Chapter 7

Meanwhile, not far from Jacob's residence, in a dimly lit bar, Jacob sat in front of a half-empty bottle of vodka. His troubled mind found no respite. Each sip seemed to feed his pain rather than soothe it, and he asked himself questions that remained unanswered. After downing another glass, he murmured to himself, his words slurred by alcohol:

— What did I do wrong? I let myself go… I thought Gloria felt the same way about me… that if she didn't let anyone into her heart, it was because she was waiting for me to break down the barriers… But I was wrong… she never saw me the way I see her… all these years, she sees me as a brother… Nothing more… How am I supposed to live without her? She's the one my heart calls for…

Jacob's words got lost in the noise of the bar. The alcohol was starting to get to his head, amplifying his despair.

Kevin, the bar manager and one of Mousse’s cousins, who knew Jacob well from seeing him often with his cousin, approached him. Concerned to see him in this state, Kevin tried to talk to him, attempting to make him see reason, knowing that Jacob, in his current condition, wouldn't be able to go home.

— Hey, my friend, are you feeling okay? Kevin asked as he sat next to him.

Jacob barely looked up, still staring at his glass with painful intensity.

— Do I look okay? he replied in a hoarse, almost broken voice. Everything is ruined… my whole life is a disaster.

Kevin, sensing the smell of alcohol on Jacob's words, tried to speak to him gently.

— Listen, man, I know you're going through a tough time, but drowning yourself in alcohol isn't the answer. You should go home and get some rest.

Jacob let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

— Go home? And do what, huh? Fall asleep thinking about everything I've lost? How stupid I was to think she’d love me… that she'd finally see how I feel about her…

Kevin realized then that the situation was much worse than he had thought. He leaned a little closer to Jacob, trying to make eye contact.

— Listen to me. This woman you're talking about might not be the one for you, but that doesn't mean your life is over.

Jacob shook his head, still muddled by alcohol.

— They don’t understand… No one understands… Gloria is everything to me… I can't imagine my life without her.

Kevin sighed, realizing Jacob was too shaken to reason. He made a quick decision.

— Listen, I'm going to call your friend Mousse, okay? He'll come get you. You shouldn't stay here in this state.

Jacob tried to protest, his voice wavering.

— No… I don't need Mousse. Just let me… forget.

— I can't do that. I can't leave you here alone like this. Mousse will know what to do.

Without waiting for a response, Kevin stood up and walked over to the counter to call Mousse. He glanced back at Jacob, who had fallen silent again, his gaze still fixed on his glass. Kevin shook his head, hoping Mousse would arrive quickly to help Jacob out of this dark hole he seemed to be sinking further into.

Meanwhile, Mousse, worried about not being able to reach his friend, had gone to Jacob's house. There, he found Sophie, Jacob's sister, just as anxious about her brother’s silence. They discussed, trying to figure out where he might be, while remembering that they had already tried to contact Gloria without success. She wasn’t answering their calls. Mousse was about to head to Gloria’s place when he received a call. It was Kevin.

— Hello, cousin, how are you? Mousse answered as he picked up.

— Good evening, big brother. I'm fine, but I'm calling to tell you that your friend is here at the bar, and he’s not in his usual state.

— Jacob? He’s there now?

— Yes, he’s taken a bottle of vodka and is about to finish it. I don’t know what's going on with him, but I think it’s better if you come get him. He won’t be able to drive in this condition.

— Alright, thank you so much, Kevin. I’ll be right there. Make sure he doesn’t leave.

— No worries, I’m keeping an eye on him.

After the call ended, Mousse rushed to his car, followed by Sophie who refused to stay home alone. As they got in the car, Sophie, visibly frustrated, expressed her confusion:

— I don’t understand why Jacob is hurting himself so much over a woman… a woman who, for years, hasn’t seen him. She feels nothing for him, so why can’t he accept that?

Mousse, while fastening his seatbelt, turned to her and responded with a certain gravity:

— Because, my dear Sophie, you’ve never faced the facets of love. No one is strong in the face of love, no one can resist it.

With those words, he started the car and drove off, his mind filled with concerns for his friend. The heavy silence in the cabin was punctuated only by the hum of the engine, while the night seemed to stretch endlessly ahead of them, full of uncertainties and pain.

