Chapter 8

Taylor frowned and refused to answer Ethan's question. Instead, he raised his glass and drained the remaining alcohol in one gulp. … "Nat, I'm getting married!" "Why the sudden decision?" Natalie had been casually drinking with Penny. Upon hearing her friend's announcement, her expression darkened. Penny's boyfriend, Chris Luiz, came from a modest background. He was nearly 30 years old with barely 200 thousand dollars in savings. While the Wright family wasn't as affluent as the Jones family, Penny's parents ran a company with an annual income in the billions. It was hardly a match for Penny to wed Chris. It felt more like a significant downgrade. "My parents also advised me not to rush into marriage and asked me to reconsider. They're just bothered that Chris isn't wealthy enough. But it's okay, I'm not short on money. I just want to marry a man who treats me well." "It's important for him to treat you well, but financial stability should also be a consideration. Penny, please think it over carefully." "It's alright. I just feel that Chris is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Even if we eventually separate due to personality differences, I won't regret it!" Natalie knew that Penny's parents were preoccupied with their business when Penny was a child. As a result, she didn't receive much care and was emotionally deprived. Perhaps Chris was able to fill that void. Natalie turned to Penny and said, "You should get him to sign a prenuptial agreement." "My parents suggested the same. When I brought it up with Chris, he agreed right away," Penny replied. "Well, that's a relief," Natalie said. The two continued to drink. Feeling concerned about Natalie's emotional state, Penny asked, "Has Taylor been treating you better lately?" "It's been the same." "You haven't had sexual intimacy for two years. Do you ever find yourself to be in need sometimes?" Natalie glanced at her friend but remained silent. Penny chuckled and suggested, "It's not ideal to always handle it yourself. Why not spend some money and find a man to deal with it?" Natalie scoffed. "I wouldn't dare to do that even if I had the desire. Let's forget about it." Just then, the bartender interrupted their conversation, "Miss, would you like to order more drinks?" Natalie glanced over. The bartender, clad in a suit, appeared young and handsome. However, Taylor's face popped into her mind as she looked at him. Despite being impeccably dressed, the bartender and Taylor couldn't be more different in their demeanor. Was it because of his facial features or charisma? "Nat, want to get a drink?" Penny nudged her arm. Natalie offered a polite smile to the bartender. "No, thank you." Turning to Penny, Natalie remarked, "I think it's time for me to head home. I have an early morning at the law firm tomorrow. The clients are coming to sign the contracts." Natalie lurched to her feet. A combination of haste and the dizziness creeping in from the alcohol nearly sent her sprawling. Luckily, the bartender caught her. "Are you all right, Miss?" "I'm fine, thank you," Natalie said. Just as she attempted to push away the bartender's hand on her waist, a figure dashed forward. The bartender cried out in pain when the man grabbed his wrist and wrenched it. Natalie's eyes widened in shock when she realized it was Taylor. He forcefully removed his hand from the bartender's grasp and turned to her. "What's gotten into you?" By then, there was a commotion in the bar. Natalie helped the bartender to his feet and said apologetically, "I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" The bartender grimaced and held his injured hand. "It's broken. Who is he to you? I'll call the police—" "An enemy," Natalie replied casually, then added with concern, "Why don't I take you to the hospital for a check-up?" Upon hearing her offer, Taylor's face turned pale. Without a word, he grabbed Natalie's hand and dragged her toward the bar's exit.