The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 285

"True, true. If he had real talent, he'd be successful by now..."

The chatter continued as the news broadcast cut to the next segment—the CEO of DeepBlue Technologies, sharp in a tailored suit, standing on stage. Behind him, a massive LED screen looped 3D animations of Genesis-1's molecular structure alongside clinical data.

Reporters clamored to ask questions, camera flashes erupting in a dazzling display of success and glory.

From the shadows of the bar, a soft scoff echoed, tinged with a self-deprecating helplessness.

The thirty-something man picked up his whiskey, now diluted to a pale gold, and downed it in one go.

The ice clinked against the glass, a hollow, lonely sound.

"Excuse me, sir, sorry to bother you..."

A timid voice broke his solitude. A young woman in her early twenties approached. Her makeup was flawless, her long hair draped over her shoulders, and she wore an expression of practiced vulnerability.

"My... my phone died, and I can't reach my friends. It's so late, and I'm a bit scared to go back alone. Could I trouble you... to take me home?"

The man turned, taking in her delicately fluttering eyelashes, her flushed ears, and those wide, innocent eyes that made her look like a pure, helpless doe.

Hah. This wasn't the first time he had endured this pathetic routine.

He briefly wondered if he should find another bar. But then again, this was already the fifth one he'd tried tonight.

All he wanted was to drink in peace.

The man shot her a sideways glance. Just one. His gaze was lazy and utterly indifferent, completely devoid of pity or charm.

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