Drunk Deals and CEO Secrets

After I got a billion-dollar client drunk, I forced him to sign a contract that gave us better terms. He was then rushed to the ER. After that, I walked into the CEO's office with my legs shaking, holding my resignation letter. "Mr. Blake, I blacked out from drinking last night, lost control, and offended an important client. I'll take responsibility and resign immediately. I won't drag the company into this!" I wanted to leave as soon as possible before the Legal Department sued me and took everything I owned. The cold and distant CEO, Adrian Blake, pulled out his fountain pen with a dark expression. The next second, I never expected that I heard his thoughts wildly screaming in my head. "Damn! This woman is my lucky star! I'm someone with severe social anxiety who wants to hide the moment I see people. I was almost cornered by those ruthless businessmen! Not only did she take several drinks for me, but she also grabbed that guy by the collar and forced him to lower the contract price by 20%! But I'm the cold and untouchable CEO of a multinational company. I can't just beg her to attend every business dinner for me forever, can I?" I saw Adrian's face become tense, and a hidden excitement flashed in his eyes. I quickly grabbed my resignation letter, tore it apart, and said, "Mr. Blake, I know I made a mistake. Please let me redeem myself. From now on, I can attend all those business dinners for you!" Chapter 1 After Adrian set his fountain pen back into the holder, he said coldly, "Grace, you caused a huge mess last night. After you got Mr. Hamilton drunk, he ended up in the ICU. His secretary called me 17 times this morning just to yell at me." I shrank back a little. "Mr. Blake, that's why I want to redeem myself..." Then I heard what he was really thinking. "I didn't answer a single call. Just hearing my phone vibrate stressed me out. But Mr. Hamilton did sign the contract, and the company saved 20 million dollars. She really is good at her job!" Adrian opened a file without changing his expression. "Starting today, you're being promoted to my Executive Assistant. Your salary will triple, and you'll report directly to me." As soon as he finished speaking, the office door opened. The Vice President, Ethan Grant, walked in. He smiled as he looked at me. "Mr. Blake, I just heard you promoted an administrative clerk to Executive Assistant? Ms. Sutton only has an associate degree. She's been here for just eight months and hasn't even gone through a performance review. I'm afraid the others won't accept your decision." Adrian looked up. I thought he was about to shut Ethan down, but then I heard his thoughts again. "Can you stop standing so close? Your cigarette breath is making me sick. And why do you always look so serious? You're making me nervous." But Adrian only said calmly, "This is my decision. I don't need to explain it to you." Ethan turned to me with a smile. "Ms. Sutton, now that you're the Executive Assistant, I have a tough assignment for you next week. Everyone knows Mr. Carter from Summit Realty is impossible to deal with. He won't talk business until you've drunk enough to satisfy him. Our last PR manager quit because of him." He patted my shoulder. "Since Mr. Blake thinks so highly of you, would you be willing to attend the dinner with Mr. Carter?" "The last eight people who drank with Mr. Carter got so drunk they had to be carried out. Ethan is obviously doing this on purpose!" Adrian's face darkened as he thought to himself. I took a deep breath and smiled at Ethan. "Sure. I'll attend Mr. Carter's dinner." Ethan left with a satisfied smile. The moment the door closed, Adrian suddenly stood up. I heard his irritated thoughts. "You're actually going to Mr. Carter's dinner? If something happens to you, who's going to drink for me at these business events?" But all he asked was, "Did you sign up for your health insurance?" "Yes." "Good." He sat back down, turned on his computer, and said, "I'll have Accounting send you a clothing allowance. Don't wear those cheap outfits and embarrass me." What he was really thinking was, "I don't want people looking down on her or picking on her because of what she wears. My employees should always look professional." That same night, 80,000 dollars was deposited into my bank account. The note simply read. "Clothing Allowance." My hands shook with excitement as I stared at the amount. Three days later, I followed Adrian into a private club, wearing a custom-tailored business suit. The private dining room was filled with cigarette smoke. Michael Carter from Summit Realty sat at the head of the table, surrounded by four or five middle-aged businessmen. "Hello, Mr. Blake. Have a seat." Michael slapped the table as he told the servers to take care of Adrian. Six crystal glasses were placed on the table. Instead