I forced my feet to move, even though my legs felt like lead. The weight of the tray in my hands felt heavier than it should have, my fingers gripping the edges so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I had to be careful—not just with my steps, but with everything. The last thing I could afford was spilling the drink.
With every step closer to the VIP seating, my pulse quickened.
When I reached them, my heart nearly stopped.
Alex—Julian's friend—was no longer across from him. He had moved.
Now, he was sitting right beside Julian.
I swallowed hard.
I couldn't turn back. I had no choice but to serve the drink.
Taking a deep breath, I carefully bent forward and placed the glass on the table, making sure to keep my hands steady.
I had just set the drink down when—
A strong grip latched onto my wrist.
Before I could react, I was yanked forward, losing my balance as I tumbled onto Alex's lap.
A small gasp escaped my lips as my body stiffened against him. My breath hitched in shock, my brain barely catching up with what had just happened. My heart pounded so loudly in my ears that I barely registered Julian's sharp voice cutting through the air.
"Alex!"
There was no amusement in his tone—only cold authority.
Alex, however, was unfazed.
"Relax, Julian," he chuckled, his grip still firm around me. "This is a hot chick—I can't just let her pass by."
I could hear the smirk in his voice, his casual confidence making my skin crawl.
I wanted to push him away, to say something, anything, but my voice had vanished.
Alex leaned in slightly, lowering his tone just enough for me to hear. "How about this?" he mused, his lips dangerously close to my ear. "One night with me, and you can have whatever you want."
I felt my entire body tense.
I still couldn't move.
I couldn't even breathe.
This was different from how the other waitresses acted. They would have giggled, played along, leaned into the attention. But me? I just sat there frozen, probably looking like a lost child.
That only seemed to amuse Alex more.
He smirked, clearly enjoying my reaction—or lack of it.
Julian, on the other hand, remained silent.
But even without looking at him, I could feel his presence. Cold. Observing.
I didn't know if he found this entertaining or if he simply didn't care.
Then something in me snapped.
Maybe it was Alex's smug attitude.
Maybe it was the realization that I was just sitting there, letting this happen.
Or maybe, for the first time in my life, I had had enough.
I took a deep breath.
And then, slowly, I lifted my head.
I locked eyes with Alex, and in that moment, I let my fear burn away.
Instead, I let something else take over—something sharp, something fierce.
I glared at him.
Not with anger.
Not with desperation.
But with a silent, unwavering warning.
Alex's smirk faltered.
For a brief second, his eyes widened—not in amusement, but in something else. Something I couldn't quite place.
Julian, though unreadable as ever, seemed to notice it too.
But unlike Alex, he didn't react.
Slowly, I pushed myself off Alex's lap, steadying my stance.
And without another word, I turned and walked away, moving back to where I was originally instructed to stand.
Far away from them.
My heart was still pounding, my hands trembling slightly.
But I had done it.
I had stood my ground.
And judging by Alex's silence, I had caught him completely off guard.