Chapter 27

**Ashley**

The restaurant was beautiful, and I couldn’t help but feel impressed. But at the same time, I was confused. Why was he taking me out now, all of a sudden? And why was I feeling this happiness bubbling inside me? Maybe because, deep down, I already knew—I loved him. I’d always felt a strong attraction to him, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. 

I smiled softly when the waiter brought our food after some minutes. Zade only ordered wine, which didn’t surprise me. He was wealthy and had probably tasted everything fancy in the world. Meanwhile, I stared at the menu, unsure of what to pick. I wanted to try the steak so badly, but instead, I chose an omelette. I could’ve ordered both, but I didn’t want to seem like I was doing too much.

This was my first real date, after all. I needed to stay composed. But the truth was, this dress he gave me was way too tight for me to eat much. If I overate, my stomach would start to show, and I didn’t want that.

I carefully took my fork and dipped it into the omelette. As soon as I took a bite, I closed my eyes, letting the taste wash over me. It was amazing. I’d had omelettes before, but this one was different, better than anything I’d ever made myself. I couldn’t stop. I kept eating, savoring every bite, my spoon full each time.

I could feel Zade watching me. His eyes never left me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. Was I eating too fast? Did I look like someone who hadn’t eaten in days? The thought made me pause, embarrassed. Was he judging me? Probably. But I couldn’t help myself—the food was just too good to resist.

After a few more minutes, I finished eating, feeling completely satisfied. I couldn’t help but think, *Damn, I’ll never forget how good that food was.* It was like nothing I’d ever tasted before. When I looked up, I realized Zade’s eyes had been on me the whole time, watching me with that intense gaze of his.

He hadn’t touched anything yet, just his wine. Slowly, he reached for my glass, pouring a small amount of wine into it before setting it back down in front of me. Then, he poured himself a tiny bit, almost like it was a ritual. I watched him swirl the wine in his cup, then take a slow sip, his eyes closing as he savored the taste.

Curious, I did the same. I lifted the glass to my lips and took a careful sip. My eyes widened instantly. The wine tasted incredible, like nothing I’d ever had before. It felt like I’d been transported to paradise with just that one sip.

"I've never tasted anything this sweet," i said, 

"I’d like more, please," i added.

"You’re not used to this. You’ll get drunk," He replied 

Without thinking, I immediately gulped down everything in my cup. The taste was too good to stop. I didn’t even wait for Zade to offer me more—I grabbed the wine bottle myself and poured it into my glass, filling it up again.

I kept drinking, each sip making me feel warmer, lighter. But soon, I started to feel a little off. My body was growing weaker, and a strange dizziness began to creep in. I had no idea the wine was this strong. I didn’t know it would affect me like this.

But even as my body grew weaker, I wanted more. The wine was doing something to me, something I couldn’t explain, but I didn’t care. When Zade noticed the bottle was empty, he didn’t hesitate—he called the waiter for another one. I wasn’t completely tipsy yet, but I was definitely getting there. Still, I didn’t stop him. I didn’t say I’d had enough because, honestly, I just wanted more.

A few minutes later, the waiter returned with the second bottle. Zade’s eyes never left me, watching in disbelief as I poured myself more. I noticed a small smirk tug at his lips, but I didn’t care. I kept drinking, letting the wine drown out everything. It wasn’t long before I was completely drunk, my head too heavy to hold up any longer.

I let it fall to the table, my hair spilling around my face. Everything felt hazy, and before I knew it, I started mumbling out all the fears that had been haunting me. The memory of what happened the other day... it never left me. I was still terrified. That woman, those things I saw... it wasn’t just a nightmare. I was sure of it now—it was real.

“Please save me from them,” I whispered to myself, barely aware if he could hear me or not. My eyes went shut.

But i was aware about everything around me i heard his footsteps as he stood up and walked over to my sit he raised my head gently like it was some kind of a gold his hand went over to my ass as he stood me up and then carried me in a bridal style.

His hands were warm on my body soft and his touch weren't rough he walked snd kept walking till i realized we were outside now. He opened the front sit and placed me in it as he went around the car to sit in his. 

And then he started the car again. And drove off. That's all i could remember before I drifted to sleep.

Even in my drunken haze, I was still aware of everything happening around me. I heard his footsteps as he stood up and walked over to where I sat, my head heavy on the table. Gently, almost like I was something fragile, he lifted my head, his touch careful, like I was made of gold. His hand slid to my lower back, then down to my hips as he stood me up, and before I knew it, he had lifted me into his arms in a bridal style.

His hands were warm against my skin, soft, not rough like I expected. There was something comforting in the way he held me, steady and secure. He walked, carrying me effortlessly, and I felt the cool night air hit my face as we stepped outside. He opened the car door and gently placed me in the front seat, his movements careful as if I might break.

I watched him walk around the car and settle into the driver’s seat. The engine started with a quiet hum, and we were moving. The last thing I remembered was the soft rumble of the car and the warmth of his presence beside me before everything faded, and I drifted into sleep.