Chapter 4

Austin's gaze immediately locked onto the expensive bottles in my arms. He raised his voice with a smug grin:

"Look at that vintage wine! Julian must have realized he messed up and came to beg for your forgiveness, Claire."

Hearing that, Claire's tense expression relaxed slightly.

She scoffed, "Smart move, but don't think you can get off the hook that easily!"

She strutted up to me, her chin held high in condescension:

"Still, if you behave yourself, I might give you a second chance."

"When the lunch starts, go up on stage, perform an apology speech for everyone, and pour three respectful glasses of wine for Austin. Do that, and I'll let you have your job back."

"Of course, once you finish pouring, you can stand by the wall and watch us eat. There’s no chair for you at our table anyway. Austin, take the wine."

With that, Claire turned her back on me and walked toward the restaurant entrance without a second glance.

Austin eagerly reached out to grab the bottles, but I stepped aside smoothly. "These aren't for you."

Claire froze in her tracks, then whipped around, her eyes blazing.

"Still playing hard to get? Julian, let me tell you something: push your dramatic act too far, and it stops being funny."

"Yeah, Julian, drop the tough guy routine," Austin sneered. "If you push Boss Hayes too far, even begging on your knees won't save you."

The surrounding colleagues joined in, sneering with open contempt:

"Stop clinging to your pathetic pride. You're just humiliating yourself."

"Exactly! I never noticed how hopelessly arrogant Julian is until today."

Claire listened to the chorus of insults, looking down her nose at me. I maintained a stony silence.

Seeing my utter disregard, her face darkened. "You love putting on a show, don't you? Don't force me to tear your little stage down!"

Austin chuckled maliciously. "Claire, if you tear his stage down, how is he supposed to clown for us later?"

Claire scoffed cruelly. "That's his problem! He had his chance. Grab those bottles from him right now!"

At her command, Austin and two male coworkers lunged forward.

I shoved them off, but Austin delivered a sneaky kick to my shin. I stumbled, and the bottles slipped from my grasp, shattering onto the concrete in a burst of deep red liquid.

Austin instantly retreated with a horrified look. "Julian! No matter how bitter you are, you can't just smash the wine!"

Claire's face turned livid.

"Julian! I gave you a way out, and you dare throw a violent temper tantrum?! You terrified Austin! Get on your knees and apologize right now!"

She was practically hyperventilating with rage, looking ready to tear my throat out.

Austin threw me a venomous smirk before putting on his sad, gentle voice:

"It's fine, Boss Hayes. Julian clearly hates me too much. Don't push him. I can endure being wronged..."

Austin's little act stoked Claire's fury into an inferno.

"Stop making excuses for this garbage! If he doesn't drop to his knees right this second, we are getting a divorce!"

She stood tall, glaring at me with supreme confidence, convinced she held my entire world in her hands.

I looked at the shattered glass and the pool of vintage wine, feeling only a profound, hollow exhaustion.

"Down on your knees! Don't waste everyone's time! Did you hear me, Julian?!"

I raised my head, meeting Claire's arrogant gaze without flinching. "Let's get a divorce, then."

"What did you say?"

A stunned silence fell over the sidewalk. Austin's eyes lit up with sheer joy, though he quickly muttered, "Julian, don't do something rash. We're about to sign the mega-contract with the Institute. Even though I won the deal, I don't mind letting you ride on my coattails..."

The surrounding staff quickly backed him up:

"He doesn't deserve Austin's charity! Good riddance! Austin and Boss Hayes are the real power couple anyway."

"Totally. Once this deal clears, Boss Hayes's net worth will be out of reach for a deadweight like him."

I balled my fists. Claire took my silence as weakness and grinned triumphantly.

"You hear that, loser? Divorce, or get on your knees. Choose right now!"

"He said divorce!" A commanding voice thundered from behind us, accompanied by heavy, hurried footsteps.

"Don't worry, Julian. We're all here. Let's see which clown dares lay a finger on you!"