The Satellite Hotel loomed in front of Lia, and she walked inside, making her way to the club.
"Lia, what's going on?" Mia asked, her eyes filled with concern. "You never come to the club - what's wrong?"
Lia didn't even know how to answer. She just shook her head, trying to hold back the tears. "I need a drink," she said. "Something strong."
Mia nodded, understanding that something serious must have happened. She led Lia to the bar, ordering the strongest drinks they could find. They sat in silence for a moment as they downed their drinks, but Mia could tell that something was weighing heavily on Lia's mind.
Finally, Mia broke the silence. "You can tell me what happened, you know," she said, her voice gentle. "I'm here to listen if you want to talk."
Lia took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. She didn't even know where to begin. "It's...it's about Jamie," she said, her voice shaking. "He...he..."
Mia reached out and took Lia's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You can tell me," she said. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you."
Lia's eyes welled up with tears as she told Mia everything. She told her about how she caught Jamie cheating on her, about what they said, and about how devastated she felt. By the time she was done, she was crying openly, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
Mia wrapped her arms around Lia, hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry, Lia," she said. "That's...that's just horrible. You didn't deserve that."
Lia sniffled, leaning into Mia's embrace. "I just don't understand how he could do this to me," she said. "I thought he loved me."
"It's not your fault, Lia," Mia said, her voice firm. "He's the one who betrayed your trust, not you. He's the one who broke your heart. You did nothing wrong."
Lia nodded, but she still felt like there was a hole in her heart, a hole that she didn't know how to fill. "I just...I don't know what to do now," she said. "I don't know how to move on from this."
"How could he cheat on me with Jessica? She was my best friend!" Lia sobbed.
"I told you that woman couldn't be trusted," Mia said, her voice tinged with anger. "She was always trying to come between you and Jamie. I knew she was bad news."
Lia took another drink, downing it in one gulp. She felt the alcohol burning her throat, but it didn't seem to numb the pain of what had happened. Nothing could make this better.
Mia reached out and took the drink from her hand. "You've had enough for now," she said gently. "I think it's time for you to go home."
"I can't go home," Lia said, her voice hoarse from crying. "I can't sleep alone right now. I just...I can't."
Mia sighed. "You can't stay here, Lia. This is a bar, not a regular hotel. Besides, you're not in a state to be drinking right now."
Lia just looked at her, tears streaming down her face. She didn't know what to do. She felt lost, like she was adrift in a sea of despair.
"I really need to use the restroom," Lia said, standing up from the bar stool.
"I'll help you get there," Mia offered, reaching out to take her arm. But Lia pulled away, determined to go on her own.
"I'm fine, Mia," she said, stumbling towards the restroom. She had no idea how she ended up in the VIP bar section of the hotel. The room was spinning, and she couldn't think straight. Her head was a jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions.
"I could really use a drink right now," she thought, as she made her way to the restroom. But as she opened the door, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She looked like a mess. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were wrinkled.
"You're a hot mess," she said to herself, staring at her reflection. "What are you doing here?"
She thought back to the events of the night, and her heart sank. She couldn't believe that her boyfriend, the man she thought she loved, had betrayed her like this. And with her best friend, no less.
She felt like she had been punched in the gut. The pain was so raw and intense, she could barely breathe. How could she have been so blind? How could she have trusted him? And Jessica, how could she have done this to her?
She sank to the floor, her head in her hands. She felt so alone, so lost. She didn't know what to do. She just sat there, trying to make sense of it all, but it was like trying to solve a puzzle with no pieces.
After few minutes, she walked out of the bathroom.
She headed to the VIP section and ordered the strongest drink on the menu. As she downed it, she could feel the alcohol coursing through her veins, and her head began to swim. She was intoxicated, but she was determined to keep going. Maybe if she drank enough, she could forget what had happened.
Without realizing it, she ended up in the middle of a private meeting. The room was filled with men, all staring at her in shock. She didn't know what to do or where to go. She just stood there, frozen.
In her drunken haze, a strange thought crossed her mind.
"Wow, he's hot," she whispered under her breath, staring at the most handsome man in the room. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with piercing blue eyes and dark hair that was swept back from his face. He looked like a character from a romance novel. Wow, can someone be this handsome - but there was something cold and untouchable about him.
He seemed to be looking right through her, as if she wasn't even there.