Chapter 38. Confession Of A Drunkard.

Moonstone Café

'sigh!'

Monica let out a heavy sigh as she gazed at her phone. For nearly an hour, she had been wrestling with the decision of whether to make the call. Rising to her feet, she began to pace back and forth, then cleared her throat before dialing the number she had in mind.

The call connected rapidly, and the male voice on the other end set her heart racing. "Monica?"

Hearing her name pronounced by him caused Monica to momentarily lose her composure, but she quickly pinched her cheek and responded. "Um, Jared. I—uh—was just curious if you—could I ask you out to—" she stammered, covering her mouth as she nearly proposed a date.

She felt like slapping herself for acting so foolish and cowardly.

On the other end, Jared frowned as he sensed Monica struggling to find her words. "Are you asking me out on a date?" he asked, uncertain if he had interpreted her words correctly.

Monica's breath hitched in her throat, and she began to gnaw on her nails. "No… I—I just… um, no… never mind," she said, feeling disheartened as she slumped into her chair. "I'm sorry for the disturbance," and she swiftly hung up before Jared had the chance to respond.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes. She perceived herself as pitiful. She saw herself as a coward who couldn't express her feelings properly. All her energy and motivation were drained due to her foolishness.

Pathetic, she chastised herself. She was indeed a coward.

Jared looked at his phone with a puzzled expression. Resting his fingers on his chin, he pondered, but quickly dismissed the thoughts and attempted to call back, only to find the line busy.

"I just hope she isn't trying to ask me out."

For someone like Monica, he could consider keeping her around, but not in a romantic way. He felt at ease with Monica and wanted to maintain their friendship. Because of what transpired in his last relationship, Jared had decided to forgo anything romantic for the time being. With everything he was currently dealing with in the System, he had no room for personal emotions.

He couldn't help but wish that Monica wasn't interested in him.

Jared continued with his System-related tasks while Monica remained trapped in her melancholy. Minerva walked in and halted when she noticed her sister's despondent expression. She couldn't help but feel a mix of sympathy and concern for her sister's situation.

"Monica," she called softly. Monica lifted her gaze towards her sister, who took a seat beside her. Seeing that Monica's expression hadn't changed, Minerva felt a pang of hurt in her heart.

'It seems like Father is weighing heavily on her about this,' she reflected.

Minerva didn't want her sister to endure the same fate as she had, marrying someone she didn't love. She and her brother were wed for business purposes, to uphold the family's prestige and enterprises. While Minerva could tolerate the constraints and lack of freedom for their sake, she wished for her younger sister to be free from the same fate. She desired independence for Monica, but felt powerless against their father's authority.

Her heart ached for her sister.

She grasped Monica's hand, gazing at her sorrowful little sister with compassion. "I'm so sorry, Monica; if only I had the strength to stand up to Father," she said, tears welling in her eyes. Monica frowned at her sister's tear-streaked face. "I genuinely wished for your freedom. I truly want you to marry someone you love. If only someone would come and take you away from here, I would help you escape. I'm sorry that I feel so powerless," Minerva said before embracing her sister.

Monica, lost in her thoughts, raised her hand to comfort her weeping sister.

'Sis. I'm feeling down because I'm too much of a coward to approach someone I like, not because of my fiancé. You've misunderstood, sis.'

Meanwhile, Jared sat at an empty table outside the café as his phone began to ring. He answered by pressing the screen to his ear. "Hello?"

"Mr. Hale. We've finalized everything and it will be delivered to you shortly. We just need your signature, and everything will be complete," Nordy informed him from the other end of the line.

"Alright. Let's meet today."

After ending the call, they met to sign all the necessary documents. The amount he could receive was around two million. While it was a modest sum for the System task, he believed he could earn the rest, and with the 10x multiplier offered by the system, he expected to complete the task by the end of the month.

Minerva's uncle had started working in Management on Yellow St. Nordy had organized everything and introduced Minerva's uncle to his role. Although they had never met, Jared had received reports indicating that he was excelling in his job.

After organizing everything, the funds were transferred directly to his bank account. He drove to the mall to purchase all the items he needed. His walk-in closet was nearly empty, so he picked up a complete range of clothes, accessories, shoes, and watches. He dashed from shop to shop with multiple employees helping him carry all of his purchases. Bystanders couldn't help but stare in amazement. Five employees struggled with 5-6 bags each on their arms. The aura of wealth and charm emanated from him.

Affluent. Possessing money provided him with a sense of fulfillment, and all who witnessed him couldn't help but be in awe.

Once everything was wrapped up, he generously tipped those who assisted with his shopping bags and headed straight home. Feeling drained, his feet ached from all the walking around. He took a moment to rest before organizing his new items in his walk-in closet.

He stayed at home until nighttime, feeling cozy and content, while someone else somewhere was heartbroken.

