Chapter 1 Drunk Encounter

“Thirty thousand dollars!” Mirabel’s eyes snapped up at the amount of money that was mentioned, a startled gasp escaping her lips. She hasn't heard that amount of money for a long time. “Are you certain?” she asked, trying to focus on the drinks she was mixing. The man at the bar placed the bundle of money on the table and it landed with a dull thud as the smell of mint dollars wafted through her nostrils. Money! Her mind screamed at her. Mirabel swallowed trying hard to hide the glint that shone in her eyes at the sight of the money. “I don't have anything to hide, Princess, if you can do it then this money will be yours,” he answered. Mirabel swallowed again looking around the bar where she was working just in case her boss was lurking around. As much as she wanted this money she didn't want to lose the job she had managed to secure after months of trying to get a job. Within two years Mirabel has been reduced from a spoiled rich princess to a drink mixer in a bar with a lot of debts and responsibilities that seemed to want to drown her. This money will be a game changer for her, it will help a lot in her finances while she tries to sort out the rest of her bills herself. “Alright,” Mirabel nodded, after she stared at the time, she had just a few hours left before her boss showed up and before her shift ended. “You’ll do it?” the man asked, surprised. “Yes, it's just to finish this bottle of vodka, right?” Mirabel asked to be certain. The man nodded, “Yes, Princess, you only have to finish this bottle of alcohol successfully and the money is yours.” The other patrons in the bar suddenly seemed to realize something was happening so they gathered toward the bar to watch the bartender get drunk. “Alright, game on,” Mirabel smiled. She hasn't been one to drink but drastic times call for drastic measures so she had to do it. From her research on drinks, she knew the alcohol would kick in after a few minutes so she just needed to get the money and disappear in an Uber till she got sober the following day. “Drink! Drink!! Drink!!!” the patrons began cheering as she picked up the bottle. Mirabel gave them a shaky smile before she took the first gulp of the drink. The burn sensation at the back of her throat caused her eyes to well up with tears. For you, Mom, cheers! She whispered in her head. Then she closed her eyes and kept chugging the drink until the entire bottle was empty. “Wow!” the man exclaimed, fascinated. Mirabel dropped the bottle on the table with a faint thud and staggered a little, giving the man a wide smile as she bowed and the patrons hooted and clapped before going to their seats. “I… did, money now…” she slurred, trying to control her staggering. “Yes, you did. I'm impressed,” he nodded. Mirabel reached out for the money with a smile playing on her lips but the man quickly withdrew the money from her reach. A frown replaced her smile immediately as she stared at the man puzzled, “Why? I won.” The man shook his head, a malicious smirk appearing on his lips. “Not quite, Princess, you didn't just expect me to hand you thirty thousand dollars just by finishing a bottle of alcohol now, did you?” Mirabel glared at him, “That was the deal, I d-drink.” “Come now, Princess,” he reached out to touch her, his eyes dropping to her low-cut blouse which showed off a good amount of her cleavage. Mirabel flinched and slapped his hand away, “Honor our deal!” “Fine, I will give you this money and any other thing you can possibly want in this life,” the man smiled at her. Mirabel shook her head, “No, just this one.” “Come on, Mira, we all know your story. I can help you if you help me,” the man said, leering at her. Mirabel eyed him, “Don’t call me that, it’s for friends and f-family.” “You don't have anyone anymore, Mira, but I can be your all and give you everything you need, come, walk with me.” The man gestured for his lackey who had been sitting beside him to bring her out. Mirabel tried to escape him but being heavily drunk she was at a disadvantage. “Let me go!” she struggled in the lackey’s grasp. “Relax, Mira, all you have to do is agree to be my mistress and I will make you comfortable, I will take care of all your needs,” the man stated. Tears sprung up in her eyes at his words as she thought of how she had been reduced to nothing ever since tragedy struck her family. “Go to hell,” she cursed. The man shook his head, “Fine. I'm a benevolent man and I have more from where this money came from. All you have to do is spend a night with me and this money will be yours.” Mirabel felt disgusted, the man was in his early fifties, and he was capable of being her father. Yet he wanted to take advantage of her situation. “Let me go!” she snapped again. “Since when did you start forcing women to sleep with you, Harold?” a sharp voice asked in the crowd. The entire bar was suddenly quiet as everyone turned their attention to a young man dressed in a black tuxedo with dark glasses. He looked to be in his late twenties. His hair was slicked back and styled to perfection, his thin pink lips were drawn back in a slight frown as he regarded the scene with contempt. “Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?” The man challenged the younger one. Everyone in the bar gasped as whispers began while they stared at the man who held Mirabel with pity. ‘He doesn't seem to know who he is,’ one of the patrons whispered. ‘Oh dear, poor Harold, he has seen his last today,’ another one added. Who is this man? Mirabel wondered. The older man’s bodyguard whispered something in his master’s ears and the man’s face suddenly turned pale as he stared at the younger man who was approaching him. “I'm sorry, Sir, please spare me,” the man apologized, bowing with his bodyguard. “Apologize to the lady,” the younger man stated, his voice sharp and authoritative. “I'm so sorry, Mirabel,” the man apologized before gathering his money and running out of the bar with his bodyguard. Mirabel stared at the man, “Thank you for helping me.” The man scoffed at her, “I didn't do it for you.” The patrons returned to normal as the bar became lively again. Mirabel frowned at his words. “W-what do you mean?” she asked, slurring slightly. The effect of the alcohol seemed to be getting worse. Just then her phone rang and she picked it up when she saw the number, her mind racing instantly as her foggy brain cleared up. “Hello,” she answered with a shaky voice. “Mirabel, it's urgent,” the voice on the other end of the line spoke. Mirabel nodded and hung up the phone, blinking furiously to stop the tears from falling as she stared at the man. “I have to go but thank you so much,” she said to him. “Marry me, Mirabel, that's why I saved you,” the man suddenly said.