Whispers of Destiny: His Belated Love

Rosemary has never seen a guy so narcissistic! She shoved him hard, “Just afraid of catching some sort of cooties.”

Seeing Maxwell stand up straight and keep his distance, Rosemary chilled out a bit and retorted to his earlier comment, "What do you mean ‘another’? I never went looking for anyone in the first place."

"Never?" The man's raised eyebrow formed a mocking arch, "Aren't I the one? After splashing tens of millions, you're already kicking up a fuss about a divorce before the bed's even cold. Is there anyone who's a bigger sucker than me?"

Maxwell's mouth was really more toxic than arsenic.

"Give up on hunting for suckers, will you? If I find out you're messing around with anyone else, I don't know if he's a big sucker, but he's definitely going to die a sucker."

He closed the car door and instructed, "Jason, take Mrs. Templeton back."

Rosemary wanted to explain further, but she bit her tongue, thinking, “Forget it, why argue with an animal!”

After leaving the court, she didn't go home. Instead, she had Jason take her straight to Yolanda's antique shop.

Yolanda could tell she was bummed out and guessed the court case didn't go well, so she didn't pry, "Perfect timing, let's go get a drink."

Rosemary hadn't even walked in before Yolanda had her arm around her shoulder and dragged her out of the shop.

After being friends for so many years, she knew what Yolanda meant. Resigned, she said, "I'm fine."

"I'm craving a drink. You have no idea; my dad's been on some crazy kick about quitting smoking and drinking. If only he stopped there, but now he won’t let me drink either, watching me like a hawk every day. He's out of town on business today, so I've got to seize the opportunity."

Once Rosemary was dropped off, Jason left but circled back upon seeing her and Ms. Abbott come out. Worried she might need a ride, he paused and then spotted them entering a nearby KTV.

He thought for a moment and called Maxwell, "Mr. Templeton, Mrs. Templeton and Ms. Abbott are at a KTV."

Maxwell asked for the exact address, "Wait for them at the entrance."

Daytime at KTV was quiet, not many drunkards - relatively safe. He knew she was feeling down; a little booze to blow off steam couldn't hurt.

Yolanda led Rosemary inside, reserved a small room for the afternoon and evening.

It wasn't as fancy as Night Club, but the vibe was still decent. On their way, Rosemary grabbed some snacks from a store and ordered some takeout on her phone.

Yolanda raised her glass, "We're not stopping until we're wasted. I've already sent my driver the address. He’ll pick us up later, so let's drink up."

The last time at Night Club, the run-in with that nutjob left her with a bit of trauma. Though that guy got what he deserved later, the pain was real. She wasn't going to end up drunk without a plan this time.

Seeing Yolanda chug a whole glass and cough from the rush, Rosemary cautioned, "Ease up on the booze. If anyone should be drowning sorrows, it's me."

"I'm just trying to break the ice for you. Come on, first round, let's curse Maxwell that jerk to eternal limpness."

That kind of curse was brutal for any guy. Yolanda, pushing the glass toward Rosemary’s lips, left her no choice but to drink, "I feel like you're cursing me. If he can't perform, Victoria will dump him faster than I can say 'divorce', and I'll be the one suffering."

"Then let's wish them a lifetime of love and happiness."

Once they started drinking, it was hard to stop. Before evening, they were both plastered. Yolanda, grimacing in discomfort after throwing up twice, waved her hand, "I'm done; I'll call my driver."

"Keep it going, you said we won't stop till we're wasted," Rosemary clinked her bottle with Yolanda's but, seeing double, smacked Yolanda in the face instead.

Yolanda clutched her cheek, yelping, "Rosemary, put that bottle down! If you take another sip, I'm going to lose it."

The door swung open with a click, and a tall figure strode in against the bright corridor lights, his features a blur. Once the door shut, he was just a dark shadow.

Yolanda squinted, scrutinizing the newcomer, "Walter, you're right on time. I'll tell my mom to give you a raise. Take Rosemary down first. Drinking hasn't killed anyone, but her tolerance might."

Despite years of friendship and many drinks shared, this was the first time Rosemary was this trashed.

The man headed straight for Rosemary, snatched the empty bottle from her hand, tossed it on the table, and roughly pulled her up.

Yolanda's frown deepened as she sobered up a bit, "Walter, be gentle, eh? Wait, Walter, when did you get taller?"

Rosemary fought the grip on her wrist, "Stop pulling me. I want to drink more; I'm not drunk, Yolanda."

She turned to look for Yolanda, "Let's keep drinking. I'm telling you, Maxwell is such a wuss!"

Fury flickered in Maxwell's eyes. In just half a minute, his hand was covered in red scratches from Rosemary's nails.

He clenched his jaw and hoisted her over his shoulder. Dangling upside down, her stomach pressed against his shoulder - luckily she'd just thrown up and hadn't refilled - she managed not to hurl on the spot.

"Ugh, don't carry me like this. I need to throw up." Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Everything was spinning even more now.

Maxwell carried Rosemary out and told Harvey, who was waiting outside, "Take her home."

Harvey glanced at Yolanda, who was still making a racket in the booth, pestering Walter to hurry up and come get her, and replied, "Alrighty."

Rosemary, tossed around the whole ride, finally got set down before she could pass out. She shoved the person in front of her away and bent over to puke. But her stomach was empty, so all she could bring up was some sour bile.

Maxwell stood by, frowning deeply, "Gonna drink next time?"

Rosemary, holding her hair back from her cheeks to keep it clean, heard him and turned her head to squint at him, "Who are you? Why does your voice sound so familiar?"

She was pretty sloshed, swaying uncontrollably as she stood, her eyes blurry with drunkenness, reflecting the dazzling neon lights of the KTV, like two brilliant galaxies hidden inside.

Jason stood to the side, holding a bottle of mineral water, "Mr. Templeton, let Mrs. Templeton have some water."

Maxwell was about to take it when Rosemary suddenly reached out, grabbed his cheek, and slurred, "Not just the voice, but you kinda look like that jerk Maxwell too."

She really had a grip, not holding back at all, swaying from side to side to get a clearer look, leaving Maxwell’s cheek visibly reddened.

The man let out a soft 'tsk' and pried her hand off his face, "Kinda look alike? Rosemary, are you really drunk or just faking it?"

Rosemary thought her hand was about to break, grimaced, and grabbed the bottle of water from Jason's hand, hurling it at Maxwell, "Asshole, you're hurting me!"

Although Maxwell had already experienced her lousy tolerance to alcohol, he didn't expect her to have upped her game. Before, she just ran her mouth, but now she was getting physical.

He pinned her against the car, one leg up against her, and grabbed her chin to rinse her mouth with the mineral water, "Come on, spill it. Where did you get the idea that I'm a wuss?"