Chapter 8

Bernard had been repeatedly outmaneuvered by Eugenie lately.

Seeing Eugenie finally fail for once gave him immense satisfaction.

He couldn't resist taunting her further, "Or perhaps you knew you weren't worthy of Mr. Whitaker's attention, and calculated that I'd be here—staging this whole scene for my benefit to further whatever scheme you're plotting?"

Eugenie looked completely bewildered.

What scheme could she possibly have involving Bernard?

All she knew was that Bernard's unexpected appearance was incredibly annoying, preventing her from pursuing Nicholas for a potential collaboration.

Bernard gave a cold laugh before walking away.

He was absolutely convinced that a mediocre woman like Eugenie wouldn't leave any impression on Nicholas, no matter how many times she approached him.

The idea that Eugenie was trying to make him jealous by getting close to Nicholas was, in his mind, doomed to failure!

Eugenie remained unaware of Bernard's mental gymnastics.

Since missing her chance with Nicholas, she hadn't caught another glimpse of him.

It made sense—the Whitaker family belonged to the highest echelon of society, and Nicholas's appearance at the event was already an honor. He wouldn't linger in the ballroom, making it nearly impossible for her to find another opportunity to approach him.

"Damn it!"

Eugenie left the venue in frustration, lamenting the fortune she'd spent on the entrance ticket. "How did I let Nicholas slip away?"

Nolan shook his head as he drove.

He showed Eugenie several business cards, saying, "It wasn't a total loss. I took the opportunity to connect with companies interested in partnering with us. With some follow-up, a few of them might actually become solid collaborations."

"Nolan," Eugenie sighed dramatically, "what would I do without you? If you ever decide to leave, please give me plenty of notice. I know I'm not strong enough yet to fully reclaim the Williams Group."

She was just joking to lighten the mood.

To her surprise, Nolan's expression suddenly turned solemn.

Looking at her through the rearview mirror with furrowed brows, he said earnestly, "Ms. Medici, I was able to continue my education thanks to your grandparents' financial support, which led to my current success. From the day I joined the company, I swore my loyalty to the Williams family. You never need to worry about that."

Eugenie fell silent for a moment.

Her demeanor grew equally serious as she apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to question your loyalty."

A warm feeling washed over her.

Nolan had been tremendously helpful during this difficult period.

After returning to the office, Eugenie let Nolan go home while she drove herself to a bar.

She had also invited Yvaine to join her.

Seeing the vibrant and spirited Yvaine, Eugenie couldn't help but think about missing her chance with Nicholas earlier that evening. She felt utterly dejected. "My luck has been absolutely terrible lately."

Yvaine shook her head and instead congratulated Eugenie, "Since you're determined to divorce Bernard, I actually think your current streak of bad luck is a good sign."

"It means you've hit rock bottom and things are about to turn around. This bad luck is simply the price you're paying for getting engaged to Bernard in the first place! Once you're completely free of him, your misfortune will naturally disappear."

Eugenie laughed. "So according to you, Bernard is basically a walking bad luck charm, and all my misfortune is his contagious curse?"

"Absolutely," Yvaine nodded without hesitation.

In her eyes, Eugenie was the most deserving woman in the world.

When Eugenie suddenly insisted on breaking off the engagement, Yvaine had suspected Bernard must have done something unforgivable to make the previously devoted Eugenie give up on him completely.

So now, Yvaine was happy to encourage Eugenie to move forward.

Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she leaned in and whispered, "This is your first time at this bar, right? Wait, I'll order their signature special for you. It's all premium quality."

As she spoke, she winked suggestively at Eugenie, her eyes full of playful mischief.

Eugenie, already several drinks in and feeling fuzzy-headed, nodded without thinking, though her gaze kept drifting toward someone in the distance. "Is that Nicholas over there?"

She squinted for a long while, completely oblivious to Yvaine conspiring with the bar manager.

Suddenly, Eugenie stood up, her gaze focused and certain.

She was convinced the man she spotted was indeed Nicholas!

This had to be fate. She refused to believe she'd miss this second chance to secure Nicholas's cooperation. She stumbled toward him, calling out, "Mr. Whitaker!"

Yvaine froze momentarily before grabbing Eugenie's arm. "Eugenie? I didn't catch that. Don't leave yet—the signature special is here!"

As Eugenie looked on in confusion, Yvaine clapped her hands twice.

Immediately, more than a dozen tall, handsome men with distinct styles surrounded Eugenie, each eager to entertain her. "We won't disappoint Ms. Medici."

Yvaine narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and winked at Eugenie. "All top-tier male escorts."

Then, with a stern face, she instructed them, "Make sure Ms. Medici has a wonderful evening!"

The group swarmed around her enthusiastically.

Eugenie watched in horror as glass after glass of red wine was thrust toward her, completely dumbfounded.

So this was Yvaine's idea of a "signature special"?

She completely forgot about Nicholas.

Around the corner of the bar, the owner was respectfully leading the way when he noticed Nicholas pause momentarily. Following Nicholas's gaze, he saw only a group of young people partying in a booth.

"Don't worry, Mr. Whitaker," he smiled. "Everything here is legitimate. If you'd prefer to enjoy the main area, I can arrange the best booth for you."

"That won't be necessary," Nicholas replied coolly, withdrawing his gaze and entering a private room.

Back at the booth, Eugenie, dizzy from the sweet talk of her dozen admirers, finally found an opportunity to escape through a gap in the crowd.

After searching around, she discovered that Yvaine, the traitor, had already fled!

Furious at her friend's betrayal, Eugenie stumbled toward the restroom, covering her mouth.

She had consumed more alcohol tonight than in her entire life.

As she rounded a corner with her head down and hurried steps, Eugenie failed to notice someone emerging from the left. They nearly collided.

She fumbled to apologize, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I—"

"Ms. Medici?"

The familiar deep, magnetic voice came from just above Eugenie's head, like cool spring water poured over her alcohol-heated senses, instantly clearing her mind.

She looked up in shock.

Meeting Nicholas's cool, narrowed eyes, her mind clouded again. "Mr. Whitaker?"

He withdrew the hand that had steadied her waist, stepping back half a pace with distant formality. "Your fiancé isn't here, Ms. Medici. No need to put on an act."

"No, you don't understand!"

Eugenie's mind was a jumble as the alcohol surged through her system. Before her eyes flashed images from her previous life—nationwide news coverage after Nicholas's car accident.

How could such a noble person end up as a black-and-white obituary in the newspapers?

She desperately grabbed Nicholas's arm. "You can't die! You helped me before. Good people shouldn't have short lives. If I could be reborn, you could definitely change your fate too. Let me tell you—"

Before she could finish, Eugenie was hunched over a trash can, retching violently, her face pale as she struggled to stand after the bout of nausea.

Nicholas's normally impassive face showed a rare glimpse of helplessness.

Drunk people, he thought to himself.

He naturally didn't take Eugenie's rambling seriously, assuming it was just alcohol-induced nonsense.

Seeing Eugenie's frail figure crouched on the ground, he couldn't bring himself to leave. "Where do you live?" He asked.