"As planned?" Augustine raised an eyebrow, both intrigued and slightly amused.
He had rushed in, thinking she had walked straight into Denis’s trap, that she had been in real danger. But in reality, she had used the entire situation with precision to free herself from Denis’s grip.
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. ’She is more capable than I thought,’ he mused.
"Denis wanted to break ," Anne continued with a mix of triumph and defiance. "But I made sure he paid for it." A mischievous grin spread across her lips as she tilted her head toward Augustine. "In the end, I won. I made those who wronged suffer."
Augustine locked his gaze onto her, his curiosity piqued. "What else did you do?"
She blinked, her vision slightly blurred as the alcohol made her feel light and unburdened. A wide smile stretched across her face as she recalled Becca’s downfall.
"That Becca—she had the nerve to betray ," she slurred. "But I took care of her too. She got fired. And I couldn’t be happier."
She giggled. "And Denis—he is already feeling the sting of his losses. But it’s not enough. That bastard deserves to suffer more. I want to see him crumble, completely destroyed... Hmm..."
She reached for another shot, but before she could grab it, Augustine gently took the glass from her grasp.
"I think you’ve had enough," he said softly.
Anne blinked at him, then broke into another smile. "You’re such a good guy, Augustine. Why are you so nice to ?"
Augustine stared at her for a mont, his jaw clenching. Regret stirred within him. He shouldn’t have walked away back then. Fear of rejection had held him back in the past, and he had never dared to approach her. Because of that, Anne had ended up with Denis. If only he had fought for her sooner, maybe she wouldn’t have gone through all this pain.
Reaching out, he gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Because you deserve better," he murmured.
Anne humd thoughtfully, resting her chin on her hand, a wistful look in her eyes. "I do deserve better," she mumbled. "That scumbag Denis was never worthy of ." Then, blinking rapidly as if trying to focus on him, she smirked. "You know... you’re quite handso. Strong, too." She poked his arm playfully. "Muscular. I want to see your body."
Augustine stiffened, his eyes darting around the bar to see if anyone had overheard.
"Co on," she giggled, leaning toward him. With clumsy fingers, she began unbuttoning his shirt. "Remove your shirt."
"Anne!" he hissed, quickly grabbing her hands. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the bartender watching them. Shooting him a sharp glare, Augustine made sure the man turned away before refocusing on Anne.
"I think it’s ti to call it a night," he muttered, rising to his feet and helping her up from the stool.
"No," she whined, pouting. "The fun is just getting started. I haven’t even seen your muscles properly. Let see how you managed to punch Denis."
She fumbled with his shirt again, determined to get a look, but Augustine let out a sigh and, without another word, scooped her up into his arms. As he carried her out of the bar, he shook his head, both amused and exasperated. He never realized she could be this noisy—and this much trouble—after a few drinks.
Anne let out a soft murmur as she rested her head on Augustine’s shoulder, her arms lazily draping around his neck. "I feel dizzy," she mumbled. "Hold tight. Don’t let fall."
"I won’t let you fall," he assured her, his grip steady and secure.
She giggled, her voice light and dreamy. "Why does everything feel like it’s floating? I feel weightless... It’s so nice. I like the feeling."
Augustine sighed, shaking his head helplessly. If he had known she’d get like this after drinking, he wouldn’t have let her near the alcohol in the first place.
Anne continued rambling, her words occasionally interrupted by hiccups.
When Augustine reached the car, he carefully opened the door and placed her onto the passenger seat. But instead of letting go, she tightened her hold around his neck.
"Don’t leave ," she pleaded. "I’ll fall."
"You won’t fall," he said gently.
"No, you don’t understand." Her voice wavered, her grip tightening. "The ground is shaking... Everything is floating... If I let go, I’ll fall, fall, fall..."
A flicker of fear crossed her face as she recalled a terrifying scene of herself falling from the sky. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her head against his chest.
Augustine exhaled a slow breath. "You’re just dizzy. That’s all," he murmured, securing her seatbelt to keep her in place.
But Anne wasn’t done. She held onto his hand, looking up at him with glossy, pleading eyes. "Don’t leave ," she whispered. "Nobody cares about . No one loves . I feel so lonely."
A pang of sadness tightened in Augustine’s chest. He reached up, gently brushing away the tears slipping down her cheeks. "I’m here," he said softly. "And I’ll never abandon you."
He leaned in, intending to kiss her lips. But he hesitated for a mont and then pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.
"Don’t be sad," he murmured against her skin. "I’ll take care of you and love you for the rest of my life."
Anne let out a soft hum, her lips curling into a faint smile. She nuzzled her nose against his throat. "Mmm... You sll so good," she murmured, her breath warm against his neck.
Augustine froze, his pulse quickening.
Her fingers trailed down his chest lazily, her touch featherlight yet intoxicating. "I love the sll. I love this warmth." She pulled him closer. Her lips hovered near his skin before she suddenly whispered, "I want to eat you."
And then—she bit him.
Augustine’s eyes widened, his fingers gripping the back of the seat as a sharp sting shot through him. He held his breath but didn’t push her away.
Monts later, her hold loosened, and when he looked down, she had already drifted off to sleep.
Letting out a quiet groan, he rubbed his sore neck. "Wild cat," he muttered under his breath. Yet despite everything, a small smile tugged at his lips as he studied her peaceful face.
"You’re sleeping so soundly after stirring a storm in ," he murmured, brushing his fingers gently over the tip of her nose.
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