章節 33: Surprise visit, failed

The bar curved into the room, dark in the barely lit room. The smoke twisted in its artistic way, forming curls in the gloom, illuminated only by the age-speckled bar lights. Along the wall was every hue of amber liquid in their inverted bottles.

Through the windows, the diamonds of lead panes, trickled the sallow light of street-lamps.

Jangle of voices.

Men and women who look older than they were, slumped on the bar. Someone crying in the corner, anguish lost in hubbub and din. There were standing drinkers at the bar, a few couples in secluded bays, giggling and laughing.

A young woman leaned on the bar, her long and silky black hair lying over one shoulder of her sequinned dress.

She lolled her head to the side, pushing out her red lips. She wasn't exactly drunk but she liked to give out the impression that she was.

There were many Omegas that had been eyeing at her shyly, while a few had stared blatantly. She twiddled her hair in a seemingly absent-minded way and giggled girlishly.

Her rut was not in a few weeks but picking her target beforehand didn't sound bad at all. It was much better than picking random Omegas when the rut hit her out of nowhere.

The sapphire eyes with heavy make up zoomed into a male Omega at the corner that had been fidgeting uncomfortably under her intense stare. His face was above average with those light eyes. He was also a little bit tanned, perhaps she would come back for him--

Something huge suddenly bragged into her field of vision, making her frown.

Clement raised her heavily make-uped eyes at the man taking the stool next to her and she rolled her eyes.

"You are late." She fixed him a look that could make any other shrivel but not the man before her.

He met her gaze with a smile of his own. Brushing his brown locks that fell over his forehead back, he lit up a cigarette.

"Your father is such a hassle," He puffed out the smoke as he raised his hand and a bartender was there to take his order in a flash.

"I suppose your target wasn't him," She stated more than asked.

"Of course not."

Clement breathed out a heavy sigh. Silence engulfed them. The sound of ice on glass tinkled as Clement twirled the rock glass in her hand. She took a small sip from it, savoring the cheap liquor as she smacked her lips against each other.

"My Lady, you shouldn't be in a place like this. Not when a murderer is running rampant."

"And that isn't you?" She snorted.

"What are you talking about?" He blew out the smoke, adding hazy clouds in the stagnant air. "I will never hurt innocent lives."

Clement clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Cut the chase, what's the old bastard's schedule tomorrow?"

"Lord Zero usually wakes up at 8 a.m., he will have poached salmon and salad with toasts as side dishes, then he will usually asks for campagne--"

"Zion." Clement threw him a death glare.

"He will be meeting Duke Lloyd after breakfast," Zion chuckled, tugging his head back as he dunked the whole drink in one gulp before waving his hand at the bartender for another glass.

"What for?"

"How could I know? Do you want to tag along? That way you could enjoy the first class exhibition."

"What else?" Clement asked, ignoring the hint of sarcasm expertly as she had gotten used to it.

"Checking Zero's family business as usual."

Clement nodded as she hummed. "Nothing interesting, I guess."

She pushed herself up from the bar stool, collecting her red long coat on the stool next to her.

"I don't get anything for giving out my master's schedule?" Zion pouted.

Clement merely smiled at him as she shrugged the long coat on, buttoning it up before leaning towards Zion until their noses were only an inch apart.

Zion raised a slicked eyebrow at her, daring her to do something but Clement snatched the cigarette that hung loosely on from his mouth.

"Next time, don't smoke in front of me. It stinks."

She rammed the cigarette into the ashtray before exiting the bar, sashaying.

"Oh, that's sexy."

The corner of his lips lifted up into a smirk as Zion pulled another cigarette out and lit it up.

XXX

Chances like this didn't come that often, well, in Jian Yu's case. Changing his butler attire into casual clothes, he tugged on a black trench coat that had huge buttons that lined vertically.

It had been a while since he had visited his adoptive father, so he decided to pay him a surprise visit.

Jian Yu rushed out of the mansion and into the town with a huge smile on his face. After delivering Lady Clement's letter, his legs moved on their own and he reached his dad's residence in no time.

He lifted the doormat with the tip of his shoes and found a spare key underneath it.

"Haish, how many times do I have to tell him not to keep the key in such an obvious place."

Jian Yu grumbled under his breath, yet he still took the key to unlock the door.

Unlocking the door, he let himself in. A young maid came to greet him.

"Is my dad home?" Jian Yu asked as he took off his trench coat and handed it to the maid.

The maid shook her head. "Master Han left early in the morning and hasn't returned yet."

"What about Rei?"

"Master Rei hasn't returned as well."

Jian Yu muttered a soft 'thanks' as the maid bowed and left to do her task.

The beta slumped down against the sofa in the living room. A wave of disappointment washed over him. No one was home to greet him. The surprise visit was a total failure.

The urge to throw a hissy fit was high but he knew how childish it would be. He laid down on the sofa, maybe he should just head home instead.

Should he wait for them to be home?

Yes, he probably should. This was such a rare chance to go out. Convincing himself to wait, Jian Yu ended up sleeping on the sofa.