The Manipulated Villainess

"I know that I'm the one who invites you to drink but don't you think that you have drink too much? You have meetings since early tomorrow morning." Shara said while turning her head to Leon who sat beside her.

She understood his feelings but taking it out on alcohol was never that good, especially the after effect.

"I have a high tolerance. Don't worry." Leon responded and took another sip of the glass of alcohol in his hand.

"Young Master, if you drink often, your father won't be pleased with it. There will be pointless arguments in the house again." She reminded him.

"Please, Shara. Let's not talk about that old man. I'm tired of it." Leon tilted his head to her and then observed the same glass of whiskey that she had already hold onto for a while. "Aren't you drinking?" He asked.

"I did. Unlike you, I can't last that long. It's best for me not to cross my limits." She said with a little smile.

Her response made him slightly smiled. "You won't change." He raised the glass and gulp it down in one go. He poured another glass and gulp it down again. Then the process keeps on repeating.

Shara sighed at his action but decided to not argue with him again. Just for tonight, she should let him do whatever he wanted.

After around half an hour, the potter had already crossed his limits and he was as good as drunk now. As such, he started talking so much which he rarely did when he was sober.

"Shara, I think this is not fair. Even if she didn't love me, how can she like that man whom she only met a week ago?" He complained while his eyes were barely kept opened.

Shara could relate to him. She was also once in his shoes. She thought about how this man fell for a woman he met just once. The one who stayed beside him for more than a decade was her yet she won't dare to covet him. She always reminded herself to knows her place and the hierarchy between them.

"I love her for two years and do you know what's funny? I even dreamed of a normal married life with her while knowing all our messed up situation. She means to me more than anything else." Leon said, propping his elbow on the table and placed the side of his head on it.

In a drunken state, people always tell the truth which was hidden deep inside them and Shara also knew this. Even while he was drunk, he only thought of the woman who didn't even reciprocate his feelings!

"Please stop talking." She calmly said yet she hardly squeezed her dress. It was too much for her to listen!

The drunk Leon didn't even hear what she said. Instead, he keeps on mumbling. "Shara, do you think I will be able to change her heart? Should I beg her to also give me a chance? I want her to look at me, even if it's for just once."

His words made her pursed her lips. "Young Master, please shut up." She repeated but he didn't hear it once again. He was too drunk to listen!

"I don't think I will be able to see her hate me more. I -"

"Will you please stop mumbling about her, Leon?" Shara said with an almost yell. Fortunately, they were in a private room of a bar due to the social standing of the potter. So, no one was there to hear her but she indeed made him shut up.

Leon looked at her with a half-opened eyes but shocked was still evident in his eyes. He had known the woman beside him for almost two decades but it was the first time she ever raised her voice at him! His eyes a little widened for a split second but he was back to his drunken state very soon again.

Shara abruptly rose from her seat and narrowed her eyes at the man who could pass out anytime now. "Don't say any more word. Even after all these years, why can't you notice anything? Are you a fool? If you are hurt so much, do you want me to distract you so that you won't be able to think about her?" She made a deliberate paused and sat down.

"I will do that for you. I will make you forget her." She added and leaned forward to kiss her 'friend' and then captured his lips which were moistened by the alcohol he consumed.

* * *

In the private room of a bar where Aston and his two friends were having a drink, the chattering of the two men could be heard all the time but Aston sat still with the glass of alcohol in his hand.

His two friends tried hard to cheer him up but it didn't seem to work at all. He sat there with all his mind being occupied by the woman who cruelly rejected him. When his phone went off, he looked at the caller ID and rejected it. He did like that again for the second time and goes on that way until the fifth time.

"Who is it? Is there some emergency?" Liam asked him.

"No. Just somebody." His phone went off again for the sixth time while he was talking. Letting out a scowl, he finally answered. "Anna." He sighed.

The eyes of the two friends widened when they heard the name! Anna? As in Anna Park? Samuel even gasped in disbelief.

"Where are you?" Anna Park asked him from the other line.

"Will you please stop it, Anna?! You won't change a thing by doing this." He scowled. He rubbed his left eye, feeling tired of the woman's endless pestering.

"Well, I'm persistent and it pays off, right? You picked up and I got to hear your voice." Anna simply responded.

Aston felt like he was aroused by her words. "I'm sorry but I'm with my friends. I can't talk now." He ended the call and immediately thought about the thing that crossed his mind.

"What is that, buddy? You are also involved with that famous actress?! I think that I just heard you being in love." Samuel said with a laughter.

"I also read an article about you two being cast for the same project. Is that true?" Liam added.

"I already end with her a month ago. The casting is still not confirmed. I still don't make a decision." Aston answered both of their questions but his mind was still busy thinking about the new idea.

"You are one lucky man! If Anna Park happens to like me, I'll never -"

Samuel couldn't finish his words. He turned his head to the door and all he saw was Aston rushing out of the room without saying anything to them.....