BAD HEROINES

3. A Little Help

By evening, Lian found himself in one of the most famous nightclubs in Vegas. It wasn’t his kind of place, at least in now days but with his current company, he had no choice.

He didn’t have time for luxury or relaxation—he needed money. But the girl hanging onto his arm wasn’t taking "no" for an answer. That’s why he’d been avoiding her for the last three months.

Her name? Celine Drayton.

Inside, the thumping music made the walls vibrate. Lian made his way to a chair and ordered a drink as soon as he sat down.

"You don’t want to dance with me?" Celine asked with accusation. "Or is it that you don’t want me anymore?" She crossed her arms, "If this is about money, I can give you more. But don’t you dare keep working those disgusting part-time jobs. I can’t stand to see my man suffering."

Lian stared at her, stunned.

He took a long gulp of his drink, letting the alcohol blur the sharp edges of their toxic relationship. He remembered when he’d met her—back when he worked for her family’s business.

Well, not exactly a business. It was her brother’s gang, and Lian had gotten out, but that chapter wasn’t closed. If her brother found him, it would be a lot more trouble than she was.

Celine had practically ordered him to be her boyfriend. For the past five months, she had meddled in every aspect of his life, and he felt trapped. How did she always manage to find him, no matter where he went?

She stormed off, but Lian didn’t follow. He was relieved to be rid of her, even for a moment.

His eyes wandered to a nearby table where a girl sat alone, lazily shaking her beer in a glass. Something about her tugged at his memory, but he couldn’t place it.

Before he could think too much, a man approached her. "Hey," the guy said, trying too hard to sound smooth. "Are you alone?"

The girl looked up, her eyes cold and sharp, cutting through him like a knife. The man visibly shrank under her gaze, stammering for a moment before retreating.

Without saying a word, she stood and walked away.

Lian couldn’t help but watch her until she vanished from sight. There was something about her... but he couldn’t figure out what.

Later, Lian was in a car with Celine, one of her bodyguards driving while the other sat beside them in the back. Celine was in the middle, pouting, her mood poisoning the air.

Everyone in the car stayed silent, too afraid to say anything. Lian stared out the window, trying to escape her wrath.

Celine pulled an envelope from her purse and dropped it onto the seat next to him, still fuming.

Lian frowned, confused. She must’ve found some "better" job for him. He opened the envelope, and as his eyes scanned the document inside, he froze.

"You always wanted to find your family," Celine said, arms crossed. "I thought I’d help you... a little."

A little? This wasn’t "a little" at all. The documents held information about the parents he’d been searching for. He couldn’t believe she’d remembered something he’d drunkenly mentioned.

Before he could say anything, the car jerked to a sudden stop, throwing them forward. Just as they began to recover from the shock, something small dropped through the open window on Lian’s side.

Smoke started filling the car. Instinctively, the bodyguard opened the door to investigate, but as soon as she stepped out, a gunshot rang out, and her body crumpled to the ground.

Celine screamed in terror, slamming the door shut.

"No, don’t—" Lian tried to warn her, but she was too panicked to listen. The gas was still filling the car.

Another gunshot shattered the window, striking the other bodyguard in the head. Blood splattered across the seat.

Without thinking, Lian moved toward Celine, trying to shield her with his body. They were trapped. The gas was suffocating, and every breath felt like his last. He was terrified, but not for himself—for her.

He tried the door, but his strength was fading fast. His vision blurred, and when he glanced at Celine, she was slumped over, her eyes closing. His heart pounded with fear—not for his own life, but for hers.

Summoning whatever strength he had left, he slammed his elbow into the window, trying to break it.

Then, suddenly, the door on the other side opened. Through the haze of smoke, Lian saw a figure—someone he couldn’t make out clearly. The person grabbed Celine, dragging her out of the car before shutting the door again, leaving him inside.

His heart raced. Who was that? What were they going to do to her?

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, the door beside him opened. The figure pulled him out, laying him on the ground. Gasping for air, Lian felt a brief sense of relief as the fresh air filled his lungs.

He looked up, trying to make out who had saved him, but darkness claimed him before he could see.