Chapter 8

She turned around in confusion, immediately rolling her eyes when she saw Bernard, and asked irritably, "What are you doing here?"

"That's what I should be asking you," Bernard said with inner disdain.

Having witnessed the previous scene, he coldly remarked, "I never expected you'd set your sights on a new target so quickly. But unfortunately, Mr. Whitaker barely gave you a second glance. You went through all this trouble to sneak in for nothing."

"But let me tell you," Bernard suddenly lowered his voice, saying darkly, "If you think you can settle for me as a second choice, forget it. Until you publicly apologize to my satisfaction, don't even dream of entering the Grayson family."

Bernard had been repeatedly outmaneuvered by Eugenie lately.

So seeing her finally stumble, even just once, filled him with immense satisfaction.

Unable to resist, he sneered, “Or did you already know you weren't worthy of Mr. Whitaker's attention, so you calculated that I'd be here? Staging this whole scene just to play into whatever scheme you're plotting?"

Eugenie stared at him, completely bewildered.

What scheme could she possibly have involving Bernard?

All she knew was that his sudden appearance was incredibly irritating—it had ruined her chance to approach Nicholas about a potential collaboration.

Bernard let out a cold laugh and walked away.

In his mind, a mediocre woman like Eugenie could never leave any impression on Nicholas, no matter how many times she tried.

And the idea that she was trying to make him jealous by getting close to Nicholas? Completely laughable, doomed from the start.

Eugenie, of course, remained oblivious to his absurd assumptions.

After missing her opportunity with Nicholas, she didn’t catch sight of him again.

It made sense—the Whitaker family stood at the very top of society. Nicholas’s appearance at the event was already a rare honor—there was no way he’d linger in the ballroom long enough for her to find another chance.

"Damn it!"

Storming out of the venue, Eugenie fumed, mourning the fortune she’d spent on the ticket. "How did I let Nicholas slip away?"

Behind the wheel, Nolan shook his head.

Holding up several business cards, he said, “It wasn’t a complete loss. I connected with a few companies interested in partnering with us. With some follow-up, we might turn a few of these into 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 take back control of the Williams Group."

She meant it as a joke to lighten the mood.

To her surprise, Nolan's expression turned serious.

Meeting her gaze t,hrough the rearview mirror, brows slightly furrowed,, 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 expression softened, turning 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 an incredible support during this difficult period.

After returning to the office, Eugenie sent Nolan home and drove herself to a bar.

She had also invited Yvaine to join her.

Watching Yvaine’s vibrant, carefree energy, Eugenie couldn’t help but think back to losing her chance with Nicholas earlier that evening. The frustration weighed heavily on her. "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, in your opinion, Bernard is basically a walking bad luck charm, and all my misfortune is a result of his contagious curse?"

"Absolutely," Yvaine nodded without hesitation.

In her eyes, Eugenie deserved the very best.

When Eugenie had suddenly insisted on breaking off the engagement, Yvaine had suspected Bernard must have done something unforgivable. Otherwise, the once-devoted Eugenie would never have given up so 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.

Already a few drinks in and slightly lightheaded, Eugenie nodded absentmindedly. But her gaze drifted toward someone in the distance. "Is that Nicholas over there?"

She squinted, trying to make out the figure, completely unaware that Yvaine was conspiring with the bar manager behind her back.

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? What did you say? Don’t go yet—the signature special is here!"

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

In an instant, more than a dozen tall, striking men of varying styles surrounded her, each one eager to please. "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!"

They immediately crowded around Eugenie.

Glasses of red wine were pressed into her hands one after another, leaving her completely stunned.

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

In the chaos, she completely forgot about Nicholas.

Around the corner, the bar owner was respectfully leading Nicholas forward when he suddenly paused. Following his line of sight, the owner saw only a group of young people partying loudly in a booth.

"Don't worry, Mr. Whitaker," he owner said with a polite smile.. "Everything here is legitimate. If you'd prefer the main floor, I can arrange the best booth for you."

"That won't be necessary," Nicholas replied coolly, withdrawing his gaze before stepping into a private room.

Back at the booth, dizzy from the wine and the overwhelming attention, Eugenie finally managed to slip through a gap in the crowd.

Looking around, she realized that Yvaine the traitor had already disappeared.

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

She had drunk more tonight than in her entire life.

Turning a corner with her head lowered, she didn’t notice someone approaching from the side. 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 her head.

Cool and steady, like a splash of spring water, it cut through her alcohol-hazed mind.

She looked up in shock.

Meeting Nicholas's cool, narrowed gaze, her thoughts scattered again. "Mr. Whitaker?"

He withdrew the hand that had steadied her waist and stepped back slightly, his tone distant. "Your fiancé isn't here, Ms. Medici. No need to put on an act."

"No, you don't understand!"

Her thoughts tangled as the alcohol surged through her system. Flashes of her previous life surfaced—news headlines, nationwide coverage of Nicholas's car accident.

How someone like him end up reduced to a black-and-white obituary?

She grabbed his arm urgently. "You can't die! You helped me before. Good people shouldn’t die young. If I could be reborn, then you can change your fate too. Let me tell you—"

Before she could finish, Eugenie was hunched over a trash can, retching violently.