Isabella's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the strange man. Her senses sharpened, and she became instantly alert, as if a cold wind had cut through the haze of alcohol. The drunkenness that had clouded her mind only moments ago dissolved in an instant, replaced by a creeping unease. The man's appearance was unsettling— he was half naked , and there was something deeply repulsive about him. His presence seemed to poison the air around him, making her skin crawl.