Night fell quickly.
The city lights came alive, bright and restless.
Loretta stood outside the club, staring up at the glowing sign.
Music pulsed from inside.
Loud, wild, and free.
She took a slow breath.
"No need to save the best for last," she murmured. "Going all out." She cheered herself on and stepped in.
The moment she entered, the world changed.
Lights flashed.
Music roared.
People laughed, danced, shouted.
The air was thick with heat and excitement.
Loretta hesitated for only a second—this was not the setting she was used to. She got cold feet, but at that moment, a hostess greeted her with a smile.
"First time?" she asked with a knowing smile.
Loretta nodded shyly.
"Then get ready to have the time of your life," the hostess said as she led her inside, giving her some tips.
Loretta blushed from time to time, but she was getting more curious. The stage was already alive.
Men danced under the lights, their movements smooth and confident.
The crowd cheered loudly.
Loretta blinked. The hostess led her to a seat with a good view of the stage.
For a moment… she just watched. Then—
She laughed.
A real laugh.
Light. Free.
"Would you like anything to drink, ma'am?" the hostess asked.
"Yes, something strong," she said.
The hostess came back with her drink. "Have fun," she winked as she set the cup down.
Loretta nodded and took the cup, downing the contents in one go. It burned down her throat, but she did not mind. She smiled and ordered another.
Then another.
And another.
The alcohol burned at first—
Then warmed her.
Loosened her. She got up from her chair and began to move.
The weight in her chest slowly faded.
At some point, she found herself closer to the stage.
Someone pulled her hand.
She didn't resist.
She danced.
She laughed.
She forgot.
For the first time in years, Loretta was not thinking about her family.
Not thinking about her past.
Not even thinking about Kevin Goodman.
She was just… living.
Time passed quickly.
The music grew louder.
Her head grew light; she was shouting like everyone else, tipping a dancer who was performing for her.
Her steps grew unsteady.
Another drink, and her vision blurred slightly.
The world spun, but she did not feel like stopping.
Until suddenly—
Her stomach twisted. Hard.
Loretta froze.
"…Oh no."
She covered her mouth and quickly pushed through the crowd.
The lights felt too bright.
The music too loud.
Everything too much.
She rushed down the hallway, searching for the restroom. Her steps were uneven.
Her breathing rushed.
Then—
She turned the corner—
And collided with something.
Hard.
Strong.
Unmoving.
Loretta winced and rubbed her head.
"…Why is the wall moving…" she mumbled.
Then she froze. That was not a wall; it was a chest.
She slowly raised her head.
Her lips parted to apologize… but before she could speak—
Everything came up. She threw up all over the man.
Silence.
Heavy and unnatural.
"…Oh."
Loretta blinked slowly. Her head spun.
Her vision struggled to focus.
Then it hit her.
She had thrown up… on someone.
The man standing in front of her.
Tall and still.
The dim light hid most of his face, but not enough.
Sharp features.
Dark eyes.
Cold.
Too calm.
That calmness was terrifying.
"…I'm sorry…" she mumbled weakly.
No response.
Her heart started to race.
Still drunk, she reached out clumsily.
"I—I'll clean it—"
A hand caught her wrist mid-air.
Firm.
Cold.
Her breath hitched.
"Throw her into the pond to feed the fish," he said calmly.
Loretta's eyes widened.
In an instant, her mind cleared.
Fear crashed into her.
"I didn't mean to!" she struggled. "It was an accident!"
Two men appeared from the corner and grabbed her arms.
"Wait—no—let go!"
She struggled harder now, panic rising.
"Please! I said I'm sorry!"
"Stop."
Another voice cut in.
The assistant stepped forward and leaned close to the man.
"That is your fiancée," he said quietly. "Loretta Gladstone."
The man paused.
His gaze returned to her.
This time—sharper and colder.
Loretta froze under that look. His gaze sent shivers through her spine. It was like a predator looking at his prey.
