Chapter 5
I barely managed a step before Ryan pulled me back, arms locked tight around my waist.
His expression turned vicious as he raised the glass, trying to pour it down my throat.
"Do you know what happens if you cross Mr. Lewis?" Ryan snarled.
He said, "You almost spoiled my big moment."
Just as I was about to break free from Ryan, Max stepped in and grabbed me.
One hand was on my waist, and the other gave my ass a quick squeeze when he thought I wouldn't notice.
Wendy just stood there, watching as I got sandwiched between Ryan and Max, both of them making me drink.
I was about to lose it.
"Wendy, are you just going to stand there and watch?" I shouted.
Wendy just scoffed and rolled her eyes at me.
"It's just a drink, not a death sentence," she said.
Wendy said, "Mr. Lewis used to run with some tough crowds, so he's not exactly gentle.
"Quit being so stubborn. If you hook up with Mr. Lewis, you'll be living in a mansion and cruising around in a Benz before you know it."
I dropped my phone in the struggle.
Right at that moment, Luke called.
Wendy bent down, picked up my phone, and answered it, sounding totally bored.
"Hey Luke, Claire's having drinks with Mr. Lewis," Wendy said.
"Mr. Lewis? He's the kind of guy you could never hope to get close to, not in a million years," she sneered.
Wendy said, "Can you stop clinging to Claire like some obsessed ex? Just let her go and let her live her best life, alright?
"Guys like you are just pathetic and stubborn.
"Seriously, quit calling Claire. She literally just dumped you.
"You don't believe me? What a joke. Between a penniless loser and a rich guy, even an idiot knows which one to choose."
After hanging up, Wendy gave me a sly wink.
"Hey, that's what friends are for. No need to thank me," Wendy said with a smirk.
I had no energy left.
Most of the drink was spilled, but some still got forced down my throat.
My head was spinning, and my vision kept fading in and out.
There was definitely something in that drink.
Seeing Wendy's face, all smug and ready for drama, I was regretting every decision that led me here.
Why did I even try to save this backstabbing friend?
No way. I couldn't just pass out at that moment.
Fueled by raw survival instinct, I drove my knee straight into Ryan's crotch, then threw my head back, smashing it into Max's nose with everything I had left.
Two screams echoed as Ryan dropped to his knees, clutching himself, and Max staggered back, blood pouring from his face.
Max's face was smeared with blood, and even his gold-rimmed glasses were smashed.
Wendy, startled, rushed over to help Ryan up, her face full of concern.
"Ryan, are you okay?" she asked.
She lifted her head, her eyes clouded with resentment as she stared at me.
"Claire, you backstabbing traitor," she spat.
"I'm trying to help you get a better life, and you go and hurt my boyfriend," Wendy shouted.
She asked, "Do you have any idea what you've done? Mr. Lewis is Ryan's biggest client. You're going to ruin everything for me."
I didn't bother arguing with her. I just turned and bolted for the door.
But I ran right into a waiter who was coming in.
Wendy immediately called out to him.
"Thief! She stole cash and beat people up. Now she's making a run for it," Wendy yelled.
Max snapped out of it and put on a dramatic show, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Yeah, she stole an expensive watch," Max added, voice booming.
The tall waiter heard that and instantly blocked my escape, stepping right in front of me.
"Sorry, miss, you're not going anywhere," he said.
I was about to lose it.
No wonder they called him the slow waiter: [Guy's Got Rocks for Brains].
"Let me go. They're framing me. I didn't steal anything," I shouted.
Ryan put on a show of righteous indignation.
"Come on. Let's go to the police station and file a report," he said.
When they said they were going to the cops, the waiter looked relieved and just let Ryan and Max haul me off without a second thought.
The private room was right next to the parking area outside.
Ryan slapped a hand over my mouth, while Wendy stayed behind to cover for them and settle the tab.
They dragged me over to the car, and I was so mad I could've snapped my teeth.
At the last possible second, Luke finally burst onto the scene and smashed his fist right into Ryan's face.
But the booze finally kicked in, and the world spun so hard I was out cold.
The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital bed.
Luke was right there, sporting a face full of bruises. As soon as he saw me stir, he grinned, then winced and clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Claire, are you okay?" Luke asked, concern in his voice.
Yesterday's mess came rushing back. I sat up, jaw tight, and asked:
"Where did they all go?" I asked.
Luke let out a sigh, looking defeated.
"They already left," he replied.
Apparently, when Luke showed up yesterday, he ended up throwing punches with Ryan and Max.
In the end, the restaurant manager and his crew had to step in and pull everyone apart.
Ryan was furious, claiming I got drunk, tried to steal stuff, and then tried to escape.
Luke wasn't buying it for a second.
But he had no proof, and Wendy backed them up with her own lies.
I was so pissed I started pounding the bed.
"There was definitely something in that drink," I shouted.
"Why didn't you call the cops?" I demanded.
Luke let out a helpless sigh.
"There wasn't any drug in the drink. They just spiked it with some super-strong liquor," he said.
Luke said, "You can't really hold your liquor, and after a bit of that strong stuff mixed with wine, you were out like a light.
"Even if we went to the police station, there's nothing we could really charge them with.
"Claire, listen to me. Wendy's bad news. You should just stay away from her."
As soon as Wendy's name came up, I started searching for my phone.
She made her own bed, so she had to lie in it.
Her fate was her own business. If she wanted to throw herself away, that was on her, not me.
Seeing me scramble around the bed for my phone, Luke pulled it out from his pocket and handed it over.
"Claire, I forgot to mention. Your phone's been buzzing nonstop," Luke said.
The messages were from Wendy.
Wendy: [Claire, just forget we were ever friends.
[I told you Mr. Lewis is Ryan's biggest client, and you still had to mess things up. Do you have any idea how much money Ryan just lost because of you?
[You're hopeless, always acting all high and mighty. Why are you pretending to be all innocent and above it all?
[All that holier-than-thou crap in front of Mr. Lewis, acting like some chaste saint, just to get him hooked? Please, you're not fooling anyone.
[Seriously, you're laying it on way too thick.
[Congrats, you just trashed your only shot at landing a rich husband. Now you'll be stuck in some tiny rental with Luke, that broke loser, for the rest of your life.
[And when you're out begging in front of my mansion, don't expect me to even know who you are.]
Not only that, she even blasted it all over her Twitter.
Wendy: [Twenty years as besties, and you still stabbed me in the back.
[Claire, we're done for good. Don't ever show your face to me again.]