Chapter 278 Getting Drunk at the Bar
Bella carefully pressed the answer button. "Anna?"
It was noisy on Anna's end. "Bella, where are you? Are you back? Let's hit a bar and grab some drinks!"
Bella glanced at her phone to confirm it was indeed Anna calling. She asked again, "Drinks? What kind of drinks?"
Anna, slurring her words, replied, "A bar, Bella! There are lots of hot guys here. Wanna come and have some fun?"
The mention of a bar jolted Bella awake. "No way! Why are you at a bar? You need to go home right now."
Anna retorted, "You're such a buzzkill. I shouldn't have called you." Then she hung up.
Bella was extremely worried. Anna going out drinking was more about being provoked than having fun.
Bella immediately tried calling Anna back, but Anna didn't answer.
After thinking it over, Bella decided she had to go find Anna.
Bella wasn't fond of noisy and stimulating places, but for Anna, she mustered the courage to go.
She didn't tell Sterling because she knew he would never agree to her going to a bar.
Bella knew Anna was upset and just wanted to vent. She had made a mistake, and she couldn't afford to lose Anna as a friend.
Before Sterling got home from work, Bella had already dressed up carefully.
As she stepped downstairs, she saw Sterling standing there, holding a water cup, probably just having come down himself.
"Where are you going?" Sterling asked, frowning at Bella's dressed-up appearance.
"Anna invited me to dinner," Bella lied. If she said she was going to a bar, Sterling would definitely not let her go.
Sterling didn't say much, just reminded her to come back early. Bella suppressed her guilt and left the house smoothly.
Bella then had Owen drive her to a restaurant near Zero Degree Bar.
After ensuring Owen had left, she quietly walked into the famous bar.
As soon as she stepped through the door of Zero Degree Bar, a mix of various scents hit her.
The unique decor and the opulent hall were dazzling, exuding an extraordinary vibe.
She walked through the spacious hall and down a dimly lit, suggestive corridor, feeling like she was entering a whole new world.
It was still early, and there weren't many guests in Zero Degree Bar. Even the DJ hadn't started yet, making the environment relatively quiet.
Anna was surrounded by a group of handsome men, more extravagant than a king's harem.
Seeing Bella, she immediately shouted, "Bring on the drinks!"
A waiter quickly came to take the order. Seeing Anna's generosity, he took the opportunity to recommend several expensive imported wines.
Anna, feeling down, accepted the waiter's recommendations without hesitation and bought all the pricey drinks.
Soon, the table was filled with complimentary fruit platters and snacks, showcasing the lavishness and richness of the drinks.
Bella looked at the scene with concern. "Anna, stop drinking. It's not safe to get drunk in a place like this."
Bella managed to squeeze next to Anna, grabbed the bottle from her hand, and tried to persuade her, filled with guilt and worry.
Anna was clearly drunk, seeing double as she looked at Bella. She pointed at Bella, slurring, "You're back? Great, let's drink."
Bella knew Anna was hurting, and she was too. "Anna, if you're mad, take it out on me. Just don't hurt yourself, okay?"
Bella held onto the bottle tightly and then said to the men around them, "Hey guys, could you give us a minute? I need to talk to my friend."
The men, understanding, got up and left.
"Where are you going? Handsome guys, don't leave!" Anna staggered, trying to chase them, but Bella pulled her back.
"Anna, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kept things from you. You can tell me anything, and I'll take it," Bella said, hugging her, her voice tinged with sadness.
Anna was momentarily stunned, then pushed Bella away. "Who do you think you are, making decisions for me? Do you think I'm stupid? Are you happy seeing me fooled?"
Bella shook her head. "No, Anna, we never meant to deceive you. We just wanted to protect you."
Anna's mind was muddled, but the events of that rainy night in Oakridge were unforgettable, no matter how much she drank.
"It's ridiculous," Anna said, taking another swig from a bottle.
Her mind was completely foggy.
Anna's voice was particularly piercing amidst the noisy music. She suddenly leaned close to Bella's ear, shouting as if to vent all her dissatisfaction.
"I think Sterling is really good-looking now! And his friends, Colin and Micah, they're great guys too!"
Bella's ears rang from Anna's shouting. Seeing her like this, Bella cautiously asked, "What do you think about Caleb?"
Mentioning Caleb brought a complex expression to Anna's face. She sighed deeply, slumped on the couch, holding her glass with closed eyes, her tone melancholic.
"I don't know how many times I'll fail with Caleb in this lifetime. I can't get past the shadow of my first love. He was the first person I loved, and I can't give up!"
Then Anna's tone turned cold. "Now I just want to kill him and avenge the Powell family."
Bella didn't know what to say. "Anna, don't be like this. Without Caleb, you still have other choices. I don't."
"Do you love Sterling?" Anna downed her drink, staring intently at Bella.
Bella honestly shook her head. "I don't know."
"Not knowing means you don't love him enough, but you like him a lot," Anna said with a self-mocking smile.
"Maybe. Anna, are you still mad at me?" Bella cautiously asked.
"Mad? Of course, I'm mad. But will my anger bring my dad back? Can I be the Powell family's heiress again?" Anna looked at Bella with tearful eyes.
Bella felt a pang of sorrow under Anna's gaze, unsure how to respond. Anna continued, "I know, it's not your fault. It's me. I brought this on myself, inviting a wolf into the house, blind and foolish."
The Powell family's tragedy was all her doing. If Anna hadn't insisted on dating Caleb, the Powell family wouldn't have fallen.
She hated herself the most. What did it have to do with anyone else?
Bella hugged Anna tightly, crying. "No, it's not your fault. It's all Caleb's scheme. He approached you with a plan, orchestrated everything. You and the Powell family are innocent. Caleb is the one who deserves to die. Anna, it's not your fault. Stop blaming yourself."
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