Chapter 18 Toasting Her Appreciation

"Honey, how are you doing?" Madeline noticed that Freya was being harassed backstage and went to see if she was okay. "Don't worry, I'm fine!" "Exactly when I needed you to show up, Madeline! This young lady is a friend of yours, isn't she? Would you mind letting her join us for a drink up in my office on the third floor?" Patrick knew Madeline well. He frequently spoke with her as general manager of the Shangri-La Bar, where she was a regular performer. "I apologize, Patrick," Madeline said after pausing for a while. "It's already late, and my friend isn't nearly as careless as we are. I think it's time for her to go home." "That won't be a problem. I'll personally drive her home later." Madeline had no choice but to maintain her silence. She was the one who brought Freya to this bar, but she couldn't help but feel guilty watching her friend being harassed there. Freya had met many men like Patrick before. He was persistent, which made her begin to worry that she wouldn't be able to get out of there tonight without having a drink with him. "All right, I'll have one drink." Patrick took Freya up to his office on the third floor, and Madeline followed them there out of worry. When they entered the office, they saw that Xavier was the only one in the large, empty room. "Where did the boss go?" Asked Patrick. "He just left, and I couldn't stop him," Xavier sighed helplessly. Patrick was at his wits' end. He had gone to great lengths to bring this beauty here, only to have Bradley leave without a word. Freya had no idea who Patrick was talking about when he mentioned the "boss." She walked over to the table, grabbed a drink, chugged it, and then held it aloft for Patrick to see. "See? I drank the whole thing already. May I leave now?" Today's event was organized by Bradley's friends specifically to find him a woman to have fun with. They didn't want him to be unsatisfied, especially since he married someone they considered unintelligent. Patrick looked at Freya, captivated by her innocent eyes shimmering with mist and her vibrant presence. He couldn't help but feel that touching her would be like committing a sin. "I hope you don't mind me asking. What is your name?" Patrick's gaze was intense as he locked onto Freya, his melodious voice resonating deep within everyone's hearts. "My name is Freya," she responded. After saying this, Freya took hold of Madeline's hand, and they left the office on the third floor. Freya removed her veil in the dressing room while Madeline sat beside her, helping remove the makeup. "Freya, it's all my fault for almost letting you be harassed," Madeline admitted. When she asked Freya for help, she certainly didn't anticipate running into Ethan, the notorious playboy in town. Freya smiled as she reached out to pinch Madeline on the cheek." We're the best of friends, you idiot! It's not your fault at all. Besides, Ethan didn't really do anything to me." "Just look at you! You are beautiful and talented in so many ways. Your singing, dancing, and even your veil add to your beauty." Madeline looked at Freya's face seriously and said, "No wonder you attract a swarm of bees." As a woman, Madeline's heart was beating wildly as she looked at Freya. Hearing Madeline's praise, Freya giggled. "Stop teasing me! By the way, who is Patrick?" The glasswork in that office was evidence of the owner's wealth and prominence, making Freya a feeling Patrick was not like other people. "Patrick is the general manager of Shangri-La Bar and is also known as a notorious womanizer. You should stay away from him in the future." Patrick was widely regarded as the most famous playboy in the nightclubs in town and the most well-known womanizer. Patrick's face was ambiguously masculine and feminine, which made him look like a typical player. "I doubt I'll ever have the opportunity to run into him again!" Freya said, picking up her phone to check the time. "Sorry, but I have to go back home now. The Lawson family must be in disarray right now." "Let me go get a cab for you!" The two girls then left Shangri-La Bar together. They arrived at the front door just in time to see a couple kissing passionately beside a telephone booth across the street. Madeline pointed out the woman who was pressed up against the telephone booth and said with a disdainful look on her face. When Freya looked, she was taken aback to recognize the man as none other than Ethan. Nobody could explain how these two people hooked up. Madeline quickly snapped a few pictures on her phone and sent them to Freya. "Hold on to these. You never know when they'll come in handy." "Alright, you can go back now, Madeline. I'll catch a cab myself." Freya wrapped her arms around Madeline and asked her to go back to the bar. "Text me when you get home safely!" Freya started to hail a taxi as she watched Madeline hobble into the Shangri-La Bar. Suddenly, a red Porsche sports car pulled up in front of Freya. Patrick, whom she had just met ten minutes earlier, was the attractive man occupying the driver's seat. Freya took a few steps forward while pretending not to see, then began to hail a taxi. Patrick was embarrassed after being ignored, so he drove backward until he was again in front of her. "Miss, it's difficult to find a cab at this hour. Let me take you home if you like." Freya pretended as if she had only recently noticed him. She pretended to be surprised and exclaimed, "Wow, isn't this Patrick? What a coincidence." This was Patrick's first clear look at Freya's face. He had been captivated by her profile from afar, but now that she stood before him, he could hardly breathe. He could even feel the rapid pounding of his heart as he gazed at her. He thought this girl was far more than just beautiful. In fact, he compared her with a fairy from a faraway wonderland. He felt his heart stop when their eyes met. Patrick was lost in thought and hesitated a while before saying, "Coincidentally, I came specifically to give you a ride." Freya flashed him a grin that showed off a cute dimple. "I'll just wait here for a cab. I don't want to bother you." She didn't want to be in the position of having to repay him a favor, and Madeline had just pointed out how dangerous this man was. Seeing that she didn't appreciate his help, Patrick touched his nose and said, "All right, then I'll stay here and keep you company. Please give me a chance if you can't get a taxi." "I really don't need your help," Freya said firmly. However, getting a taxi at this hour was next to impossible. Many taxis were already full or refusing passengers because it was their shift change. Freya quickly checked her watch and saw it was getting late. As she evaluated Patrick behind his back, she bit her lip nervously. "Can I really trust him?" she wondered. When Patrick said, "I guarantee with my integrity, I sincerely want to take you home," he meant it. Freya hesitated briefly but agreed to the compromise. To which they responded, "Okay, thank you." As she got into the car, she clutched the silver needle tightly. She would definitely use it to knock Patrick out if he did anything to her. Freya's guard was up the whole time. Patrick watched the girl in the back seat defend herself and laughed helplessly. Since Patrick was attractive and young, there was no shortage of female admirers. He was caught off guard when the girl defended him like he was some kind of beast. Patrick's delicate lips hooked, and an idea flooded his mind. Since Bradley wasn't interested, Patrick hoped he had the opportunity to start dating the girl on his own. The girl's naive face made him want to protect her. Patrick stared intently at Freya. The girl's delicate features and timid expression, reminiscent of a cute little white rabbit, were just barely discernible in the dim car. Freya felt his eyes on her and, a little uncomfortably, turned away to stare out the car's window.