"Joe!"
Lydia's voice was filled with shock and disbelief. She had never seen Joe like this before. The man who was always immaculate and precise now looked disheveled and unsteady.
Even when she had discovered his infidelity, he hadn't appeared this far gone. What on earth had happened to him? Lydia's eyes widened in confusion and concern.
Joe, however, responded with a grotesque grin as he staggered towards her, the stench of alcohol so strong that Lydia instinctively covered her nose.
Parker, recognizing the danger, quickly moved to intervene. Joe, seeing Parker's approach, laughed maniacally, his demeanor now that of someone completely unhinged.
"Is this why?" Joe's voice was harsh as he jabbed a finger at Parker. "Is it because he's the reason you ended things with me?"
Lydia's eyes flared with frustration. "This has nothing to do with Parker. I made this decision entirely on my own."
"Lydia... why won't you give me another chance?"
"Because things can't go back to how they were, Joe."
"Why not? Men are like this, aren't they? We aren't even married yet-how can you call it cheating? I swear, if you marry me, I'll make sure nothing like this ever happens again."
"Do you truly believe you can keep that promise?" Lydia's voice was icy, each word cutting through the air.
"Absolutely. I'll do whatever it takes to make it right."
"But trust once shattered can't be rebuilt. I can't trust you anymore. Let's just be friends, Joe. That's all we can be."
"Friends? Who wants to be friends?" Joe's laughter echoed with a hint of madness, his eyes glazed with alcohol and anger. "You're insane! Don't you get it? I've put up with so much just to be with you-endured all your boring little quirks!"
Lydia's face flushed with a mix of hurt and outrage. As Joe tried to move closer, Parker intervened, pushing him back. The alcohol had clearly loosened Joe's grip on reality; he seemed oblivious to the threat Parker posed.
"What, are you going to protect her now?" Joe's voice was dripping with scorn as he turned his attention back to Lydia. "Do you really think she's so high and mighty? Without her money, who would even look at her?"
Lydia drew a deep breath, her heart heavy with the sting of betrayal. The man she had trusted and believed in was now standing before her, a cruel reminder of her misjudgments. Before she could utter a single word, the sight before her made her cry out in shock.
Parker delivered a crushing blow to Joe's face, sending him sprawling to the ground. The impact echoed through the crowd, drawing curious stares from bystanders. Joe's head hit the pavement with a sickening thud, and the scene turned chaotic.
"Parker, stop!" Lydia's voice wavered as she rushed to intervene. Parker, his anger barely contained, shot a frustrated glare at her.
"Why are you defending him?" he roared. "He's insulted us, and yet you're still trying to protect him? It makes no sense!"
Lydia shook her head, her demeanor surprisingly calm amidst the turmoil. "It's not about him," she said softly. "I'm worried about you, Parker. I don't want you to get dragged into this mess because of someone like Joe. I see things clearly now, and I'm done with people like him for good."
Hearing Lydia's words, Parker felt a wave of relief wash over him. He glanced down at Joe, who lay crumpled on the ground, and shook his head in disdain. 'So pitiful,' he thought, noting how a single punch had rendered Joe completely incapacitated.
Turning to the parking lot, Parker spotted a security guard and waved him over.
"Hey, could you give me a hand?" he called out.
The guard approached, his curiosity piqued. "What's the problem?"
"Can you get this guy out of here for me?" Parker said, slipping a few gray banknotes into the guard's hand. "I'll make sure you're compensated for your time."
The guard's eyes widened at the sight of the cash. "Sure thing. I'll handle it." With the promise of a generous tip, he helped the nearly unconscious Joe to his feet and guided him away.
Parker watched them go, then turned back to Lydia, a deep sigh escaping him as he met her gaze.
"Seeing you like this only makes me worry more," Parker said. "How about I stay in Bangkok for another month?"
Lydia laughed and raised his hand to inspect it. "Don't worry about me. Joe probably won't dare to cause any trouble again. Are you hurt?"
"It's nothing," Parker replied with a chuckle. "I've had rougher tussles with farm workers. This is nothing."
"Is that just a rough play?" Lydia's eyes widened. "And if I made a mistake, would you punish me like that?"
"Lydia, even if I've scolded you before, I've never laid a hand on you. If I'd get angry, it would be because you went back to someone like Joe." He fixed his gaze on her. "You don't have to like me, or love me, but you must love yourself. You need to choose better man, understand?"
The sincerity in Parker's words touched Lydia deeply, and she couldn't help but smile. She wrapped her arm around his and leaned her face against his strong, sturdy bicep, feeling a comforting warmth.
"Parker, you talk as if you're my father," she said softly.
"No way! Who would want to be a father? I'd rather be a boyfriend!" Parker teased, his tone playful.
Lydia laughed brightly, seeing a new side of Parker that she had never seen before. The two of them got into the car, and Parker drove her straight to her place. This time, he didn't enter her apartment; he was mindful of her reputation and didn't want to cause any potential scandal.
The next morning, Parker showed up exactly as he promised, ready to drive her to work. Lydia insisted it wasn't necessary, but he wouldn't hear of it.
"Since I'm in Bangkok for just a few days, let me do this for you," he said. Given his insistence, she couldn't refuse. Deep down, she was thrilled to be near him.
"I'll pick you up in the evening. This time, dinner's on me. Think about what you'd like to eat," he offered.
"Okay, Parker," Lydia replied with a smile and waved him off. She walked into her department and began her workday as usual, but she couldn't shake the feeling of curious glances from her colleagues. Some whispered among themselves but said nothing directly. Lydia was generally well-liked and maintained good relations with everyone, though she kept her distance, not becoming too close to anyone except for her best friend, Olivia, who at the moment, was no longer a friend.
"Lydia, boss wants to see you."
"Okay, thank you."
Lydia walked into her boss's office. Her boss, a woman in her mid-forties, had a reputation for understanding the nuances of working with other women but also for being quite strict. She looked at Lydia with a sigh.
"Honestly, I'd rather not get involved in personal matters," her boss began, "but it's part of my duty to address these issues. Some situations can reflect poorly on the workplace. I'd like you to take a moment to reflect on your own behavior."
"What scandal are you referring to? I don't understand," Lydia asked, her eyes wide with confusion.
Seeing the innocence in her expression, her boss sighed. "You must not have seen it yet. There's a video clip circulating of you arguing with two men in the parking lot."
"What?!" Lydia's eyes widened in shock. She remembered the confrontation with Joe last night but couldn't understand how it had become public. Who could have filmed it?