Chapter 12
I was at a loss, so I went to Macy.
She was at Hour Bar.
It was still early, and there weren’t many customers yet. Macy ordered a cocktail before sliding it over to me. “Why are you here at this hour? Did something happen?”
My gaze swept across the girls spinning around the poles. The pounding bass of the music and the occasional drunken shouts made the place feel surreal. Shaking my head, I lifted the cocktail to my lips but hesitated, setting it down instead. “No. I just came to wind down.”
Macy narrowed her eyes. “Did Ashton bully you again?” she asked in exasperation. “If you’ve had enough of it, just get a divorce. You’re beautiful and independent—why would you waste your time with an ice sculpture? Isn’t that exhausting?”
She had always been outspoken. As my best friend, she despised seeing me suffer because of Ashton.
Without a word, I pulled the pregnancy report from my bag and handed it to her. “Even if I’m pretty, would any man accept me if I have a child?” I asked helplessly.
Macy grabbed the report and scanned it quickly. Her eyes widened in shock. “Six weeks pregnant? But you always said you and Ashton barely—” She trailed off before realization dawned. “Wait. That night you got drunk? When Ashton picked you up?”
I nodded, taking the report back from her.
She took a deep breath. “So what are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know.” I admitted honestly. I had no answers.
“Abort it,” Macy said decisively. “You and Ashton don’t belong together. George is gone, so this pregnancy will only make things worse. Get rid of it, divorce him, and start over. Life’s too long to be stuck with a man who doesn’t love you.”
I remained silent, staring at the swirling liquid in my glass. The bar was starting to fill up, and Macy was getting busy. She sighed, sensing that I wouldn’t heed her advice. Rolling her eyes, she swapped my cocktail for a glass of orange juice before heading off to work.
As night fell, the bar grew crowded and rowdy. Macy was too occupied to chat, so I sat in a corner, lost in thought, watching strangers drift in and out.
I didn’t even realize trouble had arrived until the sudden crash of breaking glass snapped me back to reality.
A group of thugs had entered, surrounding Macy. The once-lively bar had gone eerily silent as most customers fled. Even the music had stopped.
I remained in the shadows, unnoticed. The thugs wielded wooden sticks, their intentions clear. But Macy stood her ground, eerily calm. “Are you here to cause trouble or have fun?” she asked, her tone indifferent.
“To cause trouble, of course.” The leader sneered, stepping closer. His gaze was lecherous as he reached out to touch her face. “But we can have some fun too, don’t you think, Missy?”
Slap!
Before his fingers could graze her skin, I hurled my glass of orange juice straight at him.
He let out a furious roar, wiping the sticky liquid from his face. “Who the hell did that?”
“Me.” I stepped out of the shadows, my heart pounding.
Macy’s expression darkened. “Why are you still here?”
I blinked at her, feigning innocence. “Where else would I be?”
She let out a frustrated sigh. “You’re such an idiot.” Stepping in front of me protectively, she whispered, “If things get ugly, run.”
I knew she was worried about me, but I didn’t respond. Instead, I turned to the furious thug I had drenched and met his gaze fearlessly. “Are you really ganging up on a woman?”