Chapter 332 Familiar Embrace
Bella froze for a moment, then realized the woman might be one of the staff trying to liven up the bar.
She intended to politely decline and softly said, "No, thanks. I'm good just sitting here."
But the woman in the fox mask wasn't taking no for an answer. Before Bella could react, the woman grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the dance floor.
Caught off guard, Bella stumbled along.
Once on the dance floor, the music and crowd instantly enveloped her.
The lively, noisy environment made her a bit uncomfortable.
Everyone wore masks, hiding their true faces, and shedding their usual defenses and inhibitions.
No one knew each other's real identity, and this anonymity allowed people to let loose and enjoy a rare sense of freedom.
Tonight, the bar's lighting seemed dimmer than usual, adding a touch of mystery to the revelry.
Bella weaved through the dance floor, and before she knew it, the woman who had brought her in had disappeared.
She found herself surrounded by people dancing with abandon, the large dance floor packed with bodies. In such a crowded environment, physical contact with strangers was inevitable.
Many danced closely together without knowing each other.
The dance floor vibrated intensely with the powerful music, making it difficult to stand still. Bella had to sway with the rhythm to maintain her balance.
Feeling anxious in the crowded space, Bella couldn't spot Anna anywhere.
Even if she wanted to leave the noisy dance floor, she was tightly surrounded by the crowd, unable to move.
Just as she was feeling lost, she suddenly felt a strong embrace from behind. Her heart raced, and a wave of inexplicable fear surged through her.
She tried to struggle, but her strength was insignificant in the dense crowd.
The person holding her didn't seem to have any malicious intent, just moving with the music, guiding her in the dance.
Bella's initial reaction was to push the person away, fearing it might be a creep. In such a chaotic place, encountering such situations was all too common.
She tried to resist, aiming to protect herself.
However, just as Bella was about to muster all her strength to push the person away, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
The voice was warm and magnetic, instantly calming her tense nerves.
"Bella, it's me."
She knew this voice too well, a voice that now brought her both pain and warmth.
It felt like a long-lost treasure returning to her, bringing both joy and a sense of fulfillment.
Bella stopped and turned around, trying to discern the face behind the mask.
Though she couldn't see the features clearly, she could feel the deep affection and tenderness in those eyes. It was Sterling's unique aura, unmistakable and irreplaceable.
In that moment, all her tension and fear vanished. She felt as if she had returned to the time when they were close.
Yet, she knew their relationship had changed too much, and their path was no longer smooth and simple.
Her body stiffened, her emotions a mix of feelings. Sterling had appeared so suddenly, in a place full of noise and uncertainty.
They both wore masks, unable to see each other's faces, but the embrace felt timeless, making her feel an unprecedented sense of longing.
Bella closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself.
Since no one could see, and no one cared about what was happening, she told herself to treat it as a brief reunion in a broken timeline, or a dream allowing her to temporarily forget her worries.
She let herself sink into the embrace, feeling the warmth and strength from him.
Despite their complicated and delicate relationship, this moment's hug made her feel like she was back in the past, in simpler and happier times.
However, Bella knew this was just a fleeting moment, a dream-like bubble.
When the music stopped and the crowd dispersed, they would return to their lives and face the unavoidable reality.
So, she told herself to cherish the moment but not to fall too deep, to avoid greater pain upon waking.
A few minutes later, the music paused, followed by applause. A singer took the stage and began performing a pop song.
The crowd on the dance floor gradually dispersed, returning to their seats or the bar.
At that moment, Sterling released Bella. She quickly turned around to confirm his presence, but he was already gone.
He had vanished like a breeze, silently coming and going, as if he had never been there.
Bella stood still, overwhelmed by indescribable emotions. She looked around, trying to spot him in the crowd, but it was futile.
He had disappeared so completely that she began to doubt if it had really happened.
"Did he really appear?" Bella murmured to herself, filled with confusion and uncertainty.
The familiar embrace and the warm voice felt like bubbles she had imagined, bursting without a trace.
Bella took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Perhaps it was just a fixation, a longing for the past.
Anna suddenly appeared from a corner, looking at Bella curiously. "Bella, what are you looking at? Didn't you say you wouldn't dance? Why are you standing here daydreaming?"
Bella took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. She smiled at Anna and said, "Nothing, I was just resting. I'll join you for a dance later."
But her heart still churned with the waves from her encounter with Sterling.
The sudden hug and the familiar yet strange voice left her both surprised and anxious.
She didn't know if it was a coincidence or if Sterling had planned it.
Meanwhile, outside the bar, Sterling removed his mask, revealing a handsome but slightly tired face.
He stood in the night, gazing at the familiar figure inside the bar, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
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