The city shifted its focus to New Year’s Eve.
The Pearl.
The party everyone was waiting for.
A new start.
One night to prove to herself that she was still her. That she wasn’t just the sum of the things that had happened to her.
She would take it back.
If she could make it through one night—just one—without feeling like she was being swallowed whole, maybe she wasn’t as broken as she felt.
Chapter 32
Hot Mess
The Pearl was packed to the ceiling, the music thumping against the old walls like it did every weekend. Evin stood at the bar, her gaze scanning the room as she took everything in. A mix of nervous anticipation and a strange thrill coursed through her—one she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Tonight was hers. No hiding. No shame. She was done being passive, done letting the past dictate her every move.
“Four tequilas,” she said, her voice light, carefree. The glasses clinked against the counter as the bartender set them down. Evin reached for the first one.
Milka shot her a skeptical glance. “Four? That’s a strong start.”
Evin laughed. “It’s New Year’s Eve. Why not?”
She licked the salt off the back of her hand, raised the first shot, and clinked it against Milka’s. “Lick, drink, bite,” she said with a playful wink before tossing the shot back in one go, finishing it off with a bite of lemon.
The burn of the alcohol spread warmly down her throat, settling in her stomach like a slow fire. She felt alive. Unburdened. Free from the thoughts that had weighed her down for weeks. Maybe if it burned enough, it would drown out everything else—just for tonight. Without hesitation, she grabbed the second glass and repeated the ritual—salt, shot, lemon.
This felt right. Tonight was hers.
Milka eyed her from the side, then grabbed her own second shot. “You’re really going for it tonight,” she remarked, this time with a grin.
Evin shrugged, setting her glass down. “We’re going all in.”
The music pulsed through her, vibrating in her bones as she lost herself in the rhythm on the dance floor. She closed her eyes, hands gliding through the air, surrendering to the moment. No past. No worries. Just the music wrapping around her, the intoxicating rush of freedom flooding her veins. Her legs felt weightless, her body moving as if it was meant for this.
But then she opened her eyes—and the sight hit her like a punch to the gut.
Right across from her, in the VIP section, sat Sergej.
He lounged lazily on one of the sofas, hands resting on his knees, his face stretched into a smug grin.
Evin's heart seized, freezing in her chest.
A violent wave of nausea crashed over her, wiping away the high in an instant. She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head like she could shake him out of her mind.
And then—he was gone.
Or rather, he had never been there at all.
It wasn’t Sergej.
Evin remained silent, her throat tight and words lost.
Instead, she reached for Milka’s hand, gripping it with a fierce intensity that was impossible to ignore.
