in the back seat, gazing out the window while Leopold rested with his eyes closed. As they approached Caroline's neighborhood, Leopold opened his eyes, stretched his neck, and said, "You can drop me off at the curb."
"It's late," Caroline replied. "I'll take you to your complex."
Leopold smiled. "What kind of man lets a woman escort him home? Just stop at the curb. I can walk from there."
Caroline insisted, "It's too late. It's not safe."
"I'm a grown man. What's not safe about that?" Leopold said, then instructed the driver, "Pull over at the curb."
Before he could finish, Caroline told the driver not to stop, threatening to withhold payment if he did. The driver drove past her complex entrance.
Leopold turned around to see Caroline's soft, radiant smile, reminiscent of the rose she'd brought from the club.
The image suddenly overlapped with her moment of closeness with the MC, causing Leopold's gaze to freeze for a few seconds before he discreetly looked away.
In the confined space of the car, the scent of roses floated in the air, mingling with alcohol—intoxicating and disorienting.
To distract himself, Leopold's eyes fell on the rose in the cup holder. "Do you like flowers?" He asked.
Caroline mistakenly thought Leopold was bringing up their breakup conversation, and her expression cooled. "Not particularly."
Seeing her lack of interest, he dropped the subject. When they reached the complex entrance, Leopold thanked her and got out. Just as he was about to close the door, he leaned back in and took the rose from the cup holder.
"What are you doing with my flower?" She asked.
Leopold acted as if it were perfectly natural. "Didn't you say you don't like them?"
"I..." Caroline's words trailed off.
The door closed.
She muttered to herself, "I said I didn't like the flowers Atticus gave me. I never said anything about tonight's rose."
Leopold waited until he heard the car engine fade before turning to look in the direction it had gone, his gaze deep and concealing many emotions.
That night, some inexplicable connection formed between them. He looked up at the sky, then down at the rose in his hand, thinking he must be going crazy. Perhaps it was just the cold night air.
Steam rose in the bathroom as Leopold sighed contentedly in the bathtub, looking at the rose in a glass. The image of Caroline and the MC's intimate interaction flashed through his mind again. He got up from the tub, wrapped a towel around his waist, and wiped the fog from the mirror to compare his physique—not inferior to the MC's.
Before going to bed, Leopold booked a flight out of town and left a message for his secretary that he'd be on a business trip for a week.
Life was unpredictable. It seemed the people we fell for were always those we met unexpectedly.
After their parting at Bubbly Bar, Caroline hadn't heard from Leopold, and they hadn't contacted each other. Her life returned to its quiet, busy routine.
She thought Atticus had disappeared from her life, but early Saturday morning, Caroline received a call from her mother, Elysia Hayes.
"Caroline, are you home?" She asked.
Caroline, still half-asleep, answered lazily, "Yes."
"Atticus is here. Could you come over?"
Hearing his name jolted Caroline fully awake. She sat up. "What's he doing there? We broke up."
Elysia was in the kitchen. She glanced at Atticus in the living room and lowered her voice. "He came with gifts, apologized the moment he walked in, and gave quite an explanation. If you can't make it, I'll ask him to leave."
Caroline nearly cursed. "Why is he at your place? Is he crazy?" Then, realizing she shouldn't involve her parents in her problems, she decided to go. "Mom, is Dad home?"
Elysia replied, "He went to a meeting in the city yesterday and hasn't returned yet."
Thankfully, Caroline thought with relief. "Okay, I'll be right there."
Caroline got ready as quickly as possible, grabbed her car keys, and left. The normally thirty-minute drive took her less than twenty.
As soon as she entered, she saw Atticus's leather shoes on the mat, which angered her further. She stormed into the living room, not bothering to hide her displeasure.
"Why did you come to my mother's house?" She demanded.
Atticus stood up, smiling cautiously. "I brought blue crabs. I was on a business trip where they're a local specialty, and I remembered Mrs. Tudor loves them, so I thought I'd bring some."
He's so good at pretending to be thoughtful, Caroline thought bitterly. She hated his two-faced behavior—acting proper in public while being despicable in private.
Controlling her anger, Caroline said, "Atticus, stop the act. I tried to save your face, but you wouldn't take the hint. Now you're going to be embarrassed in front of my mother. Fine, you'll just have to take this scolding in person."