The lady sitting beside Nelson and Jenny was visibly uncomfortable. She kept glancing around, her hands fidgeting in her lap, her breath uneven. Every time someone walked past, her eyes darted nervously in their direction. There was a faint tremor in her voice when she finally spoke.

“Sir… someone might notice this,” she murmured, her tone laced with unease.

Nelson didn’t waste time arguing. His voice was firm but calm.

“Bring me your jacket,” he said, stretching out his hand without looking at her.

The lady quickly removed her jacket and handed it to him. Nelson took it and gently draped it over Jenny’s shoulders, shielding her from prying eyes. Jenny slumped into the seat, her head swaying slightly.

“Take her to my car,” Nelson ordered, his eyes sharp. “I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

The woman nodded, reluctant but obedient, and helped guide Jenny towards the car. Jenny was clearly drunk, her steps uneven, her head occasionally falling to one side.

Fifteen minutes later, Nelson emerged from the building, his long strides purposeful. He reached the car, opened the back door, and slid in beside Jenny. She was sprawled across the seat in a strangely carefree posture, her legs bent awkwardly.

When she saw him, her face lit up in drunken delight.

“Oh, my beautiful robot,” she slurred, grinning. “You’re here. I’m so glad to see you again!”

Before Nelson could react, Jenny placed both her legs across his lap and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, clinging to him as though afraid he might vanish.

From the driver’s seat, Nelson’s driver glanced into the rear-view mirror, his lips twitching. He fought the urge to laugh — not at Jenny, but at his boss’s visible discomfort. Nelson’s stiff posture and awkward hand movements gave away his unease. But the driver knew Nelson too well; despite his discomfort, he wouldn’t push her away.

Nelson sighed and tried to ease her off gently. “Wait, Miss Jenny… in what way do you think I’m a robot?”

“Really? You don’t know?” Jenny’s voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. “You’re a unique robot. You can think, you have emotions. I’ve never seen a robot like you before — so cute and lovely.” She giggled and placed her index finger on his lips as though sealing the statement.

Nelson studied her for a moment and realised she was truly drunk. Her eyes were glassy, her cheeks flushed.

He turned his gaze forward. “Move straight to Mr Gerald’s house,” he instructed the driver. “And drive quickly.”

At the mention of that name, Jenny’s entire mood shifted. Her face darkened and she shook her head violently.

“Never! No! Don’t you dare. I don’t want to go to that house anymore. Don’t take me there!” Her voice rose sharply, and she pounded her fists against Nelson’s chest. “I’m not going home!”

“That’s your house,” Nelson replied, trying to reason with her. “There’s nowhere safer for you than your home.”

“My home?” Jenny’s laugh was bitter and broken. “My home is the most dangerous place in the world. I can’t stay there comfortably. Nobody likes me in that house. My father… he wants to use my marriage to increase his business, to make more profit. My sister—” she choked on the words, tears welling in her eyes— “she slept with and married my fiancé. The same woman I’ve done everything for, to make her life comfortable. And my mother… she doesn’t support me either. No! Nobody likes me in that house. Going back would be like living in hell. I don’t want to go back, Robot!”

Her words hit Nelson like a weight in the chest. He could hear the raw pain in her voice, see the helplessness in her trembling shoulders. For a moment, he just stared at her, wondering how a woman so gentle could be surrounded by so much betrayal.

“Okay,” he said softly. “Where do you want to go?”

Jenny looked around vaguely, as though searching for an answer in the night sky outside the window. Her lips parted but no words came for a few seconds.

“Where are you going?” she asked instead.

“No other place. I’m going home,” Nelson replied simply.

Jenny’s eyes brightened. “Let me go with you. I want to follow you wherever you’re going. Please, my cute robot. Your house is the best place I can be. Just… let me come with you.” She shuffled closer, her breath warm against his cheek.

Nelson hesitated, caught between logic and temptation. Jenny was too close, her perfume subtly weaving into his senses. He remembered the last time they had kissed — the softness, the lingering taste. He had enjoyed it more than he cared to admit, and now that closeness was making it harder to think straight.

“I’ll do that for you,” he said at last, the words slipping out before he’d fully processed them.

