Chapter 4

Emily didn't lose her temper in front of me.

Instead, early the next morning, she sent me a message. "We have a dinner meeting with Fortress Group today. Mr. Quigley is difficult to deal with. You have to drink with him before he'll even discuss business. I know you can really hold your liquor. If you land this deal, I'll forgive you."

I didn't reply right away.

Just then, I heard Adrian's thoughts from upstairs.

"Mr. Quigley has a 500-million-dollar project, but he can drink like a fish. Why is Emily doing this?"

After thinking it over, I replied that I would attend.

At seven that evening, I arrived at the private room on the top floor of the club.

When I pushed open the door, there were 12 people inside.

Emily was there with two of her friends. At the head of the table sat Robert Quigley, the CEO of Fortress Group.

Before sitting down, I glanced at the short glass in front of me. The orange liquid looked like whiskey. But it was actually high-proof vodka mixed with moonshine and colored with orange juice. It had to be at least 140 proof.

Emily's glass, on the other hand, contained nothing but orange juice.

I immediately switched her glass with mine. "Mr. Quigley, friends should drink the same thing. Don't you agree?"

Robert burst out laughing. Emily's face stiffened as she reluctantly picked up the stronger drink.

I won the first round.

But I underestimated how ruthless she was.

For the next hour, every time my glass became empty, a huge man beside me immediately filled it again.

After my seventh glass, I could barely keep my hand steady.

Emily walked behind me and rested her hand on the back of my chair.

"Mr. Quigley, look at Ms. Sutton. She's only had a few drinks, and she's already falling apart. She's nothing but a hostess who got ahead by using her looks."

A wave of dirty laughter filled the room.

"She only has an associate degree, yet she's making a director's salary."

Ethan stared at me without any shame. "Why do you think that is? Maybe she's worked really hard on Mr. Blake's office couch."

Someone let out a loud whistle.

Emily pushed her empty glass toward me, and the big man immediately filled mine with more liquor.

She leaned close to my ear and whispered, "If you want to keep Adrian's deal, finish this drink. Be a pawn, then own it."

I bit the tip of my tongue as hard as I could. The pain barely kept the nausea down as I picked up my eighth glass.

But before I could even catch my breath after finishing it, the big man grabbed my shoulder and shoved the ninth glass straight to my lips, forcing me to drink.

The room began to spin.

Emily suddenly grabbed my collar and yanked me forward.

I started coughing violently.

She leaned close and whispered with a cruel smile, "There are reporters waiting outside. The second that door opens, photos of you being forced to drink will become the top trending story. Adrian won't want you after that. I'm the one who grew up with him. I'm the only woman who's worthy of being with him. Who do you think you are?"

Then she straightened up and smiled brightly. "Come on. Ms. Sutton is tonight's star, so she has to keep drinking!"

The tenth glass was shoved into my hands.

But I couldn't even hold it anymore. Liquor spilled over my fingers and ran down my hand.

Emily sneered and threw the drink all over me.

My white blouse was soaked in an instant.

She gasped dramatically. "Oh! Ms. Sutton, why are you putting on such a slutty show?"

The men openly stared at me.

I coughed until tears streamed down my face. As I tried to stand, one of the chair legs suddenly slipped, and I crashed onto the floor.

"Ms. Sutton, are you planning to drink from the floor now?"

Emily and her friends covered their mouths as they laughed.

Emily walked over and kicked my knee.

Robert flicked the ash from his cigar. "Ms. Sutton, if you kneel and finish this glass, I'll sign the contract right now."

Emily crouched beside me. Her sharp fingernails dug into my chin as she forced me to lift my head.

Looking at my face, drenched with liquor and filled with humiliation, she said mercilessly, "Mr. Quigley, this is Blake Group's negotiator. A worthless pawn crawling on the floor. Adrian's company is yours to crush."

I wanted to curse at her, but no words came out.

The big man behind me pinned my shoulders down.

Emily picked up another full glass of liquor and used the rim to pry my mouth open.

"Drink it."

Just as the icy liquor was about to pour down my throat...

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, the solid wooden door exploded inward from a powerful kick.