I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 280

Arianna Mitchell walked in wearing jeans and a laid-back jacket, her hair a little messy like she had just rolled out of bed. She’d barely started winding down for the night when her phone rang. Mrs. Ward’s name flashed on the screen. The call was brief but to the point—Bruce had apparently had too much to drink at BlueNight and needed someone to pick him up. Arianna could tell Mrs. Ward already saw her as the future Mrs. Ward. Bruce had even told her once that his mom liked her. Honestly, Arianna wasn’t sure how things had gotten this far. She definitely wasn’t interested in joining the Ward family, especially not if it meant dealing with Bruce.

She tried to get out of it, told Mrs. Ward she was stuck at work and couldn’t make it, but Mrs. Ward just wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Bruce’s driver is a man. He won’t know how to take care of him. I’d worry if I asked anyone else. Arianna, can you please help just this once?” Mrs. Ward sounded so sincere that Arianna couldn’t come up with another excuse. She sighed and agreed.

Now, standing in BlueNight’s VIP lounge, Arianna found Bruce sprawled out on the sofa, completely knocked out. She let out a long sigh, walked over, and tapped him lightly on the cheek. “Bruce Ward, wake up. Time to go home.” He mumbled something, barely cracked his eyes open, then shut them again. He might as well have been a rag doll.

Arianna frowned, rolled up her sleeves, and tried pulling him up by the shoulders. Nothing. The guy was huge and dead weight. After a few tries, she was already sweating. She stepped back, hands on her hips, and eyed his long legs. Maybe dragging him by the leg would work better. She grabbed one of his legs and started pulling. Bruce slid off the sofa, inch by inch, until he was almost on the floor.

At that exact moment, the manager walked in and stopped short. “Arianna, if you keep dragging him like that, Mr. Ward’s going to end up with a concussion!” He hurried over and helped Arianna prop Bruce up, draping Bruce’s arm around his own shoulders. “Let me give you a hand getting him outside.”

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver,” Arianna said, feeling grateful.

They half-carried, half-dragged Bruce out the door and down to his Porsche parked by the curb. Arianna rummaged through Bruce’s pockets, finally fishing out his keys and unlocking the car. But getting him into the passenger seat proved impossible. Bruce just slumped and went limp every time they tried.

“Bruce Ward, if you don’t get it together, I’m going to kick you in there, I swear,” Arianna muttered, more exasperated than angry.

The manager looked embarrassed. He’d never seen anyone treat Mr. Ward like this.

Suddenly, a deep voice came from behind. “Arianna Mitchell?”

Samuel didn’t waste any time. He helped Arianna get Bruce into the back seat of his car. Arianna climbed in next to Bruce, while Samuel slid behind the wheel. The second she sat down, Bruce’s head lolled over and landed on her shoulder. Arianna stiffened, then pushed him back upright against the opposite door.

Samuel caught the whole thing in the rearview mirror and asked, “What’s his address?”

“I actually don’t know,” Arianna admitted, feeling a little embarrassed.

Samuel raised an eyebrow and looked at her in the mirror. “Didn’t you go back with him to the Ward Estate? You’re not his girlfriend, but you still don’t know where he lives?”