Serena and her New Boyfriend

Chapter 7

Hearing Allvar’s words, the bartender, who had been laughing with his colleague, immediately stopped and pushed the girl aside. "I’ll take it from here," he said, his tone suddenly much more respectful.

Allvar frowned, confused by the sudden change in the bartender's demeanor. "Why the change of heart?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The bartender flashed a wide, almost sycophantic grin. "I knew it all along, sir. You’re one of those low-profile rich guys, aren’t you?" he said, his voice dripping with flattery. "I could tell from the moment you walked in. Let me personally handle your order. A hundred bottles of Éternité, right? Coming right up."

Allvar’s frown deepened. "Really?" he said, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You sure weren’t acting like you knew anything a minute ago."

Before the bartender could respond, a sharp voice cut through the room. "Allvar?"

Allvar turned around, his eyes narrowing when he saw who it was. Serena, dressed in a shimmering, expensive gown, stood there with the same man from earlier, the one who had ruined everything. They both wore smug expressions, as if they had come specifically to gloat.

"Well, well, well," the man said, draping an arm around Serena’s shoulders. "Look who it is. What are you doing here, Allvar? Trying to live out your rich fantasies in a place you clearly can’t afford?"

Serena chuckled, her eyes sweeping over him. "What are you even wearing, Allvar? Is that the same suit from last year’s graduation? How sad." She smirked and leaned into her lover. "You’ve always been…well, a little behind in life, haven’t you?"

Allvar clenched his fists but didn’t respond immediately. His heart pounded, but he forced himself to stay calm. He wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing him react.

The bartender, overhearing their conversation, glanced between Allvar and the couple. His eyes widened when he took in the expensive clothes Serena and her new lover were wearing. He quickly changed his attitude again.

"Ah, sir," the bartender said to the man, his tone oozing with flattery. "And madam, of course. My apologies for any inconvenience. Let me personally serve you both. You’re the kind of patrons we love to have here." He shot a dismissive look at Allvar. "Unlike some people who make grand claims without being able to back them up."

Allvar felt his stomach churn at the bartender’s sudden shift, but he didn’t say anything. He could feel Serena’s mocking gaze on him, and it made his skin crawl.

"You see, Allvar," Serena said, her voice dripping with condescension, "this is what happens when you try to act like you’re something you’re not. You don’t belong here. This place is for people who can actually afford to be here." She glanced at the bartender. "What did he order, anyway? A glass of water?"

The bartender chuckled nervously, eager to ingratiate himself. "Oh no, madam. He actually claimed he was going to buy a hundred bottles of our most expensive champagne, Éternité."

At that, Serena and her lover burst into laughter. "A hundred bottles?" the man sneered. "Are you serious, Allvar? That’s ten thousand a bottle! You really think you can afford a million dollars’ worth of champagne? Who are you trying to impress?"

Serena wiped a tear from her eye as she laughed. "This is just sad. You always did have delusions of grandeur. You can’t even afford a decent suit, and here you are, talking about buying champagne. You never could accept reality, could you?"

The bartender joined in their laughter, now fully on their side. "It did seem like a bit of a stretch, but who am I to argue, right?" He grinned, looking between Serena and her lover. "I’ll be right back with your drinks. Forget him."

Allvar’s throat tightened, and he felt a surge of disgust. Not just at the bartender’s sycophantic behavior or Serena’s cruelty, but at himself, for staying in the room this long, for letting their words get to him.

Without another word, Allvar turned on his heel and walked out of the bar, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. Behind him, the sound of their mocking laughter followed him out the door, cutting deeper than any wound.

"See you around, 'champagne king'!" Serena called out sarcastically, her voice echoing in his ears as he left.