Chapter 19

The bar lights flickered, illuminating the various expressions on the patrons' faces. At a booth, a man signaled the waiter.

"Bring me three bottles of Armand de Brignac," he commanded.

He then paid the $4,500 bill with a swipe of his card, basking in the admiring gazes of two women seated beside him. From their perspective, his casual spending made him irresistibly dashing. Had they not been letting Naomi have him that day, they would have whisked him away for a private conversation.

He put away his phone, a shadow of sorrow crossing his face. “To think I’ve hit my credit limit again, right after paying off a few installments,” he lamented silently. However, sensing the women’s attention, he quickly reimmersed himself in the fleeting pleasure of the moment. The thought of Naomi's alluring figure sent a flutter through his heart.

"Hey, look at that man. He's such a country bumpkin!"

The two women pointed at Robert without hesitation. His simple, unassuming outfit was far from flashy; one would be embarrassed to share a table with him.

"Trust me," one said. "When Naomi sees this champagne, she'll throw herself at you."

While showering the man with compliments, the women pulled out their phones and began posting on Instagram, completely forgetting about Robert and paying him no further attention.

Under the flashing lights, Kendrick entered the bar and spotted Marilyn at a table. Even amidst a throng of beautiful women, Marilyn's dazzling beauty stood out. Linda, the gorgeous blonde beside her, was also stunning, but paled in comparison to Marilyn.

"Marilyn," Kendrick strode over.

Marilyn turned at the sound of his voice, frowning slightly at his unexpected appearance.

"Why are you here, Marilyn? This kind of bar is always seedy," Kendrick said, his tone a mixture of reproach and concern.

"How did you know I was here?" Marilyn looked around, finding none of Kendrick's friends.

Kendrick offered an excuse: "A friend saw you here and told me."

"That's impossible," Linda retorted impatiently. "I invited Marilyn, and I can't stand you lecturing her. There are dozens of seats, and the lighting isn't that bright. You couldn't have found our table directly. You knew she was here."

Marilyn's expression changed. "Are you stalking me, Kendrick?"

"Hear me out!" Kendrick waved his hands frantically. "I care about you. You know Robert will never change; he'll do anything to get what he wants. I had someone check on him—he's hired people for this charade, even mortgaged his house for it!"

Marilyn shook her head. "I've moved on from him. The truth doesn't matter to me anymore."

The moment the words left her lips, Robert's image flashed in her mind. She hadn't expected her previous words to affect him so profoundly. “What will he do now that he's mortgaged his house for this?” she wondered.

Kendrick looked puzzled. "I don't understand, Marilyn. What did you ever see in him?"

"My past is none of your business, Kendrick," Marilyn said, upset.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Let me buy you a drink," Kendrick said, signaling a waiter. "Ten bottles of Armand de Brignac!"

Chapter 20