Meanwhile, at Gloria’s residence, she had just stepped out of a long, relaxing shower. Unaware of the video of her and Jacob circulating on social media, she had plunged into Samson Johnson’s Instagram account, the man who already occupied all her thoughts. Her fingers slid across the screen, contemplating each photo of him, admiring his appearance, his charisma, and wondering what the future might hold with him.

After long browsing through the photos, she decided to check if he was online on WhatsApp. He was. Her heart beat a little faster, and she sent him a simple message wishing him goodnight. She was about to give in to sleep when she heard the familiar ping of her phone. Samson had replied. A smile illuminated her face, and thus began a conversation between them, pushing sleep aside for a moment.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, sitting at the edge of her bed in her room, kept trying to reach Jacob. Each failed attempt increased her worry. She just wanted to make sure he had gotten home safely, but Jacob wasn’t answering. Each unanswered ring heightened her anxiety. She even considered going to his place to check, but when she saw the late hour, she realized it wasn’t a reasonable option.

Out of alternatives, she closed her eyes for a moment, silently praying that nothing bad had happened to him, hoping he would call her back as soon as he saw her calls. Maybe his phone just wasn’t within reach, she thought, trying to reassure herself.

Mousse and Sophie finally arrived at the bar where Jacob, already deeply affected by alcohol, seemed barely aware of what was going on around him. The scene that greeted them was pitiful: Jacob, his shoulders slumped, was slumped over the counter, a glass in hand, his glazed eyes fixed on the almost-empty vodka bottle in front of him.

Kevin, the bar manager, saw them as soon as they walked through the door. He signaled Mousse to get his attention, then discreetly indicated Jacob’s state.

— He didn’t want to listen to me, Kevin murmured as he approached them. I think he’s reached a point where he needs you to bring him back.

Mousse, with a dark expression, approached his friend, closely followed by Sophie, visibly worried. Mousse placed a firm hand on Jacob’s shoulder, trying to get him to react.

— Jacob, it’s me, Mousse. It’s time to go home, my brother. His voice was meant to be reassuring, but there was a note of urgency in it.

Jacob looked up, clearly struggling to focus. He blinked several times before recognizing his friend.

— Mousse… he murmured, his voice hoarse from the alcohol. Why is everything so… so difficult?

Sophie, her heart aching seeing her brother in this state, leaned towards him.

— Jacob, let’s go home, please. You can’t stay here like this.

But Jacob, despite his drunkenness, weakly shook his head.

— I just wanted… I thought that… His words got lost in a heavy sigh of despair.

Mousse, realizing he had to act quickly, took the glass from Jacob's hands and placed it on the counter. "We’ll talk later, Jacob. Right now, we need to get you home. You need rest."

Kevin gave them a slight smile, almost apologetic for not being able to do more. "Take care of him, okay? I know he’s going through something tough, but alcohol won’t help him."

Sophie, her eyes clouded with tears, nodded. "Thank you. We’ll get him home." She slipped an arm under her brother's to help him stand, while Mousse supported him on the other side.

Jacob staggered, struggling to stay on his feet. "Gloria..." he murmured, barely audible, as they guided him toward the exit. "I love her so much, but she... she doesn’t see anything..."

Sophie gritted her teeth, trying to hold back her emotions. "Jacob, you need to rest. It will be better tomorrow."

With great difficulty, they managed to get out of the bar, Jacob half-supported by Mousse and Sophie. Mousse opened the back door of the car, and together, they managed to get Jacob onto the seat, making sure he was secure before closing the door.

Sophie cast one last look at the bar before getting into the car. Worry for her brother gnawed at her. "He’s going to make it, right?" she asked Mousse, seeking reassurance.

Mousse nodded, though not very convincingly. "He has to. We’ll be there for him."

Sophie got into her brother's car, as they couldn’t leave it behind. With one last sigh, Mousse started his own car, taking the road back, followed by Sophie driving Jacob's car. Together, they left behind the bar and the painful memories of that night. Jacob, exhausted, eventually fell into a restless sleep, while Sophie and Mousse, each in their own vehicle, were overwhelmed with worry for Jacob's future, devastated by the disappointment.