Andrew gripped his glass tightly. Under the light, the clear glass reflected a cold glint.
He frowned slightly and poured himself another drink. The liquor swirled in the cup, just like the unrest in his heart.
As he raised the glass to his lips, Ethan quickly reached out and stopped him.
Ethan's movement was urgent. He snatched the glass from Andrew's hand, frowned slightly, and looked at him with concern and confusion.
"Hey, hey, what's going on with you? You just got here and already started drinking alone."
Andrew didn't respond right away. He silently stared at the glass that was now in Ethan's hand.
Seeing him like this only made Ethan more curious. He couldn't help but ask, "Did something happen?"
Andrew's eyes darkened. Just thinking about how Katherine had blocked every way he could contact her brought back that wave of frustration, unwillingness, and pain. It hit him like a tide, sinking his mood deeper and deeper.
But he didn't want to show all of that so openly. So, pretending to be casual, he said, "It's nothing. Didn't you invite me here to drink? Now I can't drink?"
That question left Ethan speechless. He could tell Andrew was brushing him off, but he also knew this wasn't the time to push him too hard.
Looking at Andrew's stubborn and slightly lonely expression, Ethan sighed helplessly and gave in. "Drink, drink... we're not going home sober tonight."
He handed the glass back to Andrew.
Then, Ethan grabbed a bottle and poured himself a drink too.
Lifting his own glass with a small, comforting smile, he wanted to toast with Andrew and lighten the heavy atmosphere a little.
But Andrew didn't wait for him at all. He downed his drink in one go and slammed the glass on the table. The gloom in his eyes hadn't cleared at all.
Ethan could only shake his head helplessly. He didn't say anything. He simply lifted his own glass and finished it in silence.
The liquor burned as it slid down his throat, but his mind wasn't focused on the taste at all.
He was genuinely curious—what could've happened to make the always calm and steady Andrew so down like this?
In Ethan's eyes, Andrew had always been like a mountain, strong and unshakable no matter what storms came his way. But now, seeing him like this, Ethan realized this wasn't some small matter.
Andrew kept drinking one glass after another. His tolerance was always strong, but no matter how good your tolerance is, drinking like this without care will eventually take a toll.
It didn't take long for the alcohol to start kicking in. Andrew felt his head get heavy, as if a fog was spreading inside.
He instinctively reached up to loosen his tie, trying to breathe easier. Then he leaned back into the sofa and closed his eyes.
Right now, he looked tired and fragile, completely different from the confident and spirited man he usually was.
Ethan watched quietly. He didn't try to disturb him. He just sat there guessing what had happened in the last few days to make Andrew so lost and broken.
After a moment, Ethan gently nudged him. "Andrew, talk to me. What really happened?"
"If you don't say anything, I won't know how to help you."
Time passed slowly. The only sound in the room was the soft background music. Ethan sat in silence, waiting for an answer, but Andrew said nothing.
Just as Ethan was about to give up asking, Andrew suddenly spoke in a low voice.
"Ethan, have you ever loved someone?"
That simple sentence was like a stone thrown into a still lake, stirring waves in Ethan's heart.
His once lazy eyes suddenly lit up, like a leopard catching the scent of prey, or like a gossip-loving child who just discovered something juicy.
Without meaning to, he leaned closer to Andrew, staring at him intently, not missing a single shift in expression. With a bit of excitement in his tone, he asked,
"What? Don't tell me all this strange behavior today is because of a woman?"
His words sped up without him realizing, eyes full of curiosity. "Who is it? Come on, tell me."
But once again, all he got was silence.
Ethan stared at Andrew without blinking. Time seemed to freeze in that moment. Andrew looked like he had slipped into his own world, not saying another word.
Ethan frowned slightly, his mind quickly running through all the possibilities.
Suddenly, a name flashed across his mind — Charlotte.
Could it be her?
As far as he knew, Charlotte was the only woman who seemed to have a special relationship with Andrew.
He quickly pulled out his phone, his long fingers gliding across the screen. In just a few seconds, he found Charlotte's number and dialed without hesitation.
In the quiet space, the ringtone sounded especially loud. It rang a few times before someone answered. On the other end, Charlotte's sweet and clear voice came through:
"Hello? Ethan?"
Ethan's lips curled into a soft smile. His voice was gentle. "Yeah. Do you still remember me, Charlotte?"
Charlotte gave a light laugh. "Of course I remember. We've known each other since we were kids. How could I forget?"
Ethan nodded, though she couldn't see it, and cleared his throat before getting to the point.
"Did you and Andrew have a fight today?"
At that moment, Charlotte was relaxing with a face mask on, enjoying her evening.
When she heard that, her hand paused mid-air. She quickly pulled off the mask, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.
"We just had dinner tonight. We only parted a little while ago. Why do you ask?"
Hearing that, Ethan became even more convinced that something had happened between them. That would explain Andrew's gloomy mood.
"Uh, it's nothing. I'm with Andrew right now, and he doesn't look like he's in a good mood."
As Ethan spoke, he looked again at Andrew, who was lying on the sofa with his eyes closed.
Charlotte's heart skipped a beat. Her hand clenched into a fist without her realizing.
They had parted on good terms tonight. Why would he be upset now?
Could it be because of that woman?
The moment Katherine came to mind, a fire of jealousy ignited in Charlotte's heart. Her eyes darkened with rage.
But she quickly got her emotions under control and spoke in her usual sweet voice.
"Ethan, where are you now? I'll come find you."
Her voice sounded urgent, as if she were truly worried about Andrew. But only she knew how wild her thoughts were at that moment.
Maybe tonight was her chance.