Chapter 2 My best friend

• "Good morning, Miss," the woman in the luxury salon smiled at me.
• Instead of sulking in my room and drowning in depression, I chose to do things that would make me feel confident and beautiful.
• “Uhm, Miss, I need a total makeover. The one that will show up my real beauty," I said firmly.
• By noon the next day, I walked out of the city’s most elite luxury salon.
• The stylist didn't cut my hair, but instead changed it into a smooth, expensive, and voluminous big wave style that cascaded naturally down my shoulders, while applying a stunning, sophisticated makeup look that highlighted my eyes. Combined with a sexy, high-end designer dress that hugged every curve I had previously hidden, the woman in the mirror was completely unrecognizable.
• She looked dangerous. She looked like a heartbreaker.
• To celebrate my rebirth, I decided to have a drink, so I drove to an upscale rooftop restaurant downtown.
• But just as I pulled into the valet lane, a sleek, matte-black luxury car suddenly cut me off, nearly grazing my bumper.
• Perfect. Another idi*t.
• I stepped out of my car, slamming the door shut.
• The driver’s side door of the luxury car opened at the same time, and a man in a sharp suit stepped out—it was clearly the personal chauffeur.
• But through the heavily tinted, half-rolled-down window of the VIP back seat, I could barely catch a glimpse of the man sitting inside.
• Even with the glass obscuring most of his face, the brief sight made the air catch in my throat.
• He had a devastatingly sharp, aristocratic jawline and dark, intensely magnetic eyes that seemed to pierce right through the darkness of the car.
• Everything about his silhouette radiated ungodly wealth and power.
• "Watch where you're driving, lady," the chauffeur clipped out, his voice sharp and arrogant as he glanced down at the minor scratch on their front bumper.
• I didn't flinch. I took a slow step forward, raising an eyebrow with a cold confidence I never knew I possessed.
• "Your blinker wasn't on, Mister. Tell your boss inside to name his price for the scratch, or get out of my way. I have a lunch reservation."
• Through the tinted glass, I felt the gaze of the hidden billionaire lock onto my face. His dark eyes narrowing slightly, caught completely off guard by my icy defiance.
• Before the chauffeur or the mysterious man inside could utter another word, I simply tossed my valet keys to the attendant and swept past the luxury car without waiting for an answer.
• The hostess guided me into the elegant restaurant. But the moment I stepped onto the polished marble floor, my gaze was instantly locked onto a table right by the window.
• Kathy.
• My former best friend. The backstabbing snake who had ripped my life apart. And she wasn't alone. She was gently rubbing her still-flat stomach, a smug, self-satisfied smile playing on her lips like a cat that had just swallowed a canary. She looked so happy, completely untouched by the wreckage she had left behind.
• Instead of turning around and fleeing like a coward, a cold wave of confidence washed over me. I threw my shoulders back, lifted my chin high, and walked straight toward her table.
• The sharp, rhythmic clicking of my high heels echoed against the marble, drawing the eyes of several patrons, but my focus was entirely on her.
• Kathy looked up casually, ready to ignore a passing stranger—but the exact millisecond her eyes registered my face, her jaw literally dropped.
• The fake innocence she always wore like a mask completely shattered into pure, unadulterated shock.
• “C-Charm……？” She gasped out loud, sucking in a sharp breath. Her eyes frantically darted back and forth between my gorgeous, voluminous new big waves and the stunning designer dress that draped perfectly over my body. “Is that…… really you?”
• “Miss me, Kathy?” I smirked, pulling out the chair at the vacant table just a short distance across from her.
• I sat down with slow, deliberate grace, elegantly crossing my legs as I stared her down.
• “I must say, p*egnant suits you. It really highlights the desperate look in your eyes.”
• Kathy's face instantly flushed a deep, angry red.
• The momentary guilt in her eyes evaporated, replaced by a vicious, defensive glare as she leaned across the table.