Monica, perched on a stool, drained her final drink to the last drop. She turned to the bartender and ordered another shot. After already having three shots, her heart remained untouched by the alcohol. She sniffled and cried, drawing the attention of nearby patrons. The bartender felt sympathy for her clear state of heartbreak.

"I'm such a fool! I'm so weak!" she lamented as she lifted her glass for another sip, bursting into tears once more. Her phone kept ringing, but she paid no mind. She wanted to fully express her sorrow over her heartbreak for reasons unknown. Despite not having anything more than friendship, she felt utterly adrift and pathetic. She couldn't help but feel sorry for herself.

"Give me a dry martini," the voice next to her said. He then turned towards the sobbing woman. As he took out his phone and waited for his drink, the persistent ringing annoyed him, prompting him to look over at her. It was clear she wasn't interested in answering her phone. He shook his head and glanced at the screen.

"Hm?" He stepped closer and peered at the wallpaper of her illuminated screen before looking back at her.

He tapped her shoulder to catch her attention. "Excuse me?" he said, and Monica raised her gaze to meet his, her eyes filled with tears.

"Hi. I wanted to ask if—" Monica raised a finger to indicate for him to stop. With blurry vision, she shook her head "no." "I can see your handsome face, but I'm not available; I already have someone I'm interested in," she said, dismissing him and returning to her tears.

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, I meant to ask if you are Jared's girlfriend?" Her hand stilled in mid-motion as she turned to face him. "You know Jared?"

She assessed him and narrowed her eyes. He chuckled, nodding. "Yes. I'm Matthew, his friend." Her drunken eyes brightened. She stood up and confronted Matthew. "Really? You're not trying to trick me into sitting at your table, right? I'm telling you, I'm a one-man woman."

Matthew laughed in amusement. "No. My friends are on their way; how about we chat?"

Monica smiled and nodded at him. He guided her to his seat as they awaited the others who had just burst through the entrance, making their way toward Matthew and the tearful woman beside him.

"Hey. Who are you?" Selestine inquired, looking perplexed at Monica. The others seemed equally curious. Monica raised her head, a smile breaking through her tears. "Hi. I'm Monica. Are you friends with Jared too?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Selestine arched an eyebrow and moved closer to Monica. "Tell me, who are you? Are you Jared's girlfriend?" she asked, scrutinizing Monica from head to toe.

Monica erupted into tears at Selestine's question. "Me? I—I can't even muster the courage to confess; how am I—how am I supposed to be his girlfriend? I'm a coward. I called him this morning, but couldn't articulate anything clearly. I'm unworthy—unworthy," she sobbed and downed her glass. Turning to Selestine, she suddenly felt a rush of jealousy. In contrast to her simple attire, Selestine radiated elegance.

Another wave of melancholy hit her. "You. Do you also have feelings for him?" she asked, blinking back tears. Selestine smirked and answered without a beat. "Absolutely. And I plan to make him mine."

Monica's eyes widened, and she began to laugh. The statement struck her as utterly ridiculous, like a fantasy. The others observed the interaction between the two, seemingly entertained by the rivalry.

Selestine felt slighted by Monica's laughter. "What's so funny? I've liked him since the moment I saw him, and I will make him mine."

The onlookers could sense Selestine's anger and chuckled, realizing she was serious about claiming Jared.

Monica shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Don't fret, sister. You're not the first to say those words. It's a cliché spoken by women in college. Trust me, none of them ever succeeded," she said, laughing.

"Really? What was he like back in college?" Selestine's curiosity eclipsed her previous irritation. Monica looked at Selestine for a moment before nodding and pulling out her phone. She had gathered every photo she had taken in college, even creating an album dedicated to Jared's pictures. She had captured him reading in the library, relaxing in the garden, having lunch, during sports day, and more—she had documented everything.

His appearance was different then; he was younger with long hair that almost brushed his shoulders, always tied back with a few strands falling loosely, giving him a distinct charm and handsomeness. His smiling face was incredibly appealing. He looked youthful and fresh, contrasting with his current mature elegance.

"Oh. He looks good," Matthew remarked. Everyone else nodded in agreement upon seeing Jared's youthful image. "I know, right? He was quite the popular guy on campus. Everyone in our department was into him. He was intelligent, top of the class, a role model student—athletic, studious, and best of all, he was incredibly down-to-earth. He is the kindest man I've ever met," Monica said, her voice filled with admiration.

"You feel that strongly about him?" Selestine remarked. Monica laughed and reminisced. "I've liked him for 13 years," she said with a sense of yearning. As memories flooded back, tears filled Monica's eyes, and everyone exchanged sympathetic glances.

"Your heart certainly holds on for a long time. Incredible, I commend your perseverance. So why didn't you confess?"

Monica froze as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks, but no words came from her lips. The inquiry made her recollect the pain of her first heartbreak.