With the akohol stirring her temper, Victoria anapped, “Finel I’ll drink”
She raised the glass and titted it back hanity. Her novels were tough, and without proper cuntrol, the alm of the glass knocked against her lips.
A trickle of the wine escaped her lips, sliding from the come of her mouth, tracing down her pale, alender neck, and disappearing beneath the collar at her blouse.
watching the scene untold, Leon’s paze deepened.
Steven noticed the subtle tension between them and carefully ganged the sibution. “Mr. pigley, why don’t you and Victoria continue drinking? I need to step out to take a call.
“Mhin,” Leon responded indifferently
steven gave a discreet signal to the others. Understanding his intent, they moved carefully, lowering their voices as they quietly left the room, Victoria, already feeling the effects of the alcohol, did not even register their departure.
Once the executives were outside and the private dining room door was securely start, someone finally whispered, “Are we really just leaving like this? Is that okay?”
Steve’s opicions grew stronger. “It’s line”
“What about Victoria? Leaving her alone with Mr. Quigley. Could that be a problem Dandel glanced at the door.
Victoria was undeniably beautiful, and she was awon alone in that setting.
They had only heard stories about Lean’s reputation and had never witnessed what kind of man he truly was. Some concerns were inevitable.
“Mr. Quigley is not someone who would act recklessly. You all should head home. I’ll stay here and wait.” Steven reassured them. He neither confirmed nor denied the nature of their relationship nor did he indulge in speculation
No one objected, and they departed in succession.
Only Timothy remained. Since he had brought Victoria to the dinner, leaving her alone unsettled him
“You don’t need to come to work tomorrow,” Steven informed him,
Timothy from. “What?”
His heart clenched slightly. “Mr. Sinclair, I..!
“This is Mr. Quigley’s decision. Take some time off. Do whatever you want. Go on a vacation if you like, but don’t come back to the company for now, Your salary will continue to be
aid as mual,” Steven explained
If he still talked to grasp the underlying dynamics, then all his years in the corporate world would have been wasted. A bright smile immediately spread across Timothy’s face as he left, clearly satisfied with the arrangement.
The grand corridor was soon empty, leaving only Steven. He debated whether to return and check on the situation inside the private room but ultimately reconsidered. Knowing Leon’s temperament, he took out his phone and made acall, seeking confirmation about the nature of Victoria and Leon’s relationship.
Inside the private room, Victoria downed her fourth drink and slammed the empty glass on the table with a heavy thud. The numbing effect of the alcohol stripped away her usual restraint, letting irritation flare with a hint of defiance “I’ve finished it,”
Leon leased back in his chair, his gaze assessing her with mild amusement.
Because of the alcohol, the cold distance and hostility in her expression had faded significantly. Her clear, watery eyes burned with anger as she stared at him. Noticing his scrutiny, her temper flared further.
“What are you looking at? I’ve finished it,” Victoria snapped, her irritation rising.
Leon’s gaze drifted downward, settling on her lips, which still bore traces of spilled liquor. The sheen on them made them appear even more delicate. His broad, warm hand tached out, his rough thumb brushing lightly against her lips, wiping away the lingering moisture.
A tingling sensation shot through her, and she instinctively slapped his hand away
Leon showed no sign of annoyance. He simply watched as she glared at him, her expression filled with frustration.
* know exactly what you’re trying to do. You want to make things difficult for me, to push me into a corner until I have no choice but to come crawling back to you. Let me tell y tight now, that’s never going to happen.” Victoria’s mind was clouded, and she was fueled purely by alcohol.
you
A trace of antisensent flickered in Leon’s eyes. He responded with asimple hum.
**You said that as long as I finished this, you’d let go of what happened earlier, Victoria said, placing her hand on the bottle of liquor.
Drom studied her, his brows slighly ralent. “Mm.”
Even in this state, she still clung to the trims of their exchange.
“Then I’ll finish it now. You’d better keep your word,” Victoria declared she grabbed the bottle of wine and began pouring. Dissatisfied with the size of her usual glass, the swatched to a larger wine glass instead.
Seeing this, Leon’s well defined brows furrowed slightly.
Victoriatitted the red–stemmed glass that had been filled to the brim.“Do you want to check if this is just water again?”
