Chapter 16
Chapter 16: Madisyn wasn’t close to Kristopher and, being somewhat tipsy, failed to recognize his voice. She nonchalantly shrugged off his hand without looking back. “I really hope that jerk Kristopher, who hurt my best friend, would just disappear forever! Look at her. She’s clearly so much happier without that asshole around!”’ Her words ignited another round of applause in the bar. On stage, Belinda was gracefully lifted into the air by the young male dancer, his hands securely around her waist. “Wow!”’ Madisyn joined in the crowd’s cheers, then glanced back at the person standing behind her. “You see, my best friend is”¦”’ Her enthusiasm halted abruptly when she caught sight of Kristopher’s stern face. “You”¦”’ Her eyes went wide, but before she could add another word, the music cut off suddenly. At the same moment, the bar lights flickered on, drenching the venue in a harsh, relentless light. The abrupt brightness made everyone squint. Belinda, still on stage, instinctively covered her eyes. As her eyes adjusted to the sudden light, her expression turned to one of confusion, and she lowered her hand slowly. “What the”¦”’ She stopped talking abruptly, catching sight of the figure next to Madisyn. He was dressed entirely in black, his expression dark, eyes chillingly cold. He brushed past Madisyn and made his way to the stage, his presence dark and menacing like a demon unleashed. The young man who had been dancing with Belinda quickly positioned himself in front of her, asking anxiously, “What do you want?”’ Find your next read at g’±¯lnÏν𒮒s”¤com Kristopher paid him no mind, his voice curt. “Get lost.”’ His command, delivered with chilling authority, sent a ripple of tension through the crowd. Onlookers watched the unfolding drama with held breaths. The young man faltered, then reluctantly stepped aside. Belinda approached Kristopher with a mischievous smirk. “Came for me, did you?”’ His response was a frosty glare. “What do you think?”’ he snapped. “Miss.”’ The intensity in Kristopher’s gaze was so alarming that the young man felt compelled to intervene, although he no longer dared to obstruct Belinda. Instead, he gently pulled on her sleeve and murmured, “Should I call the police?”’ “There’s no need,”’ Belinda reassured him quietly, her smile unwavering. “He’s my ex-husband.”’ The word “ex-husband”’ ignited Kristopher’s rage. “Ex-husband?”’ he repeated incredulously, his stare piercing. They hadn’t finalized their divorce yet, and here she was, already referring to him as her ex? “Will be soon enough,”’ she reassured the young man before shifting her gaze to the man standing in front of her. In a composed tone, she suggested, “Let’s talk somewhere more private.”’ Noticing he hadn’t moved, she quickly added, “You don’t want the headlines tomorrow to scream about the Cox Group’s president causing a scandal in a bar, right?”’ Kristopher finally walked off the stage, his expression unreadable. Belinda sighed in relief and offered the young man a reassuring smile. “Keep the show going. I’ve got something to take care of.”’ The young man looked concerned. “Then”¦ Will you come back?”’ As Belinda followed Kristopher down from the stage, she chuckled lightly. “Yes, I’ll be back.”’ “Alright. I’ll wait for you!”’ the young man called out, hope in his voice. The moment his words faded, the stage lights brightened, and the music resumed. Kristopher forcefully led Belinda away from the stage and into a private room, slamming the door behind them. The door clicked shut, locking automatically. Kristopher’s eyes flared with rage. “You leave the hospital and your first stop is to come here and watch men strip?”’ He moved closer to Belinda, his tone laced with disdain. “I had no idea you were so dissolute.”’…