Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Victoria Daniels plopped herself down on a seat in the bar, full of rage and righteous indignation. This was the third bar she was visiting just this evening. The other two had thrown her out because she was drinking too much.

“They are damn bloody fools.” Victoria thought to herself angrily. She was not even all that drunk. No, her anger was keeping her mostly sober, much as she did not want to be sober. She had messed up big time, and her self-righteous bitch of a sister was to blame for it all. Victoria could not believe how she had allowed Carol to trick her the way she had. By now, she would have been living the big life that her sister was living by being the wife of a billionaire and having servants and different exotic cars to use at her convenience. But no, she was broke and stuck here in this seedy bar in which she was sure she stuck out like a sore thumb.

A few guys tried to approach her, but the look that she gave them was enough to send them scurrying back into whatever hole they had crawled out from. She was not here to look for guys who were no doubt as broke as she was. No, what she was here to do was to drink and plot the perfect way to get her revenge on that evil, conniving bitch that she called a sister.

Victoria could still remember how Carol had tried to dissuade her from marrying Sebastian, and like a damn bloody fool that she was, she had allowed that witch to convince her, not knowing that she had a plan to take her place and what was rightfully hers. Now, she was popular and no doubt had more money than she would ever need, all what should have been Victoria’s rightfully.

At that moment, the bartender came over with her drink. Scarcely had he placed it on the table that Victoria snatched it up and gulped its contents in one go. Her eyes teared up instantly, but she relished the burning feeling in her throat.

“Hmmm. Tough night, huh.”

Victoria was not in the mood to talk to anyone, so she merely nodded and turned away. The guy got the hint and walked away without saying anything else after he poured her another drink. She drank this one slowly this time around as she was already feeling very drunk. She must have sat there for nothing less than thirty minutes when she had the feeling that someone was staring at her. She looked around and caught an extremely skinny woman who was seated some tables across staring at her unashamedly.

Victoria nearly gasped at the sight of the woman. She was only a little fleshier than a skeleton, as her body was all bones. Her face had a gaunt look, but somehow, it managed to be pretty…beautiful, even. The woman knew that she had been caught staring, but she obviously did not mind, because she continued to stare at Victoria as though her life depended on it. Victoria found this really weird, so she averted her gaze and focused on her drink. There was something creepy about the woman and the way she was staring at Victoria.

The bartender had just topped up Victoria’s glass when she perceived the strong smell of what was clearly an expensive perfume and then someone slid into the seat next to her. Without looking, she knew that it was the reed-thin woman who had been staring at her. She turned slowly to face the person and her suspicions were confirmed. Up close she could see that the woman was really beautiful, even though she was ridiculously thin. There was no way that weight was healthy. Maybe the woman was suffering from some terminal illness or something. Victoria’s heart went out to her immediately, but she did not know what to say, so she just nodded at the woman politely, or at least, she tried to do so. She was beginning to think that she needed to hail a cab and get to her rented apartment because she was beginning to find it hard to focus.

“I know what you are thinking. You’re thinking that I’m two steps away from the grave… and you know what, you may be right.” The woman, who did not look much older than Victoria said in a raspy voice and manner of fact manner.

Victoria, who in fact had been thinking exactly that, lied quickly. “Oh no, I was not thinking that at all. Why would you think that I was?”

The woman smiled a knowing smile but did not pursue the matter any further. “So why are you still drinking when you’re obviously already drunk?”

“I’m not all that drunk. Just a little tipsy. Nothing I can’t handle. Anyway, I’m about to stop now. Do you just sit in bars staring at strange women? That is really creepy, you know. I don’t know what you’re looking for, but if it is sex, I don’t do women. No offense, though.”

“None taken. I also don’t do women. Why ever would you think that?”

“I don’t know… because of the way you were staring, probably.”

“Oh. I’ll try not to stare so much next time.” The woman said soberly.

“Good, good,” Victoria said, not knowing why this woman was talking to her and wondering what on earth she wanted. She was not in the mood to make friends right now if that was it. Right now, all that was in her mind was how to take her revenge on her sister. She wanted Carol to feel the pain that she, Victoria was feeling right now.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Victoria. Victoria Daniels. How about you? What is your name?” Victoria asked in turn, not particularly caring one way or the other.

“It’s Jessica. Jessica Matthew.” Jessica said, knowing that Victoria would not remember any of this in the morning.

“Nice.”

“It is nice to make your acquaintance, Victoria,” Jessica said, smiling evilly as the bartender brought over the bill and she paid it for Victoria.