Chapter 4 The First Glance In The Nightlife

The nightclub glittered once more with pounding music and flashing lights dancing along the walls. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol, expensive perfume, and a faint trace of cigarette smoke.

Amid the crowd, Leo Harlan stood by the bar with a blank expression, staring at his nearly empty glass, swirling it slowly so it clinked against the counter with a soft chime.

Tonight, he returned to the same place. A haven of escape from a house that felt cold and filled with pressure. No Anne. No father nagging him about heirs. Just music, lights, and a fleeting sense of freedom that helped him forget everything he hated, especially the messy drama of his domestic life.

"Hey! Sitting alone again? You're really attached to this place, huh?" Rey clapped Leo on the shoulder while laughing.

Leo glanced briefly. "Being alone is better than pretending to be happy in a house that feels like a corpse," he muttered, then downed the rest of his drink.

Rey sat beside him. "Still about your wife? If not, you wouldn't be here again, Leo."

Leo sighed lazily. "Yeah, you're right. She's too good to leave, but too bland for me to love. I don't need a woman who's all over the place emotionally. She's just ambiguous."

"Alright, but sometimes I really don't get you, bro. You're married to someone like Anne beautiful, polite, classy, filthy rich and you won't even touch her. Other guys would kill just to sit at the same table as her. You know how influential she is, right?"

Leo chuckled dryly. "You can marry her if you want. I'd be delighted. Just don't praise her in front of me, it won't change how I feel about her."

Rey shook his head in disbelief. "You're so damn stubborn, Le."

Leo shrugged, showing he wasn't interested in continuing the conversation. Rey had been his best friend since high school, and he knew more about Leo's unwanted marriage than anyone else.

Suddenly, Leo's attention shifted. In the corner of the room near a VIP sofa, a commotion was stirring.

A large man was dragging a young woman forcefully. His hand clamped tightly around her arm. A few people watched, but most chose to stay out of it, whispering to one another like it wasn't their concern.

The woman had long, wavy hair and wore a tight maroon dress. She struggled to free herself, her face showing both fear and disgust. Her eyes darted around the room, searching desperately for help, even though help seemed impossible, especially for someone like her a woman of the night forced to please sleazy men.

Leo stood up, set his glass down, and walked swiftly toward them, his face calm but stern.

"Hey!" Leo shouted, halting the man. "Let her go. You're hurting her!"

The man turned, his face sour. "This ain't your business, bro. She's my girl. I paid for her. She's mine to do what I want. Back off!"

Leo paused, glancing at the woman with a changed gaze. So she's a club girl, he thought. But why is she rejecting him? That means she doesn't want this.

"It's obvious she doesn't want to go with you," Leo said evenly, his tone sharp. "You're hurting her. Let her go. If a woman says no, you don't force her. Try using your brain."

"You looking for trouble?" the man growled, tightening his grip.

The woman winced. "Let go of me, Gerald! Let me go!" she cried out in a hoarse voice.

Leo stared at her for a moment. For some reason, there was something in her eyes that caught him, more than just fear, there was defiance. It made his heart pound a little.

"One more second, and I'll call security to drag you out of here," Leo said coldly.

Gerald finally scoffed, let go of her arm, and spat to the side. "Acting like a damn hero. Disgusting," he muttered, storming off with curses under his breath.

Leo turned to the woman. "Are you alright?"

She gently rubbed her arm, where Gerald's grip had left a red mark. "I don't need saving from you, stranger," she said coldly.

Leo raised an eyebrow at her response. "You were nearly dragged out of here. Why the tone? Didn't you want help?"

"Maybe. But I can handle it myself," she replied, her eyes defensive. "Thanks, but don't think I owe you anything, stranger."

Leo didn't respond right away. She spoke fast and sharply, though her voice trembled a little, clearly still trying to control her emotions, despite her tough act.

"What's your name? I'd like to know," Leo finally asked, eyeing the beautiful woman before him.

She gave him a scornful smile, glancing at him from head to toe. "Why? You want to be my knight in shining armor and ask me out after this?" she said sarcastically. "Mira. That's my name."

Leo didn't react to her sarcasm. "Leo. That's mine."

Mira nodded. "Alright, Leo. Thanks for the help I didn't ask for. Don't bother me again. And don't even think of following me." She turned and disappeared into the crowd, people still dancing, some whispering as they watched her leave.

Leo stayed where he was, eyes fixed on the woman's back as she vanished into the haze of neon lights and swaying bodies.

His heart beat faster, not from anger, but from a newfound curiosity. She was so unlike Anne. She was fire. And she made something in him stir.

"Who is she?" he muttered. "Why does she feel different? Beautiful and sexy. I need to get closer to her."

Minutes later, Rey returned. "What was that all about? You looked like you were about to fight someone."

"Helping a woman who was being dragged by force. Her name's Mira."

Rey grinned. "That long-haired one? Damn, did you see her? Total bombshell. Her curves alone whew! One taste of her and you'd be addicted, trust me."

Leo ignored Rey's crude remark. His mind was still with Mira her angry, pained expression, her fiery words. There was something more behind her than just a sexy appearance.

Rey noticed Leo's silence and the serious look on his face. "What are you thinking about? Anne again? Or that woman?"

"Don't mention Anne," Leo snapped, still serious. "I don't even know what I'm thinking."

Rey only nodded, sensing something different about Leo after the encounter with the mysterious, sexy woman named Mira.

That night, Leo didn't stay long at the club. He left early, not because he was bored, but because his mind was buzzing with questions.

"Who is Mira? Why is she so defensive? And why can't I stop thinking about her?"