Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 420

"You useless thing!" he had roared. "All you do is cause trouble! You can't do a single thing right.

"Our business is crumbling because of you. Will you only be satisfied when we're bankrupt? I should beat you to death before you give me a heart attack!"

And then he had slapped her.

It was the first time in her life her father had ever struck her.

Una had never endured such humiliation. She was furious, but her father had strictly forbidden her mother and brother from giving her any financial support.

She had a roof over her head and food on the table, but not a single penny to her name.

Despite her crushing failures, her innate pride refused to let her give up. She swore she would secure a massive contract on her own merits.

She had volunteered to meet with Mr. Warren, a major real estate tycoon, precisely because his reputation as a sleazeball meant no one else in the company wanted to deal with him.

Eager to prove herself, she wanted to secure this contract to show her father she wasn't a 'useless thing.'

She had to admit, in the past, she had relied heavily on her status as the Lowell family heiress. She had been too aggressive, too loud, and undeniably condescending.

But after facing the brutal reality of the corporate world, she realized that to close a deal, she had to swallow her pride.

She wasn't going to ruin this. She was going to get his signature and take that contract back to her father to prove she could earn her keep.

Seeing her finish the drink, Mr. Warren immediately poured her another. "Great tolerance, Ms. Lowell! Have another."

Una waved her hand weakly. "Mr. Warren, I've already had a few. I really can't drink anymore."

He scoffed. "If you don't drink this, you can forget about signing the contract today. It's up to you."

"Of course." He clinked his glass against hers.

Una forced the third drink down.

This wasn't like the light beer or sweet cocktails she was used to; this was hard liquor with a heavy kick. The intoxication hit her fast and hard.

She shook her head, fighting to stay conscious, and pushed the contract across the table. "Mr. Warren... I drank it all. Please keep your word and sign."

Seeing her half-drunk and vulnerable, Mr. Warren stood up and walked over. He reached out and tilted her chin up.

"Ms. Lowell, you're quite a beauty. Why don't you play with me for a bit? This face of yours... it's just so soft and delicate."

With that, he leaned in, his greasy lips aiming straight for her.