Chapter 2

2

Desmond's face turned bright red, but his feet stayed glued to the floor.

Over the last few years, he had been secretly transferring assets. He even set up a hundred-million-dollar offshore trust fund for Melody.

He desperately needed this investment to cover his tracks. If the board found out, they were both finished.

I didn't feel like wasting words, so I just tapped my glass.

Desmond sat back down with a dark expression. Melody finally picked up the bottle with obvious resentment.

A Boiler Maker isn't high in alcohol, but it's a pain to prep.

To get back at me, she intentionally swapped the standard base for high-proof vodka.

She slammed the shot glass into the bottom of the beer mug with a loud thud.

The liquid splashed all over me.

Since it was summer, my thin clothes became translucent, almost exposing me.

The staff nearby snickered. Desmond turned his head away with a look of pure disgust.

Mr. Harrison and another executive tried to touch me under the guise of helping me clean up.

Looking at Melody's smug face, I remained expressionless. I picked up the glass and splashed it directly into her face.

The liquor soaked her hair and dripped down her neckline.

She screamed in terror and scrambled into Desmond's arms. "Help me! This crazy woman is out of her mind! Desmond, save me!"

Desmond looked at her with pure heartbreak before glaring at me.

"Valerie, what the hell is wrong with you tonight? Melody made a mistake. Are you really that petty in your middle age?"

He gritted his teeth and started pouring drinks aggressively.

"You want to drink? Fine! I'll pour them myself!"

"Even if you die here from alcohol poisoning today, you're finishing every drop! This is your punishment!"

Under his furious gaze, I picked up a glass. I swallowed a large gulp of the burning liquid without hesitation.

The heat rushed down my throat and churned in my stomach.

I acted as if I felt nothing. I just kept drinking, one glass after another.

As the fumes rose, my vision blurred.

I couldn't understand how the man who promised to hold my hand forever had become my executioner.

I knew money could change men, but I thought Desmond was different.

The clock ticked away.

I endured the fire in my gut and kept chugging. The executives who were waiting for a joke were now stunned.

They stared at me in silence. Desmond looked surprised too, but he just snorted and looked away.

I smirked inwardly. Drink up, Valerie. Let this be the last time you cry over this man.

As I finished my eightieth glass, the midnight alarm on my phone went off.

Melody, who had been casually eating, suddenly looked like she was in agony.

She clutched her throat, her face turning a violent shade of red.

Suddenly, she bolted upright, grabbed her stomach, and collapsed on the floor, projectile vomiting.

She curled up like a shrimp, gasping for air.

"Des… Mr. Miller, help me! My stomach… it feels like it's on fire!"

Is that all? I toyed with my glass mockingly.

In my past life, I drank hundreds of glasses for the company. I was rushed to the hospital with alcohol poisoning, only to be told I had terminal cancer.

When I went home in despair, I saw them together on the rooftop terrace.

In that moment, the physical pain was nothing compared to my heart being shredded. It felt like a thousand ants were eating me alive.

The door to the private room was cracked open. People were peeking in and even taking photos with their phones.

I put on an innocent face.

"Secretary Brooks, what's with the sudden drama? I haven't made you touch a single drop of this."

As I spoke, I downed a few more shots of the hard stuff.

As I drank more, Melody's face became drenched in sweat. She gasped like a fish out of water.

Desmond was losing his mind. "You old hag! What did you do to her? Why is she in pain when you're the one drinking?"

He lunged at me, but I shoved him back.

In front of everyone, I mimicked Melody's fake-innocent tone and slowly dialed the paramedics.