CHAPTER 38: The Unavoidable Seat

　　Hannah's POV

　　The chatter in the bar buzzed with energy, laughter spilling over from one group to another. The warm lighting cast a cozy glow, and the faint sound of clinking glasses filled the air. I had initially intended for this to be a relaxing evening with just Aubrey, but somehow, fate had other plans.

　　It all started when a few familiar faces from work noticed us sitting alone. Before I could even process what was happening, a couple of them had already made their way over to our table. They greeted us with friendly smiles and an air of enthusiasm that was hard to brush off.

　　“Hannah! Aubrey! You two are here, too?” one of them called out, clearly delighted.

　　I forced a polite smile. “Yeah, we decided to check out the local scene.”

　　One of Christian’s closest friends, Joseph , joined in, flashing an inviting grin. “Well, what a coincidence! We’re just a few tables down. Come sit with us, won’t you? The more, the merrier!”