Kevin frowned slightly.
So this was her.
The woman who almost killed him and dared to throw money at him.
The one her family rushed to offer in marriage after discovering his identity.
Pathetic.
"Throw her in," he said.
No hesitation.
"Sir…" the assistant spoke again carefully, "the deadline…"
Kevin's gaze darkened. His wedding notice had just come out that afternoon; if she died that night, it would not be good for him.
Silence fell.
For a brief moment, no one moved.
Then—
He spoke again.
"Throw her into the pool," he corrected calmly. "Wake her up."
The assistant let out a quiet breath.
The bodyguards tightened their grip.
Loretta's heart pounded wildly.
"Wait—no—!"
The bodyguards did not care about her struggles. They dragged her straight to the pool and threw her in without hesitation.
Water splashed everywhere.
Loretta sank.
Her body froze.
Her mind went blank. But the cold water woke her up from her drunken stupor.
She tried to move, but panic swallowed her whole.
She could not swim. She moved her hands wildly, trying to stay afloat; her legs kicked without control.
She tried to hold her breath but failed. Water rushed into her mouth when she tried to breathe.
She struggled but kept sinking.
The bodyguards stood watching her thrash in the water for a while before one noticed something.
"She can't swim," he said in a low voice.
"What should we do?" The second also noticed. They had good hearing and heard that this lady was their boss's new fiancée; she could not die.
"Then should I report to the boss?" the first asked.
"There is no time for that. We save her first. Anyway, the boss only said to throw her in; he did not say how long." Saying that, the second bodyguard jumped into the pool and pulled her out.
Just then, they heard footsteps.
They turned to look and saw Kevin, who had changed his outfit, walking over.
"Who said you can let her out so soon?" His voice was cold.
The air froze.
The two bodyguards stiffened under Kevin's gaze.
"Sir… she couldn't swim," one of them said quickly. "We pulled her out before anything happened."
Kevin did not reply. His eyes moved past them and landed on Loretta.
She lay on the ground, still.
Water clung to her clothes, her hair, her skin. Her face was pale. Her lips slightly parted.
No movement.
No sound.
Kevin's eyes narrowed.
"Why is she not breathing?"
The bodyguards froze.
One of them immediately knelt beside her.
"I—I'll check."
He placed his fingers near her nose.
Then his neck stiffened.
"…Sir… she's not responding."
A heavy silence fell.
The second bodyguard quickly stepped forward and pressed on her chest.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Water spilled slightly from her lips.
But—nothing. No reaction.
No breath. The bodyguard hesitated.
His hands hovered; he knew what to do next.
But—he did not move, not with Kevin watching.
Seconds passed, heavy and dangerous.
Kevin's gaze darkened.
"Move." The word was calm, but absolute.
The bodyguard immediately stepped aside.
For a brief moment, no one moved.
Even the air felt still. Kevin walked forward. His steps were steady.
Unhurried.
He stopped beside her and looked down.
His expression did not change.
But his eyes lingered, just for a second.
Then he knelt without hesitation, not caring who was watching.
The bodyguards froze; shock flashed across their faces. They had never seen this before.
Kevin placed one hand on her chin.
Tilted her head slightly.
His movements were precise.
Calm.
Like he had done this before.
He pressed down on her chest.
Once.
Twice.
Then lowered his head and sealed his lips over hers. Time seemed to stop.The bodyguards looked away instantly.
Too stunned to react.
Seconds passed.
Then
Loretta's body jerked.
A sharp cough broke from her throat.
Water spilled from her mouth.
She gasped pulling in air desperately.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her whole body trembled.
Kevin pulled back slowly, his expression unchanged. As if what he had just done meant nothing.
Loretta coughed again.
Her vision blurred. Her head spun. Then her vision gradually cleared. The first thing she saw... Was him.
The man who had asked for her to be thrown into the pool.
Fear gripped her. This man was dangerous. She wanted nothing but to run away, but her body was too weak to move.