The next evening, Sidney put on a dress and low-heeled sandals before heading out. When she arrived at the club, the doorman took her inside. She entered the bar and sat in a VIP room on the upper floor. From the transparent glass, she could see the entire dance floor and stage.
Many people were already dancing on the floor, moving to the music. Sidney didn't see anyone she knew, so she sat on the sofa, staring at the fruit platter, a bit irritated by the blaring music. She picked up her phone, thinking of calling Alondra to ask if she was coming to the party tonight.
Alondra took a long time to pick up the phone. "Hello?"
"I'm at Opal Lounge, are you coming to the party tonight?"
"Alondra, where are you?"
"I'm in the VIP room upstairs."
"I'm in the same place, but I have something to take care of. Can we meet at the staircase in half an hour?"
"Alright."
Sidney ate a few pieces of apple and sipped the coffee on the table. Half an hour later, she grabbed her bag and waited at the staircase.
At that moment, Alondra walked out of the adjacent VIP room. Sidney was surprised and immediately said, "So you were next door!"
"Yeah, I came with a friend." Alondra was wearing a black lace dress with intricate cutouts, showing off her well-defined curves.
Sidney and Alondra hadn't seen each other in a long time, so they quickly started chatting about what had been happening recently, completely losing track of time.
"Did the last issue get resolved?"
"Yeah, it's been resolved."
"What about your dad?"
"He left. He'll show up again the next time he's short on money." Alondra said it so casually. "Are you two doing alright?"
"Yeah." Sidney had a happy smile on her face, which made Alondra start teasing her.
"Not bad! He has been spending less time at the store, I guess he's been with you, huh? I'm happy for you both. This place is full of distractions and temptations."
Sidney glanced at the dance floor; it was true.
At that moment, the door to the VIP room opened, and someone walked out. He came toward them and casually draped his arm around Alondra's neck, looking very affectionate.
Sidney thought this person looked very familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere recently. After thinking for a moment, she realized it was the heir of Chase Bank, whom she had seen on TV yesterday.
She knew that the place was frequented by high-ranking officials and elites, but seeing Alondra so close with him still surprised her.
Josiah's hand was now around her waist. He looked at Sidney and asked, "You've been gone for a while? Who is this?" He casually sized her up.
"She's my friend, and also Jayson's wife."
Josiah appeared quite intrigued. "I didn't expect to run into Mrs. Nixon here. It's a pleasure!"
He extended his hand, and Sidney politely shook it.
Then Josiah, seeing they were good friends, warmly invited Sidney to join them in the same VIP room.
Sidney felt awkward about refusing, and since Alondra was there, she followed them in.
Once inside, Sidney stood by the door, feeling uneasy. The room was smoky, and there were quite a few people—both men and women. Some were drinking, some playing cards, and others appeared to be holding each other intimately. Sidney sat at the end of the sofa with Alondra, who poured wine for Josiah, serving him. Josiah raised his glass, offering Sidney a toast.
Sidney shook her hand, signaling that she didn't drink.
"Who would've thought Jayson ended up with a real homebody?" Josiah finished his drink in one go and placed a hand on Alondra's thigh.
Sidney eyed the hand, her mind racing, trying to figure out what the relationship between these two was.
Soon, her phone started vibrating. She picked it up and heard Jayson urgently asking, "Where are you?"
"I'm in the next VIP room."
Jayson immediately hung up the phone and appeared at the door of the next VIP room. He walked straight toward Sidney, grabbed her arm, and pulled her up, looking very unhappy.
Josiah had seen everything from the side and naturally understood what was going on. He said, "I didn't know you, Jayson, were such a strict husband. You're keeping a tight leash on your wife?"
Jayson ignored him and looked at Sidney, asking, "Why did you come here?"
"Uh, Alondra is my friend. I just thought I'd come sit for a bit." She pointed to Alondra.
Jayson glanced at Alondra. There were many staff members here, and he didn't know her well. Alondra understood and introduced herself.
"Hello, I'm Leana."
Since she was Sidney's friend, he naturally wouldn't let her lose face. He nodded and then started chatting with Josiah.
Josiah seized the opportunity to tease him, unable to go three sentences without mentioning Sidney. "Your wife is so beautiful. Why don't you let her come out and join us more often? Or are you keeping her all to yourself?"
Sidney and Alondra were getting bored on the side, so after getting Jayson's permission, the two of them left the VIP room and went downstairs to the dance floor.
From Jayson's vantage point, he could clearly see them.
Alondra ordered a cocktail for herself and a non-alcoholic drink for Sidney, just in case Sidney ordered something alcoholic and got drunk. She knew that if that happened, the boss would definitely blame her.
With Alondra by her side to boost her courage, Sidney's mood relaxed. She looked at the colorful drinks, finding them very fresh and exciting. She couldn't help but take out her phone to snap pictures of the drinks.
A group of men drinking nearby noticed that the two women were alone. They exchanged a glance and approached. They first started talking to Alondra, who seemed outgoing. They introduced themselves as tourists and mentioned they were attending the party tonight.
Then they offered both women a drink. Alondra politely declined for Sidney, saying, "She can't drink, so we'll skip this one."
"No way, is she underage?"
