Zachary Pov

　　The memorable day of my life. I won the award for the third ever time continuously and I couldn't even ask for anything more. It made me so happy and top to that I had Juliette witnessing the moment when I got the award. I wanted to know how she was feeling about it. Just as I thought, she was happy with my achievements even though she congratulated me after I got the award only for once still, from the smile on her face anybody could decipher that she was happy for me and only by knowing it I was happy too.


　　The rest of the night went in talking to some of my business investors, meeting new people, people congratulating me and everything was just going great with a person beside me. Juliette...

　　I knew I made her disappointed when I didn't acknowledge how she looked but then right before me I saw many people even my business investors complimenting and acknowledging her beauty and she even smiled and then it made me think she must not be disappointed because judging by a number of compliments she got for looks what difference would it even make if I do compliment her? Probably nothing.

　　So, I ignored the topic and concentrated more on the people before and tried to build contacts for my business. But I could see the discomfort in Juliette's face on those heels. Finally, she excused herself and I did have an idea that she was going to sit somewhere and would want to rest her feet. After she was gone, I had some discussions with a man who was my teacher when I was in school. His son is also a knowable businessman and for that, together with their family, he was attending the function. I was very happy to see him after a long time. We talked and discussed about his son's and my business and when I felt somebody's arms circling my back. I turned around to look at that person but soon regretted even looking at the woman who was Ms. Loana Ularu.


　　"Zackie" she whispered into my ears which made me shiver in disgust.

　　"How have you been? I heard that you got married. I know it's just a rumor right Zackie?" I looked at her right hand to see a glass of wine. And what in the world was she wearing?


　　"Ms. Loana Ularu. It's pleasure to meet you. Yes, I did get married. Now, will you please excuse me? I'm an important discussion with this man over here" I pushed her away from me as politely as I could. The woman is really clingy and I just dislike her not only for her inappropriate clothing sense but also for the way she speaks with people.

　　"What? Oh my goodness! You are really married?" she tangled her arms with mine and clung to me even more. I looked back at my former teacher as he just looked with dislike at the woman and I knew it that currently because of Loana clinging to me, people must be talking about us.

　　"Yes! I am" I said slowly.

　　Did she not get the point?

　　"So where is she? I don't see her though" she looked every direction searching for Juliette.

　　"Zackie you are such a liar! Don't joke with me" she laughed, a throaty laugh.

　　"It's Mr. Sullivan for you!" I said as I felt the patient limit of mine decreasing with each and every second she stood beside me. I was only tolerating her because her father was like a mentor to me and my former business partner. I seriously don't understand how her father who is a disciplined and man of principles man doesn't oppose to the way she behaves. She purposely clung to me pressing her chest to my arm and rubbing against me and might I add I didn't like it even for a bit.

　　Inappropriate way to act with a married man in public.

　　"Aww c'mon Zackie why the formalities? Everyone knows we had a-" I cut her off.

　　"Enough!" this time I glared at her and she unwrapped her arms from mine.

　　"Excuse me! I need to find my wife" I told my teacher to which he nodded smiling at me, understanding what I meant. Without even glancing Loana's way I walked towards the direction where I last saw Juliette. I wonder what has taken her so long to come back to me. Where is she?

　　I looked for her from the group of ladies and even near the food stalls, she was nowhere to be found. But then I saw Cosmina and asked her if she knew where Juliette was. She told me that she saw her going towards the beverages. I thanked her went in that direction searching for Juliette and then I found her.

　　What the heck?

　　There she was sitting on a bar chair before a small counter where she was having alcoholic drinks. I marched up to her side and watched as she laughed, giggled and talked with the bartender. The guy was enjoying serving her. She was going to have another shot when I interrupted her from drinking it and held her forearm stopping her from drinking. She looked up at me angrily because I interrupted but then when she saw my face she smiled. Even though I knew what she was doing still, I felt the need to ask her.

　　"What are you doing?" I asked through gritted teeth.

　　Ignoring my question she patted on the seat next to her and asked me to sit down and even asked the bartender to serve me drink.

　　"No!" I objected and leaned closer to her to smell her breath.

　　"Gosh! Idiot! You are drunk?" I couldn't help but get angry at her. What is wrong with her?

　　"Spoilsport!" she muttered rolling her eyes at me and raised the shot in hand to drink it but again abruptly I interfered stopping her from having even a single drop of alcohol.

　　"Enough! You had enough! Get up now!" I snatched the glass from her hands but then she used her other free hand and a like a bolt of electricity snatched it back and before I could even stop her, she gulped it down.

　　"Juliette!" I snapped at her and pulled her up holding her arms. She swayed in her place and I had to hold her closer to me. I was scared that if I didn't hold her then she would end up hurting herself. Her slurry voice and strange actions clearly gave me the clue that she was tipsy and her behavior was unusual. She stayed closer to me, even asked me to dance with her and even confessed that like me, she also didn't know how to dance. She irritated me the whole way in the car, she pulled my cheek, pinched me and even tried to jump off from a running car. At some points, I was so irritated by her action and at another, I was amused. I couldn't understand what to do with her.