of red wine, they were filled with a mix of whiskey and vodka—a notorious combination that could get someone drunk in no time. Michael smiled as he pushed one of the glasses toward Adrian. "Mr. Blake, this is our first time working together. You have to show me some respect. Finish this glass, and everything else will be easy to negotiate." Adrian rested his fingers lightly on the glass as he thought, "I'm doomed. Just the smell makes me want to throw up. Last time I only took one sip and spent 40 minutes throwing up in the bathroom. But if I don't drink, he'll think I'm disrespecting him. The deal will fall apart, and that bastard Ethan will definitely use this against me." Everyone at the table was watching Adrian. Michael only smiled. At that moment, one of Ethan's people sitting quietly in the corner raised a phone and aimed the camera at Adrian. Chapter 2 Without thinking, I reached over, grabbed the glass in front of Adrian, and raised it to my lips. I finished the whole drink in one gulp, then slammed the empty glass onto the table. "Mr. Carter, Mr. Blake isn't feeling well today. His stomach is bothering him, so he can't drink. I'll finish every glass on this table for him." Michael froze for a second, then burst out laughing. "Wow! Are all of Mr. Blake's people this good at drinking? Great! Since you're so brave, let's see how much you can really handle!" For the next two hours, I faced all four men from Michael's side by myself. After every drink, I smiled and talked business with them. After my third glass, Michael's PR Director got drunk first. After my fifth glass, his two business partners started talking nonsense. After my seventh glass, even Michael was pounding the table and slurring his words. The whole time, Adrian sat calmly at the head of the table without taking a single sip of anything. His face stayed cold and unreadable, but I could hear the screaming inside his head. "Oh my God, she can still drink after her eighth glass? How is her stomach this strong? She's amazing. I want to clap for her, but I can't move. I'm the CEO. CEOs aren't supposed to do that." Michael was completely drunk by then. He held onto my hand and refused to let go. "Sis... No, Ms. Sutton. Whatever you say goes. I'll sign the contract!" Before he could pass out, I quickly pulled the contract and a pen out of my bag and stuffed them into his hand. "Mr. Carter, I like doing business with straightforward people like you. Give us a 15% discount, and everybody wins." He signed the contract with a shaky hand. The man Ethan had planted in the corner to secretly record everything had slipped away without anyone noticing. When the dinner was finally over, everyone else was helped out by their assistants. Only Adrian and I were left in the private room. The moment the door closed, Adrian's expression changed. He leaned against the wall, loosened his tie halfway, and slowly slid down as his legs gave out beneath him. Inside, he was thinking, "I was dying inside the whole time. Socializing is torture." I couldn't help laughing when I saw the mighty CEO like this. "Mr. Blake, are you okay?" He immediately straightened up, adjusted his tie with a blank face, and said, "You drank a lot tonight. Don't come to work tomorrow. Stay home and rest." But I knew what he was really thinking. "Please don't actually take the day off. If there's another business dinner tomorrow and you're not there, I'm doomed." "It's okay. I can handle it. I'll be at work tomorrow like usual," I said. Adrian lowered his head, pulled out a black credit card from his pocket, and placed it on the table. "This is for you. It has no spending limit." My eyes lit up. He let out a quiet snort. "Think of it as overtime pay for tonight. Don't read too much into it." But his real thoughts were, "I actually want to thank you, but I just can't say those words out loud. Forget it. Giving you money is less awkward." I carefully put the black card away and smiled. Over the next week, I attended three more business dinners. I thought this job was just about drinking, signing contracts, and making money. Until one morning, I was carrying some files to a meeting on the 36th floor. As the elevator doors opened, a woman in a business suit walked straight toward me. Four assistants followed behind her. "Move." She didn't even look at me. A coworker from the PR Department leaned over and whispered, "That's Emily Dawson, our new PR Director. She and Mr. Blake have known each other since they were kids. The day she came back from overseas, she said..." "What did she say?" My coworker gave me a meaningful look. "She said she came back because she's going to marry Mr. Blake. They've known each other for over 20 years." I froze. At that moment, I heard Adrian's thoughts from somewhere on the 36th floor. "Why is that annoying Emily here again? She keeps using