Chapter 2 Pressured To Drink

At Vincent's shove, Katherine crashed onto the plush sofa, the impact stealing her breath for a moment.

She looked up, locking eyes with Vincent, his gaze laced with a sharp, mocking edge.

"This collaboration is all on you," he stated coldly.

He paused, then added, his tone sharpening, "Mess this up, and you're out."

Without another word, Vincent spun on his heel, shrugging off his bathrobe, and began dressing, completely ignoring her presence. He left the room with not even a backward glance.

Later that evening, Katherine arrived at the banquet, flanked by one of Vincent's male assistants.

"Miss Gill, since Mr. Murphy isn't joining us, does that mean you'll be keeping us company instead?"

The question hung in the air like a thinly veiled challenge.

Before she could even settle into her seat, a glass of liquor was placed in front of her.

The client, Alfred Jones, with his legs crossed and a smirk that spelled trouble from miles away, studied her intently.

His annoyance at Vincent's absence was clear—now, if she wanted the deal to go through, Katherine had no choice but to play along.

She downed the glass, feeling the fire of the liquor burn its way down her throat.

"Well done, Miss Gill!" Alfred exclaimed, slapping her a second drink with enthusiasm. "I've heard so much about the stunning Miss Gill working with Mr. Murphy. It's an honor to finally meet you!"

His grin stretched wide, eyes roaming over her with a look that was anything but professional.

Suppressing the urge to recoil, Katherine took the glass from his hand.

"Thank you for the compliments, Mr. Jones," she said, throwing back the second shot with practiced ease.

"Haha, now that's the spirit!"

Alfred laughed, guiding her to a seat, his hand on the back of her chair. He pulled a chair closer, planting his hand on her shoulder, his fingers brushing the fabric of her dress as he lingered a little too long.

Under the table, his shoe slid against her calf, a calculated and deliberate gesture.

Katherine kept her expression calm, discreetly shifting her leg away while pouring Alfred another drink.

The assistant who had accompanied her looked on with growing concern but dared not say a word.

As the evening wore on, the room thickened with the haze of alcohol, everyone getting more intoxicated by the minute.

Katherine, too, felt the effects of the alcohol, yet her mind remained razor-sharp.

"Mr. Jones, shall we finalize the contract?" she asked, trying to steer the evening back on track.

Alfred frowned, feigning surprise. "Oh, dear! I left the contract in my room."

He straightened up and moved his hand from her chair to her shoulder, his touch lingering just a beat too long.

"How about this," he purred, "you come with me to fetch it?"

The room fell into an eerie silence, all eyes on Katherine as they waited for her response.

After a tense moment, she forced a smile and nodded. "Alright."

With that, Alfred draped himself over her shoulder as they made their way upstairs, sparking a flurry of whispers behind them.

"I told you, she's not just Mr. Murphy's secretary. Seems like he sends her to entertain clients more often than we thought."

"She's stunning, though—have you seen her figure?"

"Wonder how long it'll take Alfred to... finish up. Ha!"

Unable to stand it any longer, the assistant rushed out of the room, his phone already in his hand. He dialed Vincent's number, his heart pounding.

It took three tries before the line connected.

"Mr. Murphy, Mr. Jones from Evergreen Group led Katherine away to his room!"

The assistant failed to notice the brief, sharp intake of breath on the other end as he hurriedly detailed how Katherine had been pressured to drink and harassed throughout the dinner.

"Mr. Murphy, are you still there? What should I do? Should I call the police?" The words tumbled out in a rush.

A long silence stretched on the other end of the line.

Then, Vincent's voice—calm, detached, and colder than ice—cut through. "No. We can't afford to jeopardize the deal."

The call ended with a finality that left the assistant with a sinking feeling in his stomach.