Chapter 51: I want a drink.

Words : 1050 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 51: I want a drink. "Sir," Haris called out, but Denis didn’t respond. Haris tried again, this time tapping Denis on the shoulder. Snapping out of his thoughts, Denis shot him a glance, rubbing his forehead. "What’s next?" Haris asked hesitantly. "Are you still planning to sign the deal with Mr. Lee?" Denis glared at Haris with pure contempt. "Are you an idiot?" he snarled. "I never had any intention of doing business with a man like him. I only set up the meeting to force Anne to come crawling to me." Haris lowered his head, both embarrassed and uneasy. "Destroy him," Denis ordered coldly. "I want his company wiped out within a month." With that, he stormed off. ~~~~~~~~~ Anne sat in silence, her gaze empty as she watched the scenery shift outside the window. Augustine kept stealing glances at her while driving, his unease growing with each passing moment. "Say something," he urged. "Don’t bottle up your frustration. Yell, curse—cry if you need to. Just don’t stay silent." Anne exhaled deeply. "I want a drink," she murmured. Augustine blinked in surprise. ’Did she just say she wanted to drink?’ He wondered if he had heard her correctly. Anne turned to him. "Take me to a bar." He shot her a quick look before refocusing on the road. "Are you sure?" "Yes..." Augustine frowned, clearly displeased with the idea of Anne getting drunk. "Look, I understand you’re upset, but drowning your feelings in alcohol won’t help. I have a better idea—I’ll take you somewhere—" "I’m not sad," she interrupted. "I want to get drunk to celebrate my freedom." The car came to a sudden halt as Augustine slammed on the brakes. Turning to her, he narrowed his eyes, searching her expression as if trying to decipher her true thoughts. Anne smiled, deepening his confusion. Wasn’t she supposed to be heartbroken? He had expected her to be shaken by everything that had happened—to break down, to grieve. Instead, she was smiling. And more than that, she wanted to drink—not out of sorrow, but to celebrate... "I’m finally free from that demon, Denis," she said with quiet satisfaction. "I don’t have to work under him or see his face every morning anymore. Isn’t that something worth celebrating? I’m closing a Chapter of my life and stepping into a new beginning." Relief washed over Augustine, and a smile tugged at his lips. If that was the case, he had no reason to object. "Alright then," he said, starting the engine once more. "Let’s celebrate." And with that, he drove away. Augustine pulled up in front of a lively bar. Without wasting time, Anne stepped out of the car and strode inside, excitement glinting in her eyes. Augustine followed her, his gaze watchful. As soon as they stepped in, they could feel the air pulsed with energy. A low hum of music and chatter spilled out from the entrance as people came and went, laughing and drinking without care. Anne slid onto a barstool and caught the bartender’s attention. "Vodka shots," she ordered. "Keep them coming." Augustine sighed and took the seat beside her. "Are you sure about this?" Anne flashed him a grin. "Absolutely." The bartender lined up the shots. Anne picked up the first glass and downed it in one go, barely flinching as the alcohol burned down her throat. The second followed, then the third. Augustine watched as a flush crept up her cheeks, her head tilting slightly to the side as she giggled softly. When she picked up the fourth one, Augustine stopped her. "Slow down," he cautioned her. "I’ll be fine," she flashed another smile at him as she drank it, slamming the glass down on the counter. "You know... I used to think... I really used to believe Denis loved me." Her voice was light yet filled with unspoken emotions. "But I was such a fool. Such a blind, stupid fool." Augustine remained silent, letting her speak, knowing she needed this. Anne let out a breathy laugh. "I spent years trying to be enough for him. Thinking maybe if I worked harder if I loved him more, he would finally see me. But he never did, did he?" She held up her finger and waggled it. "He only toyed with me. It was too late for me to realize it." She turned to Augustine, her gaze glassy but intense as disappointment came crushing to her like waves. "You know what hurts the most? It’s not even the betrayal. It’s that I let him break me. It’s that I was foolish enough not to see his real color. I let him hurt me, humiliate me over and over again, accepting whatever little scraps he threw my way." She shook her head. "But not anymore." She downed another shot, the alcohol warming her from the inside. Augustine watched silently, giving her the space to let out all the frustration and pain she had kept bottled up. "The moment Denis mentioned the meeting with Mr. Lee, I knew something wasn’t right," she went on. "He probably thought I was too naïve to know about Mr. Lee’s disgusting reputation, but I’ve been in the business world for four years—I’ve heard the whispers." She had long been aware of the rumors surrounding Mr. Lee. His wife had left him, publicly accusing him of being impotent, and the humiliation had left a deep scar on his ego. "They say he never got over her words," she continued, absentmindedly swirling the empty shot glass between her fingers. "After she walked away, he pursued other women, but none stayed. That only made him angrier and turned his bitterness into something darker. He started taking it out on women, using his power to degrade and control them." She let out a humorless chuckle. "Denis knew exactly what kind of monster he was. And yet, he let me walk into that meeting alone." Her fingers tightened around the glass. "But what he didn’t know... was that I was prepared." A glint of triumph lit up her eyes as she lifted her phone. "I started recording the moment I stepped into that private chamber. I needed leverage—something to ensure Denis had no choice but to let me go. And everything played out exactly as I planned."

Chapter 51: I want a drink.

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