Chapter 270 Liam, You're the Best
Liam never expected Gabriel to battle cancer. Any resentment he had felt for Gabriel stealing Teresa away evaporated upon hearing the news.
Sometimes, life really is a balance of give and take.
A few days later, without giving any prior notice, the three friends made a surprise visit to the Garcia's. Mrs. Garcia was naturally overjoyed to see them and warmly prepared a sumptuous dinner.
The four of them spent the evening together, laughing and joking as if they were kids again, without any hint of the troubles they were facing.
Knowing that Gabriel needed plenty of rest to maintain his strength, the trio left before ten o'clock. But for these three bachelors, the night was far from over, so Kyle suggested grabbing a drink.
Liam, swamped with work recently, hadn't had the chance to relax. Taking up Kyle's offer, they went to Kyle's Club, the biggest and most luxurious hotspot in River North.
When the boss shows up, the club manager naturally rolls out the red carpet, calling over the most attractive ladies to keep them company.
These club girls were good for a drink and some fun, nothing more. Despite their flirtatious advances, the men never crossed the line. Their status demanded it.
Given the weight of Gabriel's illness on Kyle's mind, he wasn't in the best of moods. Irritated by the persistent teasing of the women, he threw down a challenge: "Tonight, we drink. Whoever can keep up drinks the most and the fastest gets to come back with us."
Hearing Kyle's words, the women around went wild, tossing caution to the wind. They grabbed bottles of hard liquor and drank them straight as if they were water.
Liam and Aaron just sat to the side, silently watching Kyle mercilessly tease these women with outlandish ideas, neither one uttering a single word.
The women drank the alcohol desperately, one of them unable to hold back after downing two bottles and getting sick right then and there. The manager immediately had her escorted out and called for someone to clean up.
Having a janitor come in to clean would usually go unnoticed – but when Liam looked over, he caught sight of the person clutching a mop and a rag. It was Tessa.
Tessa entered the room, head down, diligently mopping and wiping the floors, all the while oblivious to the man watching her intently from a dimly lit corner — Liam.
"Hey, what's the deal? Don't you know how to mop properly?" A woman kneed beside Kyle let out a yelp as the mop accidentally brushed against her leg.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Tessa quickly bowed in apology, her voice carrying a genuine tone of regret.
"Well, well, when did the club hire such a fresh-faced janitor? And not too bad looking either," Tessa's soft and crisp voice immediately caught Kyle's attention.
He reached out, grabbed Tessa's chin, and lifted her face to look at her with a smile. "What's your name?"
In the corner, Liam nursed a whiskey, gently swirling the glass. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, fixed unwaveringly on Tessa. As Kyle touched her chin, Liam's expression darkened uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry, I'm just here to clean. I don't know about anything else," Tessa said, standing her ground as she looked at Kyle.
"Cleaning sounds so boring. Why not sit down and have a few drinks? I could increase your pay tenfold."
"Kyle"
"Shut up!"
Some of the women, feeling neglected as Kyle showed interest in Tessa, started to whine flirtatiously, but Kyle silenced them with a sharp rebuke.
A woman retracted, her neck shrinking back as she instantly quieted down.
"Hehe...Kyle, her name’s Tessa. She's a freshman at Northern River University's Language Academy, recommended by one of our staff," explained the manager, standing beside them with a smile.
"A freshman from the college, huh?" Kyle grinned while holding Tessa's chin. "Are you clean?"
In the dimly lit corner, Liam's gaze was fixed on Kyle and Tessa. His expression had sunk into a somberness so intense it seemed like it could drip with darkness. Yet, he forced himself to stay still, curious to see just how much temptation Tessa could withstand.
Watching Kyle, Tessa shook her head, "I have a boyfriend."
"Look at you being all honest!" Kyle lifted his other hand and lightly caressed Tessa's delicate cheek, "Well, just for tonight, I'll make an exception and take you home. How about that?"
Instantly, Tessa's head bobbed like she was banging a drum. As she shook her head, a familiar silhouette in the corner of the couch caught her eyes. She froze, then quickly turned her gaze.
Under the murky light, their eyes met, and although Liam's gaze was devoid of any emotion, Tessa couldn't hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes.
Kyle looked at her and then glanced at Liam.
‘Damn! This had to be one of Liam’s former flings.’
Kyle rubbed his forehead and hurriedly withdrew his hand from Tessa's chin, "All right, All right, get out of here."
Tessa looked at Liam, hoping for some sign of recognition or warmth. But when she found none, she fought back tears, nodded silently, and left the room with the mop and cloth.
"Come on, let's have another round," Kyle said nonchalantly, picking up his drink as Tessa left.
Liam downed his drink in one gulp, and the woman next to him quickly poured him another.
After Kyle had knocked out all the overconfident women, it was well past midnight, and it was time to call it a night.
However, once in the car, Liam didn't instruct his driver to start the engine but leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, massaged his wearied brow, and then ordered, "Go to the club and bring me Tessa."
The driver had been with Liam for many years. He was always the one behind the wheel whenever Liam and Tessa were together, so naturally, he knew who Tessa was. He just didn't expect to find her at the club.
