Chapter 95
Calista stared at the glass, braced herself, and knocked the drink back in one swift motion.
The fiery liquid scorched her throat, and she immediately broke into a fit of coughs she couldn’t
contain.
The hostess beside her clapped in delight at Calista’s obvious inexperience, and even Richard chuckled, flashing his upper teeth.
“Wow, she’s really new to this. Has she never had a drink before?”
Richard had never seen anyone so unseasoned, and that only made Calista more intriguing. With a flick of his hand, he signaled for someone to refill Calista’s glass to the brim.
“Mr. Hollings, I have no issue with drinking. But before we begin, may I provide you with a quick overview of our project?” Calista said quickly, seizing the moment with a bright, obliging smile.
She was worried that if she drank even a sip, she’d end up in the hospital. So naturally, she was on
edge.
Richard let out a light chuckle. His demeanor was relaxed, but his stance was firm and
uncompromising.
“And what did you say your name was again?” he asked casually, pouring the wine as he spoke.
“My name is Calista Marchand. I work in the project department at Fenwick Group,” she replied, doing her best to ignore the drink as she swiftly pulled out a stack of data sheets.
“Mr. Hollings, I understand your company has a strong reputation, but Fenwick Group’s capabilities are just as formidable. If you take a moment to review-”
“Oh, come now, Ms. Marchand,” Richard cut in, smiling as he slid the glass toward her once more. All this talk is killing the mood. Why don’t we have a drink first? Once we’ve loosened up a little, I’ll be much more inclined to hear you out.”
Calista looked genuinely uneasy, her hand hovering over the glass but never quite reaching for it.
Noticing her hesitation, Richard’s expression darkened.
“Ms. Marchand, don’t even think about saying I’m giving you a hard time. When people do
Halfway through, Calista couldn’t bear the fiery taste any longer. She gagged and spat it all out.
Her stomach churned violently, waves of nausea crashing over her.
Finally, she summoned every ounce of strength to fight it down, bolted from the room, and rushed straight to the women’s restroom.
The farce was over, much to the amusement of Richard and his lecherous friends.
Richard exchanged a knowing glance with one of them. Then, with a dark smirk, he casually
followed her out of the room.
Inside the restroom, Calista vomited uncontrollably. It was as if she was purging not just the burn
in her mouth, but the entirety of last night’s dinner.
For a grueling 30 seconds, the nausea wracked her body. When it finally eased, and she lifted her head, her face was ghostly pale.
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