• "You don't have to be so cruel, Charm! What happened between Andrei and me was an accident. We didn't mean to hurt you, we were just so drunk that night..."
• "Don't call me Charm, Kathy. You lost that right the moment you let my fiancé into your bed," I said sarcastically, leaning back and looking at her with total disdain. "And stop using drunkenness as an excuse. It's pathetic and cheap, just like the two of you."
• Kathy's hands trembled, and she tightly clutched her stomach, trying to weaponize her condition. "You can say whatever you want, but Andrei chose me! I am p*egnant with his child now, and we are going to build a real family. He's giving me everything he never gave you! You dressing up in this expensive outfit won't change the fact that you couldn't keep your man!"
• The insult was loud, and I could feel the eyes of the surrounding guests turning toward our section. But I didn't let her see a single crack in my composure. Instead, I burst into a soft, mocking laugh that cut right through her words.
• "Keep him?" I chuckled, looking at her with genuine pity.
• "Honey, I didn't lose him. I threw out the trash, and you blindly rushed in to pick it up. If you want my sloppy seconds so badly, you are completely welcome to them. Have fun raising a family with a liar."
• "You btch!" Kathy shrieked, her face twisting into an ugly mask of rage. She slmmed her hand hard against the table, standing up so fast her water glass spilled over. "You're just a bitter, lonely loser who got dumped!"
• The scene was becoming entirely too loud and chaotic.
• Suddenly, before Kathy could yell another word, a handsome restaurant manager quickly stepped between us. His expression was completely professional but freezing cold. Two burly security guards immediately moved in right behind him, framing Kathy.
• "Excuse me, Ma'am," the manager said to Kathy, his voice dripping with polite authority. "Our boss is currently dining in the private VIP section just over there, and he strictly dislikes loud, disruptive noises disturbing the guests. He has just personally ordered us to handle this situation. I must ask you to leave the premises immediately before our security escorts you out."
• Kathy’s face drained of all color. She looked around the room, finally realizing that every elite diner in the restaurant was staring at her like a crazy, hysterical woman. Trembling with utter embarrassment, she grabbed her designer purse and hurried away in total shame, not even looking back.
• "Thank you," I told the manager, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
• "It is entirely our pleasure, Ma'am. Our boss explicitly noted that a beautiful lady's afternoon should never be ruined by an unwelcome guest," the manager replied with a respectful bow. He then turned slightly, pointing his hand toward the elevated, dimly lit VIP lounge across the dining room.
• I turned my head, following his hand, and looked straight over to the glass divider.
• Sitting at a secluded dark table was the tall silhouette of a man.
• Because of the distance and the moody, elegant lighting of the private section, his facial features were blurry and completely unreadable. But even from afar, I could distinctly trace an incredibly sharp, aristocratic jawline and a commanding, god-like aura that radiated pure power.
• He looked devastatingly handsome, sitting there like a king observing his court.
• As if sensing my eyes on him, the dark silhouette slightly tilted his head in my direction.
• He slowly raised his crystal glass toward me in a silent, distant toast.
• My heart suddenly skipped a heavy beat.
• A strange, fleeting warmth rushed through my chest, but I quickly shook my head, tearing my gaze away. He was just a wealthy, powerful stranger—a passing shadow I would likely never cross paths with again.
• The waiter soon arrived and served my food.
• I ate quietly, the sweet taste of victory lingering on my tongue.
• Kathy was gone, humiliated and defeated, but my adrenaline was still pumping much too fast. My entire system was restless, buzzing with a wild, untamed energy.
• I knew that if I went back to my empty, quiet house now, the shadows of the past three years would try to creep back in. I couldn't let the depression win.
• I quickly finished my meal, paid the bill, and walked out to the valet to get my car.
• Tonight, I wasn't going to be the victim.
• Tonight, I was going to the wildest, loudest sports bar downtown.
• I was going to drink, dance, and completely lose myself in the neon lights and the chaotic crowd to celebrate my absolute freedom.