Chapter 04
Rain lashed against the windows of the upscale bar, blurring the cityscape outside into a canvas of shimmering lights. Adrian sat alone at a corner booth, nursing a glass of amber liquid that tasted like regret. He had drowned his sorrows for hours, the warmth of the alcohol a temporary refuge from the chilling reality of his unrequited feelings for Liam.
He had tried, he truly had. He'd focused on work, thrown himself into the ongoing battle with his sister Olivia and her company, Apex Tech. But the image of Liam, his smile, his laughter, kept resurfacing, a constant reminder of what he couldn't have.
His phone buzzed on the table, the notification a jarring intrusion in his self-pitying stupor. It was an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment, then answered, his voice thick with slurred words.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Thorne?" came a voice, cautious yet firm. "This is the valet from The Regal. We have your car, but you seem…" the voice trailed off, searching for the right word.
Adrian scoffed. "I'm fine," he mumbled, downing the rest of his drink in one go. "Just… tired."
The silence on the other end stretched until Adrian thought they had hung up. Then, the voice spoke again, laced with hesitant concern.
"Sir, with all due respect, it doesn't sound like you're in a condition to drive. Is there someone you can call who can pick you up?"
Adrian's mind was a fog, the alcohol clouding his judgment. He thought of Sarah, her image fleeting in his intoxicated haze. He mumbled her number into the phone, his voice barely audible.
Moments later, the voice spoke again, tinged with surprise. "Sir, this number is… Mr. Liam Davies?"
A jolt of shock ripped through Adrian, a sliver of sobriety cutting through the haze. "Liam?" he croaked, his voice raw with confusion.
"Yes, sir," the voice confirmed. "Is he someone who can help?"
Adrian hesitated, the weight of his actions hitting him with a sickening thud. To call Liam, the man he'd confessed his feelings to and been rejected by, in such a vulnerable state – it felt humiliating, pathetic even.
But the thought of facing the rain-soaked streets alone, the potential dangers lurking in the shadows, outweighed his pride. Shamefacedly, he mumbled a weak affirmative.
"Alright, sir," the valet replied, his voice conveying a hint of judgment. "I'll let him know you're on the line."
Adrian hung up, his hand trembling as he held the phone to his ear. He waited, bracing himself for rejection, for the confirmation of his own unworthiness.
Instead, the phone rang again. He answered with a shaky breath, expecting to hear Liam's voice laced with disapproval.
But it wasn't Liam. It was a woman's voice, gentle and concerned. "Mr. Thorne? This is Sarah. Liam told me you called. Are you alright?"
Adrian shut his eyes, the sound of her voice a surprising comfort in the midst of his turmoil. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice failed him. He was a mess, a tangled web of emotions and poor decisions.
"Mr. Thorne?" Sarah's voice reached him again, her concern palpable. "Don't worry, I'm on my way."
The line went dead, leaving Adrian suspended in a strange limbo. Shame battled with a flicker of hope, a hope he didn't dare name. He had reached rock bottom, his emotions and vulnerabilities laid bare.
As he waited, the rain continued to lash against the windows, a symphony of nature's fury echoing the turmoil within him. He didn't know what awaited him, but for the first time that night, he wasn't facing it alone. He had taken a chance, a desperate reach for a lifeline, and now he had to wait and see where it would lead him.
Sarah arrived at the bar, her umbrella offering little protection against the downpour. Her cheeks flushed as she spotted Adrian slumped in the corner booth, his head buried in his hands. A pang of sympathy, laced with a touch of unexpected worry, tugged at her heart.
She approached him cautiously, her voice soft. "Mr. Thorne? Are you okay?"
Adrian lifted his head slowly, his eyes bleary and glazed. "Sarah?" he mumbled, his voice thick with confusion.
"The valet called," she explained, taking a seat beside him. "He said you weren't in a good state to drive. Is everything alright?"
Adrian looked away, shame burning in his cheeks. He couldn't bring himself to confide in her, not about his drunken state or the deeper reason behind his call. He mumbled a half-truth, claiming he'd simply had a long day and lost track of time.
Sarah studied him, her brow furrowed in concern. "You seem… troubled," she ventured. "If you want to talk about it…"
He cut her off, his voice rough with suppressed emotions. "There's nothing to talk about. I appreciate you coming to get me, Sarah. I apologize for the trouble."
He stood up, swaying slightly on his feet. Sarah reached out a hand to steady him, her touch sending a jolt through him. It was a simple gesture, yet it felt oddly personal, a bridge momentarily connecting their two worlds.
"Are you sure you're alright to drive?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Adrian met her gaze, the raw vulnerability in her eyes mirroring his own turmoil. In that moment, a truth he'd tried desperately to suppress surfaced. It wasn't just comfort he'd craved when he'd called Liam; it was the connection he'd unexpectedly found with Sarah, a connection he'd been too afraid to acknowledge.
He opened his mouth to speak, to apologize for his behavior and explain his impulsive call, but the words wouldn't come. He was caught in a tangled web of emotions, unsure of what path to take, unsure of what he truly desired.
Sarah seemed to sense his internal struggle. With a gentle smile, she offered, "If you'd rather not drive, I wouldn't mind taking you home."
The unexpected offer hung in the air, a lifeline thrown across the turbulent waters of his emotions. Adrian stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest. This was a choice, a crossroads he couldn't ignore. Could he risk stepping away from the path he'd always known, the path that led towards unrequited feelings and emotional isolation?
As the rain continued its relentless assault outside, Adrian looked into Sarah's eyes, searching for an answer not just in her words, but in the depths of her gaze. In that moment, he knew one thing for certain: his journey had just begun, and the choices he made next would determine not just his relationship with Liam, but the course of his own heart.