the fact that we grew up together as an excuse to get close to me. Last time she insisted on holding my hand. I pretended to be sick for three days just to avoid her. She talks way too loudly. Whoever let her into my office is going to regret it." I tightened my grip on the files in my hands. I had barely settled into my new job, and another rival had already shown up. Chapter 3 During Emily's first week at the company, we had three major meetings. Every single time, she targeted me. "I heard Ms. Sutton's job is just drinking for Mr. Blake at business dinners, right? Isn't that basically what a hostess does? I've known Adrian since we were kids. I know him better than anyone. The kind of woman he hates most is one who uses her looks to get ahead. Blake Group isn't a place where just anyone can get in." People around the conference room quietly laughed at me. But I just smiled and stayed silent because I heard Adrian's desperate thoughts. "Oh no. Emily is being way too harsh. She says I hate women who use their looks to get ahead? I can barely even look people in the face. I really want to go help her, but there are 30 people in that conference room. I don't have the courage to walk in!" Since he couldn't help me, I had to handle it myself. But Emily quickly became even worse. Three client files disappeared from my desk that Friday, and even the backups in the system had been erased. Half an hour later, Emily posted a photo from an upscale restaurant on social media. "Having a wonderful second meeting with Mr. Carter." Using her status as Adrian's childhood friend, she stole the client I had worked so hard to win. Then I heard Adrian's thoughts again. "She actually stole Grace's client? Has she lost her mind? But I don't have any proof she did it. I can't just fire her either. The older members of both the Dawson and Blake families would never accept it." I remembered what she had done, and I had no intention of letting her get away with it. But I didn't complain, because Emily was about to hand me an even bigger opportunity. That afternoon, Adrian was in a video conference with executives from overseas. Without knocking, Emily barged into his office and wrapped herself around his arm. "Adrian, you promised to take me to dinner!" Adrian immediately pulled away in anger while yelling in his head. "She touched me! Did my face twitch just now? Did the people on the video call see that?" He looked at her coldly. "Please leave. I'm in a meeting." Emily pouted and walked back out. Standing outside the office, I watched the whole thing. And I discovered Adrian's secret. "The Dawson Group's cash flow had collapsed in the third quarter. Just last week, they had secretly sold off two of their prime properties in Willowbrook. Emily isn't here to work at all. She's here to use Blake Group to find new investors and keep the Dawson Group alive." I laughed to myself. Three days later, Emily sent a company-wide email announcing a "Luxury Business Gala." She invited many of the biggest names in the business world. I wasn't invited. Instead, I received a message from her assistant. "Ms. Sutton, Ms. Dawson would like you to help serve the VIP guests that evening. You'll receive overtime pay." When Adrian found out Emily wanted his Executive Assistant to work as a server, he nearly exploded. "Damn it! Every guest there is a major business leader. Is she using my name to help the Dawson Group raise money? I have to stop Grace from going. If someone bullies her, it'll be a disaster. But I can't skip a 300-person gala either. Just thinking about it gives me a headache." I calmly replied to Emily's assistant. "Okay. I'll be there." On the night of the gala, I wore a black shirt, black pants, and tied my hair into a low ponytail. Emily looked me over with satisfaction. "Good. Stay in your place and stop chasing things that don't belong to you." She spent the evening pitching Dawson Group's projects to the guests. Not once did she mention Adrian or Blake Group. I carried a tray, poured drinks, and quietly listened. Emily was proudly introducing one of Dawson Group's resort projects to Thomas Thornton, the CEO of Everton Group. "Mr. Thornton, don't worry. Adrian and I have been close since childhood. The Blake family has always supported the Dawsons without question. If you invest in this project, you'll make your money back by next year..." As I refilled Thomas's wine glass, he nodded politely. "You have a very steady hand." I smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Thornton. By the way, with all your experience in real estate, I'm sure you already know Dawson Group sold those two prime Willowbrook properties during the third quarter." Thomas froze. I calmly continued, "They're certainly bold. Their cash flow is already stretched that thin, and they're still asking investors to fund new projects." The