His Destructive, Toxic Love

Eliza was out to make a living, sure, but not at the expense of her pride. "Sir, you might want to find someone else," she said, her voice laced with disdain.

As she turned to leave, Nate stepped right in her way, looking her up and down with complete disrespect. "What's with the act? Everyone here is loaded. Do you really want to risk offending us and lose your standing in Falconridge?" he threatened.

Eliza finally glanced at the other men in the room. When her eyes met Casper's, she hesitated for a moment. He sat there with a mocking smile, casually flicking a golden lighter, looking like he was just there for the show. Something inside Eliza hurt.

Turning back to Nate, she stared him down. "Are you saying you can pay me to drink?"

"Absolutely, I'm a man of my word," Nate boasted, thumping his chest. "I might lack many things, but money isn't one of them."

"Show me the money."

The challenge was clear: She had to drink ten rows of ten cups each. She would get paid stacks of cash. It was ten grand per stack and a hundred stacks in total. All of it was cash that Nate had someone withdraw on the spot.

Worried Nate might push things too far, Jonah whispered, "She's Casper's wife. Take it easy."

"She's about to be his ex-wife," Nate shot back.

Since Casper hadn't said a word, Nate felt certain about the state of their relationship. "Chick, this is a million dollars. Drink as much as you can, and it's yours. Don't say I didn't treat you fairly."

There was no turning back now. Despite the alcohol's bitterness and burn, Eliza couldn't afford to offend Falconridge's trust fund babies. She was never a drinker but downed five cups in one go, driven by sheer will.

"Impressive," Nate said, surprised. "This stuff is 53%."

Eliza steadied herself on the table, her body swaying. "I can drink more," she declared, reaching for another cup.

But Nate was quicker. "Call me 'hubby' and I'll drink for you. The money's still yours." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his hand sliding down her back to her waist. The soft touch sent a thrill through him.

Just as he was about to tighten his grip, Jonah stepped in, pulling Nate's hand away. "If you don't want to die, keep your hands to yourself," he warned in a low voice.

"Casper isn't saying anything, so stay out of it," Nate retorted.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Even if there were issues between the couple, Casper was still a man-a high-status man at that. How could he tolerate seeing his woman harassed in public? Jonah glanced back at Casper. The mockery had faded from his face, replaced by a cold, steely gaze.

Pushing Nate away, Eliza grabbed another cup and downed it in one gulp. She struggled to keep her eyes open. Her eyelids were heavy, her stomach burning uncomfortably hot. The room seemed to spin around her.

As Nate saw his chance to approach Eliza, Casper suddenly kicked him, sending him flying. "You thought I would let you carry on, did you?" Casper spat, picking up a chair and smashing it down on Nate's head.

Nate raised his arms in defense, but the chair struck his arm before crashing down on his head with brutal force. Casper, known for never holding back, had inflicted serious damage. Blood streamed down Nate's head.

Worried about a potential fatality, Jonah quickly wrapped his arms around Casper, trying to calm him. "Casper, cool it. Your wife's drunk. Why don't you take her home? I'll handle this guy for you."