Chapter 53
“Don’t you think Josiah Bayer’s acting strange?” Michael asked, eyeing the man.
“What’s so strange?” Jesse replied indifferently. “All men are the same when they see a beautiful woman.”
“That’s true,” Michael agreed, “But he doesn’t look like he’s just met a pretty girl. More like he’s seen the ghost of his ancestor!”
Jesse nearly burst out laughing but quickly stifled it, scanning their surroundings before lowering his voice to tell Michael, “Mr. Johnson, I’ve already made the arrangement. The room’s at…”
Cordelia’s heart skipped a beat. She moved closer, listening carefully. The hotel they were talking about was located in the suburbs, far from the city, and it was barely frequented by anyone after nightfall.
Her hands clenched into fists, anger surging within her chest.
Jesse’s smirk turned malicious. “That’s a deserted place. Even if Cordelia screams her lungs out, it’s useless! Mr. Bayer will sign anything once he’s had his fun!”
“Oh yeah,” Michael interjected, “I installed a camera in the room. If Josiah Bayer dares to back out, we’ll make the video public!”
“You!” Michael pointed at Jesse with a laugh. “You know what you’re doing, huh? But it’ll be a grievance for Cordelia.”
“What else can beautiful women do?” Jesse responded coldly. “She’ll at least be useful in bed!”
Michael’s tone was dismissive, but when he spoke next, there was a hint of satisfaction. “When this is done, I’ll transfer the sales director away, and you’ll take their place!”
Jesse, eager to please, grinned wider.
Cordelia was trembling with rage and disgust as she overheard their conversation. She pressed herself against the pillar, trying to steady her breath as she forced the discomfort of the alcohol down. But their vile words echoed in her mind.
Her fists were clenched tightly, her nails digging into her palms. These despicable men would get their comeuppance, but for now, she needed to escape the immediate danger.
Quickly, Cordelia calmed herself down and opened the location-sharing feature on her phone, sending Marcus a text with her current location and asking him to track her and pick her up as soon as possible.
She waited anxiously for a response, but none came. Her panic grew. Just as she was about to call Marcus, Jesse approached. With no other choice, she reluctantly followed him back to the room.
…
Once they were back, Michael and Jesse insisted that she drink more. Despite her efforts to avoid it, Cordelia still ended up drinking far more than she should have.
Josiah, noticing her discomfort, tried to help by blocking for her when possible, though he couldn’t do so openly. He could only watch helplessly as she emptied glass after glass, all while planning to personally escort her home to ensure she was safe.
When the dinner finally ended, Cordelia was dizzy, barely able to keep her balance as she followed the men.
“Tonight was great!” Michael said, lowering his voice to Josiah. “Mr. Bayer, there’s a special program in a while… Don’t miss it!”
Josiah, still oblivious to their intentions, simply nodded.
Then Jesse suddenly grabbed Cordelia and pushed her toward Josiah. He was startled to see her in such a state. Her face was flushed, and her steps unsteady, as if she were walking on cotton.
Josiah quickly steadied her, but as soon as his hands touched her shoulders, he pulled them away as though burned. His eyes shifted toward Michael and Jesse in confusion.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Josiah demanded, his voice tinged with irritation.
Jesse, grinning, explained smoothly, “Mr. Bayer, Cordelia’s had too much to drink. Can you send her back?”
Josiah, trying to compose himself, responded, “I was thinking the same, even if you didn’t mention it.”
Michael and Jesse exchanged a victorious glance. This was exactly what they had hoped for. They swiftly opened the car door, instructed the driver with the address, and sent Josiah and Cordelia on their way.
As they drove, Cordelia struggled to sit upright in the car. Her head felt heavy, as though filled with a swarm of bees, and her stomach churned from the alcohol.
When she finally gathered the strength to focus, she realized Josiah was sitting next to her. Her heart skipped a beat as she instinctively moved away from him, keeping a wary eye on him.
“Where are we…” she began, her voice unsteady.