atmosphere instantly became awkward. Emily's face turned pale, but she had no idea how to respond. Thomas frowned deeply, set his wine glass down with a hard thud, and looked at Emily with completely different eyes. The two business leaders standing beside him exchanged glances, and their expressions changed immediately. Chapter 4 Emily didn't lose her temper in front of me. Instead, early the next morning, she sent me a message. "We have a dinner meeting with Fortress Group today. Mr. Quigley is difficult to deal with. You have to drink with him before he'll even discuss business. I know you can really hold your liquor. If you land this deal, I'll forgive you." I didn't reply right away. Just then, I heard Adrian's thoughts from upstairs. "Mr. Quigley has a 500-million-dollar project, but he can drink like a fish. Why is Emily doing this?" After thinking it over, I replied that I would attend. At seven that evening, I arrived at the private room on the top floor of the club. When I pushed open the door, there were 12 people inside. Emily was there with two of her friends. At the head of the table sat Robert Quigley, the CEO of Fortress Group. Before sitting down, I glanced at the short glass in front of me. The orange liquid looked like whiskey. But it was actually high-proof vodka mixed with moonshine and colored with orange juice. It had to be at least 140 proof. Emily's glass, on the other hand, contained nothing but orange juice. I immediately switched her glass with mine. "Mr. Quigley, friends should drink the same thing. Don't you agree?" Robert burst out laughing. Emily's face stiffened as she reluctantly picked up the stronger drink. I won the first round. But I underestimated how ruthless she was. For the next hour, every time my glass became empty, a huge man beside me immediately filled it again. After my seventh glass, I could barely keep my hand steady. Emily walked behind me and rested her hand on the back of my chair. "Mr. Quigley, look at Ms. Sutton. She's only had a few drinks, and she's already falling apart. She's nothing but a hostess who got ahead by using her looks." A wave of dirty laughter filled the room. "She only has an associate degree, yet she's making a director's salary." Ethan stared at me without any shame. "Why do you think that is? Maybe she's worked really hard on Mr. Blake's office couch." Someone let out a loud whistle. Emily pushed her empty glass toward me, and the big man immediately filled mine with more liquor. She leaned close to my ear and whispered, "If you want to keep Adrian's deal, finish this drink. Be a pawn, then own it." I bit the tip of my tongue as hard as I could. The pain barely kept the nausea down as I picked up my eighth glass. But before I could even catch my breath after finishing it, the big man grabbed my shoulder and shoved the ninth glass straight to my lips, forcing me to drink. The room began to spin. Emily suddenly grabbed my collar and yanked me forward. I started coughing violently. She leaned close and whispered with a cruel smile, "There are reporters waiting outside. The second that door opens, photos of you being forced to drink will become the top trending story. Adrian won't want you after that. I'm the one who grew up with him. I'm the only woman who's worthy of being with him. Who do you think you are?" Then she straightened up and smiled brightly. "Come on. Ms. Sutton is tonight's star, so she has to keep drinking!" The tenth glass was shoved into my hands. But I couldn't even hold it anymore. Liquor spilled over my fingers and ran down my hand. Emily sneered and threw the drink all over me. My white blouse was soaked in an instant. She gasped dramatically. "Oh! Ms. Sutton, why are you putting on such a slutty show?" The men openly stared at me. I coughed until tears streamed down my face. As I tried to stand, one of the chair legs suddenly slipped, and I crashed onto the floor. "Ms. Sutton, are you planning to drink from the floor now?" Emily and her friends covered their mouths as they laughed. Emily walked over and kicked my knee. Robert flicked the ash from his cigar. "Ms. Sutton, if you kneel and finish this glass, I'll sign the contract right now." Emily crouched beside me. Her sharp fingernails dug into my chin as she forced me to lift my head. Looking at my face, drenched with liquor and filled with humiliation, she said mercilessly, "Mr. Quigley, this is Blake Group's negotiator. A worthless pawn crawling on the floor. Adrian's company is yours to crush." I wanted to curse at her, but no words came out. The big man behind me pinned my shoulders down. Emily picked up another full glass of liquor and used the rim to pry my mouth open. "Drink it." Just as the icy liquor was about to pour down my throat... Boom! With a thunderous crash, the solid wooden door exploded inward from a powerful kick.