NARRATIVE
"Hey! Pour me another glass." The bar attendant stared at the beautiful lady in shock. This was her sixth bottle of beer and he was amazed she could hold her liquor to this moment. Though, she was now wasted as she sat slouched on her chair, leaning against the counter. Her eyes red and eyelids swollen while she battled with her lashes, to keep her eyes open.
It was only natural that the bar attendant serve her as she'd requested, after all, she's only a customer and he, an attendant.
He needed no one to tell him the identity of the drunk lady. She's Imogen Grey. The second daughter of the renowned Chairman Grey and twin sister to the handsome general manager of JP's Enterprise.
However, the attendant couldn't help but wonder why she'd come to drink at the pub alone. It was unusual as she's a lady; a pretty one at that and it was a late at night. Although he could see a burly guard standing a little bit afar off, watching her. Notwithstanding, he gave her another glass of beer like she'd requested.
Imogen stared at the glass with blurry eyes, making a circular motion with her finger on it. A pathetic smirk played on her lips as the incident at her Dad's office earlier in the day, kept replaying in her head.
----
"Ain't you such a baby?" Imogen heard him say to her stepsister, the moment she'd walked in his office.
"Mm mhm," Scarlett had hummed. "I'm your baby. Ain't that right?"
"Of course you are." Her Dad had laughed.
----
"Hahaha," Imogen let out a pathetic chuckle as the memories of his smiling face kept flooding her mind. Her Dad whom she so much loved and sincerely yearned for his fatherly love, never showed her this side of him despite being her father for twenty one years. But he showed it without hesitation to her stepsister whom hasn't been with them even a week. How was she supposed to feel? Envious and Jealous of course. Isn't that right?
Imogen swallowed painfully, as she stared at the phone ringing at the bar counter beside her. He was calling her. Why would he call?! There's absolutely nothing she want to talk about with him! At this moment, Imogen couldn't help resenting her father.
A tear slid down her cheek as she frantically switched the phone off. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the personal guard her Dad had assigned to always protect her, standing a bit away from her side and quietly watching her. Imogen could feel her heart clench tight against her chest as more tears roll down her cheeks. She turned away and hurriedly raised the glass of beer to her lips, she was about downing the content when someone stopped her. His hand holding onto her wrist.
Imogen turned around to frown at the one who dared to stop her, a menacing glare on her face.
"Who the heck are you?! How dare you hold my wrist?!"
The stranger pulled his black hood backwards and Imogen's eyes widened in shock as recognition flashed instantly in her eyes.
_____
"What about my twin sister? Did she arrive home already?" Ashton asked the moment his driver pulled up at the parking space of the Grey's family mansion. He was out of the car and staring at the butler.
The Chief Butler, Raymond, shook his head in the negative.
"No, young master. Madame had found her location, she's at Preston Bar in city center." He said with a low bow.
"What?! At this time?!" Ashton couldn't believe his ears. He knew Imogen was reckless but not to the point of being out of the house alone and at a bar when it's already so late in the night.
He was on his way back home when his mother had called to ask if his sister was with him at company as Imogen wasn't home yet and their mother couldn't reach her on phone.
Imogen was Ashton's twin so of course, he understands her better than anyone else. Something or someone must have pissed her off greatly.
"Give me the car key, I'll bring her home myself." Ashton retrieved the key from his driver and hurriedly entered his car again. Only this time, he was behind the wheel. Within seconds, he had sped off the Grey's residence and was now on the highway, heading to Preston Bar.
Barely fifteen minutes later, Ashton arrived at the famous Preston Bar and had parked his car by the entrance. He made his way through the glass doors of the bar and walked inside the noisy bar.
His eyes scanned around for his sister and within seconds, he saw her sitting by the counter and about to down the content of the beer glass in her hand.
Just a momentary glance at her, Ashton could tell she was almost wasted as it is but before he could proceed towards her, someone beat him to it.
A man in a thick black hood, walked forward and grip her wrist, stopping her from drinking the beer. Ashton narrowed his eyes as he watched the scene from a little distance behind.
"Who the heck are you?! How dare you hold my wrist?!" His feisty sister queried, as she glared at the intruder.
Imogen's guard was about to intervene but Ashton gave him a quick eye signal, not to.
The man pulled down his hood and Ashton's eyes widened with surprise. He glanced at his sister to see her reaction, she was clearly stunned too.
Staring back at her with such alluring smile_that made her think she was hallucinating. He was tall and the baggy hoodie he had on, didn't hide his firm masculine built. His satin-gray eyes held such dangerous but attractive glint in them as he stared back at her.
"Pa...Palo? Palo Bryant?" Imogen stuttered.
Ashton was surprised as well. The reason for their surprise wasn't only because; the young man standing before Imogen is the first child and son of the famous Minister Bryant_an important partner of JP's Enterprise. They were mainly stunned because, several years ago, Palo Bryant used to be Imogen's first love.
The guy who had rejected her first without even knowing. They were teenagers then but had their separate lives. They were neither friends nor enemies, only schoolmates. But Imogen had loved him from afar before he'd suddenly disappeared from Birmingham City and next thing Imogen knew was that, he was no longer in the country as his parents had sent him to Japan. His disappearance was the first heartbreak and rejection she ever felt. But after a couple of years, she'd forgotten all about him, including her romantic feelings for him.
"You know me? Uhmm...scratch that. Do you really want to die?"
"What!" Imogen frowned, not understanding his words. His voice was really alluring, she couldn't deny that.
"I'm usually not concerned about issues like this." He released her hand. "I've been here for a while and have watched you drink yourself to stupor for reasons best known to you. I couldn't just ignore your pathetic state and walk away." Imogen's frown deepened, she rolled her eyes over him before she scoffed.
"And how's that your business? You can scram right away. The exit door is wide open as you can see." Palo ran his eyes over her, almost hating himself for bothering to talk to her. In his opinion, she was rather too insensible for him to care.
"Sure it's not but would be soon. Like I said before, I wouldn't be here talking to you if I had my way. The only reason I'm talking to a pathetic child like you is because..."
"I am NOT a child!" Imogen interrupted curtly. "What's my business got to do with you anyway?! You should scram right now before I lose my temper!" She said, her intoxication increasing.
"You are drunk, I know but you don't interrupt me! I'm overlooking this because you're related to someone really important to me. That aside, you're ruining her family's reputation too." Palo tilt his head to the side, glancing briefly at Ashton and the guard, standing a brief distance away. Ashton walked closer. Although Palo Bryant may be right with his last statement, Ashton couldn't keep letting him talk in that manner to his sister. Whatever the heck his initial words mean.
"It's best if you go home now. After all, your brother is here." Imogen furrowed her brows at him and turned to her side to see Ashton walking up to her.
"Ashton," She smiled, just as the alcohol completely take over her system and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Ashton was quick to place his hand on the counter before her head came in contact with it. While he retrieved the beer glass which miraculously, didn't fall off her hand.
Palo rolled his eyes over the duo before pulling his hood over his head and walking away, his hands in his pockets.
He still had an important task to do.