On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 134

Emily took a deep breath and downed her glass in one go. Jessica frowned. Emily was still breastfeeding. If she drank, she would have another fight with her mother-in-law when she got home.

Lawrence's gaze shifted to Jessica. She picked up her glass—her manager had drunk, so she had to follow suit—and drained it as well.

"Well, well, two strong women," Lawrence said with a laugh. He drank his glass.

Emily sat down. "Mr. Harris, I know we're a small company, but several of our streamers have their own dedicated fanbases with high engagement. We were hoping you might be able to raise our commission rate just a little. The freshwater pearl bracelets we featured last week sold out completely. Mr. Harris, we…"

Lawrence cut her off with a smile. "I know. But business is business, Ms. Gray. The commission we're offering you is already the best rate for a new company. My hands are tied."

Emily forced a smile. "Mr. Harris, we..."

"I can see you're sincere," he said, waving a hand. "Alright, how about this? If you and your assistant can drink with us tonight and keep us happy, I'll agree to your request and add another three percentage points to your commission."

Emily's eyes lit up. Three percent was more than she could have dreamed of. Her best-case scenario had been an increase of one percent.

"Mr. Harris, allow me to toast you again!" she said, quickly getting to her feet.

Jessica slowly raised her hand, her slender fingers closing around the neck of the bottle. She looked at Emily, who was slumped over and clearly in distress, and couldn't bear to let all her hard work go to waste.

She lifted the bottle to her lips and began to swallow, forcing the burning liquid down her throat. It wasn't like drinking water. Each gulp was a searing fire that tore through her esophagus and chest. Her body instinctively recoiled, but she fought against it, forcing herself to keep drinking.

When the last drop was gone, her hand was trembling uncontrollably. "Mr. Harris," she managed to say, "I'm finished. Please, honor your promise."

Lawrence stood up and walked behind her. His hand landed on her shoulder, his fingers gripping and kneading the muscle. "Of course, I won't forget. But since I'm doing you such a big favor, shouldn't you show some appreciation?"