Let Me Go, Mr.Lancaster!

Sybarite was a high-end pub located in the heart of the business district in Manhattan. And just like any other night, it was in full blast with booze, lofty music, and patrons having a good time.

At the threshold of the club was Hope Lancaster, who was busy talking to her friend on the phone. Hope worked there as a waitress for her to sustain her life's daily needs.

"Where are you? I need to—" Sydney, her friend, said over. Not having the time to talk any longer, Hope hang up on her.

She then averted her gaze to the other side of the road and saw a group of kids—probably the same age as her—heading toward Sybarite. She was about to ignore them when she caught a glimpse of someone behind the said group. A tall, well-built man clad in a smoky gray suit stood among the crowd. Although they were inches apart, she could feel the screaming authority in how he moved. He was utterly smokingly-hot from all angles!

Instinctively, Hope wanted to run away from them, but her legs could not move, to her dismay. It was as if her feet were cemented against the concrete floor. Just by staring at the man before, her whole body froze. On top of that, she could not fathom why she suddenly felt tense. Hope did her best to look away, but the man was persistent. She could feel him watching her, deliberately goading her to do the same.

"Hey." The man said upon approaching her in full pelt. Too near; she could die of nervousness.

He stopped on his track as his eyes fell directly on her. Hope was oblivious to the fact that he noticed her long before she spotted him. The people around him also paused and quizzically looked at her, waiting for her to react. Slowly, Hope craned her head back to him, only to be greeted by his intense, frosty gazes. It was as if seeping through the fibers of her soul, inch by inch. The road was dimly lit; still, she recognized his strong, manly features. The man behind those stone-cold eyes, thick but well-shaped eyebrows, broad shoulders, brawny arms, and oozing sex appeal was Uncle Stan. She was sure of it! She wondered why the second son of the Williams family was standing right before her eyes.

'Since when did he arrive in Oakwood? I thought he was staying in Belldown for good. Of all people, why did I bump into him? And in this place? Shit!' Hope wanted to drop the questions, but she held them to herself.

"Uncle S-Stan?" She called out; her voice went octave. She was startled by his presence, for Pete's sake!

"Why are you here?" His voice was stern. In fact, Stan was shocked seeing Hope in this kind of place. What was the daughter of his unrelated brother doing in a bar? Stan couldn't help but get eager to know the answer for that question. Yet, he chose to remain silent as he waited for her response.

She straightened her back despite the chills crawling into her spine. "Um, I made an appointment with my classmates."

"Do you often come to Sybarite?"

"No, not really. It's just that... today's my classmate's birthday. I can't afford not to attend, so I'm here." She lied, making sure she wouldn't forget any details.

The thought of him asking about her whereabouts tingled and bothered her mind simultaneously. With him, every situation was always intimidating. Hope suddenly remembered those days she spent with the Williams. She grew up in their wings but just as a nuisance in the family. Hope decided to remain aloof and distant whenever they got the chance to talk to avoid bothering him. And this scene was too much to handle. How she wished the floor would swallow her whole. Damn.

"Well?" Stan hummed after a long stretch of silence.

"Yeah?" Hope was literally out of words; that was all she could mutter.

"What time will the party end?"

"I'm not sure, but maybe until dawn."

"Sure. Anyway, would you like to go up together?"

Hope shook her head and replied, "thanks, but my friend will be here soon."

Stan nodded and pulled something in his coat before handing her a black card. Her gaze dropped on it, then returned to him with questioning eyes.

"Here, take this." He reached for her hand and placed the card against her soft palm. "Use it and take whatever you want. Splurge and treat yourself well."

Hope became silent for a second. She has second thoughts about accepting it or not, but she wouldn't want to offend him in front of these people. It took her some time before she found her voice again.

"Thank you, Uncle." She said, smiling sheepishly.

"No worries. Enjoy the party, Hope."

And just like that, their conversation ended. He walked toward the stairs leading to the second floor of the bar. By the time he was finally out of her sight, Hope heaved a deep breath. A sigh of relief, matter-of-factly. Then she looked at the card in her hand and smiled bitterly. For what it's worth, or whatever his drama was, she would not take the bait. With that in mind, she squeezed the card before throwing it in the trash bin. After a while, Sydney came rushing into her.

"Why did you hang up on me?" Sydney asked right away the time she saw her friend.

"I accidentally pressed the end call button."

Sydney nodded and didn't ask any more questions. They had been classmates for a few years until they became best friends. Though there were unlikely rumors about Hope's family, specifically about money issues, Sydney had no bad blood about it.

They headed onto the second floor, but Sydney stopped abruptly in front of a private room. She then turned to Hope, worry was painted all over her face,"The manager of Sybarite, Mr. Cage called, and told me that Tom Blackford was already waiting for you inside." Sydney let out a frustrated sigh and continued to ask, "Hope, do you think you can manage it and face him alone? Do you need me to call somebody for help? He's a monster, we know that."