My Birthday, My Downfall novel Chapter 34

When the gathering ended, I waited for Adrian in the lobby downstairs.

Just then, a call came in from a friend back in Capital City.

"Grace, what have you been up to these days? Haven't seen you around."

"I've had some personal matters to take care of."

"Why don't you come out and join us later?"

I smiled faintly.

"No, you guys go ahead."

"Hey, Grace, wait a second. Actually… it's about Paul. He's in a bad mood tonight, completely drunk. No one can stop him."

"If you're free, could you come check on him? We're worried he'll drink himself into another bout of stomach bleeding."

"Call Helen instead."

"Grace, Paul just kicked Helen out."

"We can all tell he still cares about you. He regrets it."

"Enough," I said, my voice calm as I gripped my phone tightly.

"Paul and I are over. Whatever happens to him has nothing to do with me anymore. Don't call me again."

Before I could hang up, I heard a commotion on the other end of the line, as if someone had snatched the phone away.

I was about to end the call when Paul's voice came through.

"Grace, it was their idea to call you. It has nothing to do with me."

The same lofty, arrogant tone as always.

"Alright, I'm hanging up."

"Grace…"

Paul called my name again. I could hear the heavy drunkenness in his voice.

In the past, I would've felt heartache for him and patiently coaxed him to drink less.

But now, nothing about him concerned me anymore.

I hung up the phone.

After a moment of thought, I deleted Paul's friends from my contacts as well.

I had only known them because of Paul.

Now that we were completely separated, there was no reason to stay in touch.

"Grace."

In the brightly lit lobby, Adrian stood not far to my left.

The light fell on his handsome face, softening it into a hazy glow.

"Adrian."

I was just about to get up when he began walking toward me.

Perhaps he'd had too much to drink; his steps were unsteady.

I quickly went to support him.

"Adrian, are you alright? Have you had too much to drink?"

He nodded slightly. His brows furrowed, and his face showed visible discomfort.

"Grace, my car's waiting outside. Can you help me get to it?"

"Of course, I'll take you now."

Adrian was much taller than me, and even the short distance to the car felt like an ordeal. We stumbled along awkwardly.

As he got into the car, I lost my balance from exhaustion and accidentally fell into his arms.

"I wouldn't do anything to you in a place like this."

He raised a hand to smooth the stray hair by my temple.

"Grace, I'll wait patiently for our wedding night."

I lowered my head, my cheeks burning bright red.

After a long pause, I looked at him and softly replied,

"Okay."

Paul had gotten drunk again.

None of his friends could persuade him to stop.

He wasn't entirely sure why he'd been feeling so low these past days.

Maybe he had grown tired of Helen, realizing that after the initial novelty faded, she was nothing special.

Maybe he had started to miss Grace's quiet, gentle, and considerate nature.

The last time his friends called Grace, it had been with his tacit approval.

But Grace had firmly refused on the phone.

Frustrated, Paul had snatched the phone and said those words.

Yet Grace hadn't responded. She simply hung up.

She hadn't come to see him.

She hadn't come to take him home.

Even knowing he had drunk too much and that his health might not endure it, she remained indifferent.

Paul didn't want to admit it, but in that moment, he had felt a flicker of panic.