Chapter 4

Zoe Vance POV

Night. A private lounge room.

The deafening music and the pungent smell of smoke and alcohol blended together, making me want to throw up. Dressed in a professional suit, I sat on the edge of the sofa, clutching the contract tightly in my hands.

"Ms. Vance, Mr. Lennox is truly generous, sending such a great beauty to negotiate with me." Mr. Harrison leaned in boldly, his potbelly protruding, his malicious eyes scanning up and down my body. "You want the contract signed? Sure. See these three bottles of high-proof vodka on the table? Drink them all, and I'll sign immediately!"

I looked at the three bottles of high-proof liquor, which seemed strong enough to catch fire, and my stomach convulsed. I had severe stomach issues, and Julian knew it. In past business dinners, although he was cold to me, he never let me touch a single drop of alcohol. But now, he was the one who had pushed me here with his own hands.

"Fine, I'll drink." Gritting my teeth, I picked up a glass brimmed with vodka and threw it back.

The burning liquid scraped down my throat like a knife, instantly lighting a raging fire in my stomach. I choked, tears welling in my eyes, but I didn't stop. I immediately poured a second glass.

I knew that outside the private room, Julian Lennox was watching this play out through a crack in the door. He probably never expected that I would rather endure Mr. Harrison's humiliating forced drinking than miss the chance to get the contract and leave him!

Inside the room, I downed the third glass. My face was as pale as paper, yet I stood tall, obstinate.

Julian seemed to finally reach his breaking point. He kicked the door open and stormed inside.

"Stop drinking!" Julian snatched the glass from my hand and slammed it onto the ground. The sound of shattering glass rang painfully loud in the room.

I stumbled as he yanked me. My stomach churned so violently that I could barely stand. Raising my head, my blurry eyes locked onto the furious man before me.

"Come with me!" Julian grabbed my wrist and dragged me out. He hauled me all the way to the restroom at the end of the hallway and pinned me against the cold tiled wall.

"Zoe Vance, have you lost your mind?! Are you really willing to throw away your life just to get away from me?!" Julian roared, his eyes bloodshot, his voice laced with a panic he didn't even realize was there.

I looked at him and suddenly laughed. It was a pale, tragic smile, dripping with irony.

"Mr. Lennox, isn't this what you wanted?" I wrenched my hand from his grip, my voice raspy and broken from the alcohol. "You used thirty million to pressure me, you used the contract to blackmail me—all because you wanted to see me beg. Too bad I disappointed you."

"You..." Julian seemed stung by the coldness in my eyes. He reached out, trying to pull me into an embrace.

"Don't touch me!" I shoved him away hard, screaming with all the strength left in me. "Julian Lennox, you're filthy! You disgust me!"

The words struck him like a thunderbolt. Julian froze in place, staring at me in utter disbelief.

Taking advantage of his shock, I spun around, ran out of the restroom, and stumbled back into the private room.

"Mr. Harrison, I finished it. Please sign." I downed the remaining half of the bottle in one gulp and slammed the pen onto the table.

Startled by my suicidal determination, Mr. Harrison signed the document in a daze.

I snatched the contract and turned to leave. I had only taken a few steps when a tearing, excruciating pain flared in my stomach. Immediately, a metallic, sweet taste rushed up my throat.

*Pfft—*

A large spray of fresh blood splattered across the pristine white marble floor, a terrifying sight. My body went limp like a puppet with its strings cut, and I collapsed.

Before losing consciousness completely, my blurry vision caught a tall figure running toward me like a madman. The face that was usually so cold and unyielding was now contorted with sheer terror and despair.

"Zoe—!"

I laughed mockingly at myself in my mind. *Zoe Vance, you really are pathetic. Even at a time like this, you actually think he's aching for you.*

The smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils. I struggled to open my eyes, met with a blinding, sterile white.

"Zoe, you're awake? Don't move, you're still on an IV."

A gentle, anxious voice sounded beside my ear. I turned my head and saw Adrian Carter sitting next to the hospital bed. Dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes, and stubble dusted his jawline; it was obvious he hadn't slept a wink all night. Seeing me open my eyes, Adrian's face lit up with absolute joy, and he quickly pressed the call button.

"Mr. Carter... why are you here?" My voice was hoarse, my stomach still throbbing with a dull ache.

"You suffered stomach bleeding and fainted at the lounge last night. The hospital called your emergency contact. Mrs. Lennox couldn't make it, so she notified me." Adrian carefully dipped a cotton swab in warm water to moisten my dry, chapped lips, his tone a mix of deep worry and gentle reproach. "How did you let yourself get like this? If you weren't happy at your old company, you could have left anytime. Why risk your health like this?"

Looking at Adrian's focused and tender gaze, a wave of warmth washed over me. When people are at their most vulnerable, they are easily moved by even the slightest warmth. I offered a weak smile. "Thank you, Adrian. I won't do it again. The contract has been signed. I'm free."

Adrian held my free hand, his gaze unwavering. "Once you're feeling a bit better, we'll head back to Seattle. From now on, your life will only have sunshine. None of this mess and none of these awful people."