Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 129 It's Fate That I Can't Hold On

It was Lacey, still rockin' her work clothes, probably straight from the office.

Some sketchy dudes had her surrounded, their hands all over the place, thinking they could get away with it.

"Back off! You only mess with girls when they're wasted?"

Bella was the first to jump in.

Bella was always the righteous one; she couldn't stand this kind of crap. Even if it was a stranger, she'd step in without a second thought. Those guys had no clue how hard Bella could hit and acted all tough.

"Another hottie, come on, join the fun."

"Who the hell dares to touch my girl?"

Bella was ready to throw down, but Oliver's shout made her pause.

This was Oliver's bar, and it was better if we didn't have to get physical.

Everyone here knew who Oliver was.

"Oh, she's Oliver's girl. Our bad, our bad." The dudes quickly laughed it off and bailed.

"Jason. I'm at Blue Ocean Bar, waiting for you."

Lacey was slumped over the bar, oblivious to everything. She picked up her phone and called.

I didn't know what Jason said, but she suddenly got all emotional. Already pretty hammered, she now sounded like she was about to cry.

"I begged you to take my first time, and you still don't want it? I've thrown all my pride away, I don't even care about my dignity anymore, and you still treat me like this?" Her words were a bombshell. We all widened our eyes at the same time.

A few chicks nearby must've heard too, 'cause they covered their mouths and giggled.

Lacey tossed her phone aside, wiped her tears messily, and couldn't even hold her head up, but she still pounded the bar.

"Drink, I need a drink."

If she kept drinking, Lacey would end up passed out right there.

She was usually so classy, but once drunk, her image was totally trashed. If she knew what she was doing, she'd probably want to die of embarrassment.

The bartender placed a drink in front of her, and without lifting her head, Lacey reached out to grab it.

I walked over, took the drink away, and said, "Lacey, you can't drink anymore."

"I want a drink. Give me a drink."

Lacey probably didn't even know who was talking to her. Yet she could accurately dial Jason's number, which was pretty impressive.

I even wondered if she had dialed the wrong number.

Oliver's phone rang. He showed us the screen; it was Jason.

After the call, he cursed.

"Jason just dumped this mess on me."

Lacey mentioned she was at Blue Ocean Bar. Jason had turned her down, but he knew she was drunk. Given how Jason is, he wouldn't leave a drunk girl alone in a bar, so he called Oliver for backup. "Let's get her family to pick her up," Oliver scratched his head, clearly frustrated, and said irritably.

her dad, a high school teacher,

a great idea.

is empty anyway. Let's take her to my

agreed, and Bella and I each grabbed one of Lacey's arms, practically dragging her out

the whole way, drawing curious

weren't guys; otherwise, folks would

couch, and she immediately

out we just plopped down on the

Lacey was here and it would be tough for Bella alone, I explained to Ethan that I'd

When we turned on the light, we

and Lacey looked at us with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I wanted to get

hands on her hips and

glass is no biggie, as long as you're

Lacey a glass of water and helped her sit up. She downed it in one gulp, handed the glass

now loose and

said, "Getting that drunk, of course, your head

am I?"

"This is

for causing you

laughed dryly. "Not really, you're the one feeling

ran her hands through her hair and just smiled bitterly. Bella and

she finally looked

own goals. While others were clubbing, partying, playing games, binge-watching shows, or dating, I was studying. I've always been a top student, a good

special about him? He's amazing. But there are lots of amazing guys like him. I just like

She just liked him, and if she tried to explain why, she couldn't really

it before, my feelings for him have nothing to do with him. I never expected him to feel the same. I've always been proud and would never beg for love. I just didn't want my clean slate to be wasted on that jerk." After

"What jerk?" Bella asked.

had

Mark?"

head again, tucking her hair behind her ears. Her eyes were red,

Richard is my brother, and of course, I want him to

"He wants to

gave a bitter

seize the right moment, you'll only regret it later. But what is the right moment? For me, now is the right moment. I also want to seize

beautiful or ugly, rich or poor, capable or not, didn't live a smooth life. Everyone had pain, struggles, and

it." Bella suddenly snapped her

looked

sparkled with a

have a way to deal with

dawn, Lacey went to work, Bella went to her Taekwondo class, and

practicing, Ethan went to work, and

I took a

nowhere to be

at the bar, each holding a drink, our eyes occasionally glancing at

still

and Bella suddenly nudged me with

the door and saw Lacey, now out of her work clothes,

belly, trying to put his hand on Lacey's shoulder as they

glanced at us, then discreetly looked away, leading Mark

two drinks. She quickly poured a packet of powder into one of them, shook it a bit,

me from the dinner Ethan

of the room,

it was all up

finally saw Lacey helping a very drunk Mark out