Chapter 50 Part-Time Job at the Bar

Emily and John's relationship slowly drifted back to just being friends.

But after yesterday's incident, John started hanging out more often, and things between them felt more relaxed.

He still looked out for Emily like he always did, but he stopped talking about his feelings for her.

Every day, rain or shine, he'd pick her up and drop her off at work, always bringing breakfast. Sometimes, when he had some free time, he'd even cook her a healthy dinner.

But Emily's life pressures didn't ease up.

Emily stared at her nearly empty bank account, feeling a bit anxious. She had a kid before and knew raising one wasn't cheap—it took a lot of money.

Emily needed to save up for the future.

So, after her day job at the rehab center, she secretly took on a night shift as a waitress at a bar called Moonlit Tavern, starting at 10 PM.

The job was tough, but the night shift paid better, which really helped with her financial stress. But it also meant she barely had any time to rest, always on the go.

Working at the bar was no walk in the park. Every night, Emily had to deal with all kinds of customers and unexpected situations.

The bar was always packed with people, the music was blaring, and the lights were constantly flashing.

It was a wild and complicated place, so Emily dressed down, wearing loose clothes to hide her figure and even used dark makeup to look less attractive.

She'd been doing this for a week, carefully weaving through the crowd every night, carrying a tray, and serving drinks.

"A whiskey on the rocks," a chubby middle-aged guy shouted. His voice was sharp, cutting through the noise.

Emily nodded, quickly went to the bar, waited for the bartender, and then placed the drink on the guy's table.

"Thanks," the guy said, his eyes lingering on her a bit too long before he turned away, disappointed.

Emily felt uneasy under his gaze and finally breathed a sigh of relief as she got back to work. In a place like this, she had to stay alert and couldn't let her guard down.

As the night wore on at Moonlit Tavern, more people showed up, and the place got even rowdier.

A group of drunk folks stopped ordering drinks and started dancing to the music.

Emily had been on her feet all night with barely a break, and her legs were killing her. Finally, she got a moment to herself. She curled up in the break room, the smell of alcohol and other odors making her pregnancy symptoms worse. She felt nauseous but couldn't throw up, her mouth constantly filled with sour saliva.

Evelyn and her friends came to Moonlit Tavern to have a good time. She drank a bit too much and felt a headache coming on, so she wanted to go to the restroom to chill down alone, turning down her friends' offer to help.

After wandering around, Evelyn couldn't find the restroom and accidentally stumbled into the break room. She saw a woman squatting in the corner and didn't want to interfere, but the figure looked oddly familiar.

After a moment, Evelyn remembered, 'Isn't this the mom of that little boy I almost hit at the kindergarten gate? The dad's handsome, the mom's beautiful, and their kid is adorable. Why is she here alone, looking so miserable?'

"What are you doing here alone?" Evelyn asked.

Emily looked up, her face pale, and recognized Evelyn. She stood up awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I'm working part-time here."

"Where's your husband? Does he know you're here alone?" Evelyn almost didn't recognize Emily and thought, 'How did she end up like this? Her husband's so handsome and wealthy.'

"My husband?" Emily realized Evelyn must have mistaken John for her husband, so she quickly explained, "No, we're just friends."

'The way that man looked at her that day, full of affection. And now he isn't taking care of her, letting her work in such a chaotic place. What a jerk,' Evelyn thought to herself. She looked at Emily's weak appearance and felt uneasy. "I'm Evelyn Thomas. Let's exchange contact info. I come to this bar often, and even if I'm not here, my friends are. If you need anything, just contact me."

Evelyn really liked this fragile-looking Emily who seemed to need protection.

While Emily was still in a daze, Evelyn had already saved her phone number and contact info in Emily's phone. "What's your name?"

"Emily Johnson." Emily looked at the new contact on her phone and felt a bit curious about Evelyn.

"Alright, I'll call you Emily from now on. I have to go, but I'll invite you to hang out next time. Take care of yourself, and don't be so miserable. Men are no good." Evelyn waved her hand, her headache worsening, and quickly left the break room to find the restroom.

Although Evelyn's words were blunt, Emily felt grateful for the concern.

In the early hours, the bar's customers gradually left.

Emily finally took a break, sat at the bar, drank some water, and took a cab home.

It was 3 AM by the time she got home, exhausted and collapsed on the bed. She didn't know if she could keep this up, but for the sake of her child, she had to try.

The next morning, John came to pick Emily up for work and saw her tired face, feeling a pang of heartache. "Emily, are you okay?"

John's voice carried a hint of worry as he looked at Emily's haggard face.

Emily half-opened her eyes, forced a smile, and said tiredly, "I'm fine, John. Just a bit tired."

She didn't want John to know about her part-time job at the bar.

But John knew very well that Emily was hiding something from him.

He was silent for a moment but ultimately didn't press the issue or say anything more. He knew he couldn't change Emily's decision, but he would always be there for her, silently protecting her.