Jenny smiled and shifted on his lap until she found a comfortable spot, her head resting on his shoulder like a child. The warmth of her breath brushed against the side of his neck, sending a ripple down his spine. His thoughts began to scatter.

“I didn’t know robots could be so lovely,” she murmured dreamily. “I don’t want to leave my cute robot. I love you more than I love Robert. You’re simply the best of all.”

Before Nelson could respond, she pressed her lips to his neck, the kiss lingering for several seconds. Nelson froze. He didn’t dare move. His breath caught, and his mind went blank.

He could feel his body reacting — a tension that wasn’t entirely unwelcome — but he knew he couldn’t take advantage of her. Not like this. She was drunk, vulnerable. Acting on impulse would only deepen her pain.

“Sir,” the driver’s voice cut in, “we’re about to reach Mr Gerald’s house.”

The words snapped Nelson back to reality. He looked down at Jenny, who was now clinging to him stubbornly.

“Drive to the nearest hotel,” Nelson ordered quickly.

Jenny’s eyes lit up again, and she leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. He almost laughed at the irony — here he was, a man who’d always been in control, now undone by a drunken woman’s affection.

Her chest pressed against his, her fingers tracing the curve of his neck. His thoughts became a blur. Seven minutes passed like mere seconds. When she finally pulled back, she whispered bitterly into his ear: “She kissed my fiancé like this.”

Nelson’s jaw tightened. He could see the sadness in her, the bruises that didn’t show on skin. He bit his lip to keep from saying something he might regret.

“F—” he muttered under his breath. “Are we not close to any hotel yet? Speed up.”

“We’ll be there in five minutes,” the driver replied cautiously.

“Make it faster,” Nelson snapped. He rarely raised his voice, but tonight his patience was unraveling.

At last, the driver announced, “We’re here, sir.”

Nelson wasted no time. “Tell the receptionist she’s your wife and you’ve just finished your wedding party. She’s a little drunk. Book the room in your name. Take her upstairs and come back quickly.”

The driver blinked, baffled by the instructions, but didn’t dare question him. He stepped out and opened the door for Jenny.

“Miss Jenny, kindly come down now. We’ve arrived,” he said gently but firmly.

She didn’t respond, only burrowed closer to Nelson.

Nelson frowned at the driver. “Do you think she’ll listen to you just like that? Carry her.”

The driver hesitated, muttering inwardly, But you were kissing her just minutes ago… Still, he tried to lift her arm from Nelson’s shoulder, but the more he tried, the tighter she clung.

“Gosh! Let me do it,” Nelson said irritably.

He removed his suit and tie in one motion, unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt, loosened his hair with his fingers, and gave his appearance a rough, dishevelled look. Then he lifted Jenny gently, cradling her against his chest, and headed for the hotel entrance.

The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, glanced up and froze. Her gaze shifted from Nelson’s rumpled appearance to Jenny’s elegant dress.

“How may I help you?” she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“We got married today,” Nelson said smoothly. “She got drunk at the party, so we’re looking for a room.”

“We do have rooms available,” the woman replied, her tone cautious. “But they’re expensive. I don’t think…” She eyed him up and down. “…I don’t think you can afford them.”

Nelson simply handed her his card. “We’ll take the best one you have.”

Her eyebrows rose slightly, but she processed the payment. “Done. I’ve deducted $35,000.”

“That’s fine,” Nelson said flatly, taking the key.

A hotel attendant led them upstairs. “Welcome, sir. This is your room. Have a wonderful night,” he said with a polite bow before leaving.

Jenny stumbled towards the bed and collapsed onto it with a sigh. “Oh, lovely bed! Cute robot, sleep here. There’s room for two.”

“Sorry, I can’t,” Nelson replied. “It’s not appropriate.”

“If you leave, I’ll beat you,” she warned with a pout.

He turned away. “I don’t care.”

But her next words stopped him. “Am I that ugly? Is something wrong with me?”

Nelson turned back and froze. Her dress had slipped, leaving her half-naked. Without thinking, he rushed over and pulled the blanket over her.

She looked up at him with sad, searching eyes. In that moment, he saw his own loneliness reflected back at him.

And for the first time in years, Nelson wasn’t sure he wanted to be alone anymore.