Chapter 46

The sight of a full bottle of red wine in Patton's grip brought a shadow across Amelia's face.

For someone who rarely drank like her, even a single glass of wine could leave her head spinning, and an entire bottle would be overwhelming.

It was clear that Patton was deliberately making things difficult for her.

"You're going too far!"

From across the room, Carlee hurried over to stand by Amelia's side, her eyes shooting daggers at Patton.

Patton's friends picked up on the tension and came to stand beside him.

They didn't know what had happened between Patton and Amelia. Still, they believed making a woman drink that much wasn't right. They wanted to intervene, but when they saw Patton's angry expression, they held back.

"You think I'm being unfair? She showed up late in the first place! Besides, she was the one who said that she would do anything to get my forgiveness.I am not forcing her to do it." Patton fixed his stare on Amelia. Her silence drew a mocking smirk from him."If this is too much for you, then you're free to leave _

"Let me get this straight, if I finish this bottle, you'll forgive me for being late in the afternoon, right?"Amelia interjected.

That bold response made Patton pause, but his surprise faded fast.

He didn't believe she'd actually go through with it, so he responded, "You have my word. Drink it all, and I'll let the matter go."

Right after hearing those words, Amelia took the bottle from his hand. Since the wine was already uncorked, she braced herself and started to drink it.

Landing her job at the Stewart Group meant everything to her. She didn't want to fail at her first task.

Carlee's heart pounded in concern when she saw that, and Patton could hardly believe his eyes.

He had meant to make things difficult for Amelia,hoping she would give up. He hadn't expected her to actually drink the wine.

Carlee's worry for Amelia was obvious. She thought about grabbing the bottle from her grip,but she also didn't want to mess things up for Amelia. So, she could only watch her anxiously.

As soon as Amelia drank, the sharp flavor burned her throat, making her cough.

But she paused only for a moment before lifting the bottle again.

Determined not to back down, she continued drinking. When she reached the halfway mark,Patton stepped up and yanked the bottle away.

Despite his lingering anger, Patton was worried that Amelia might get sick after drinking too much wine.

Finding her hand empty, Amelia blinked, then looked at Patton and said, "Mr. Carman,you promised. If you go back on your word now, l-"

"That's enough. I said I'd let it go, and I will," Patton interjected, his voice cold but resolute.

Despite feeling sick from all the wine, Amelia felt happy at Patton's words.

She took a deep breath and stepped toward Patton,eager to discuss the contract. But before she could say anything, Patton added, "I'm willing to let your tardiness slide, but that doesn't mean we're moving forward with this deal. The contract's canceled, and that decision is final."

"Are you just messing with us?" Carlee, who had been by Amelia's side, was ready to argue, but Amelia stopped her.

Patton didn't stick around. He turned and left the room with Sammy at his side.

The two actors sent Amelia a sympathetic look before following Patton out the door.

Frustration turned Carlee's cheeks red as she watched them go. She turned to Amelia. "You're really going to let them leave like that? Didn't that mean you just drank all that wine for nothing?"

"Not entirely. At least Patton forgave me for being late today," Amelia replied with a tired smile. Then,she lowered her voice and asked, "Did you find what I asked for?"

"That bracelet is hard to find. But Monroe said he could get his hands on it, so it should be delivered here soon."

Roughly thirty minutes later, a delivery man brought a small parcel to Carlee.

Once she'd signed, Carlee opened the parcel, revealing an ordinary-looking bracelet. "You're really sure this little thing is going to change Patton's mind?" she asked, brow furrowed.

"He won't say no to the deal after he sees it. The contract is as good as signed," Amelia said, slipping the bracelet safely into her bag. "Let's go. I'll explain on the way."

As the car rolled through the city, Amelia filled Carlee in about the bracelet's backstory.

It was the last design by the latedesigner Jackson Avila, with only three similar ones in the world.

During her background check on Patton, Amelia had found out Jackson was Patton's favorite designer.That knowledge made her certain Patton would change his mind after seeing the bracelet.

Since Amelia's appearance at the Night Owl Bar cut Patton's dinner short, hunger caught up to him when he returned to the Kretol Hotel. He soon ordered food. After a while, Amelia pushed the cart piled with food out of the elevator. She leaned close to Carlee and whispered, "Keep watch. If anyone comes, stall them for me."

Carlee nodded and watched Amelia step forward to knock on the door.

When Amelia announced that she was from room service, Patton opened the door immediately. He then said, "Just set the food down and go."

Taking careful steps, Amelia stepped inside. She placed the plates on the table, arranging them neatly before turning to look at Patton.

Patton, just about to question why the delivery person hadn't left, froze when he recognized her.

A sour look crossed his face. "You again? Don't tell me you're following me around now."