CHAPTER 96: DON’T TEMPT ME

Suzy was in hell. Every fiber of her being screamed for the ground to open and swallow her whole, but even in her mortification, she recoiled from the thought of being buried with the soiled toilet. She was a literal, unholy mess.

A muffled, strangled cry of pure, agonizing embarrassment escaped her. He was still there. She knew he’d heard. And tragically, he was her only hope.

"I... I know you’ve seen my worst... but..." She took a shuddering breath, raw shame evident in every syllable. "Could you... get me Wilson...?" She shook her head. "A-Aurora... can you—?"

Gavin’s gaze flickered to the stall door, a flash of raw annoyance mixed with incredulous disbelief. "Do I look like your servant?" he snarled, his voice sharp and utterly fed up.

"My... my clothes," she whimpered, the sound muffled by the door, a fresh wave of panic rising. "I have... n-nothingggg...."

Gavin paused. A muscle in his jaw clenched, a furious battle waging within him. His disdain for her was immense, yet the sheer, overwhelming helplessness in her voice, combined with the utterly un-Gavin-like mess he was currently in, pushed him to a decision.

He stared at the ceiling, questioning every life choice that had led him here.

Then—

"Stay here," he barked, turning to leave.

Suzy wanted to ask him where else she could possibly go, but the words were trapped in her throat. She couldn’t.

With another harsh grunt, Gavin pulled out his phone. A few terse, rapid taps later, he was speaking into the screen, his voice low and devoid of pleasantries.

Suzy waited for what felt like forever. There were no signs of Aurora. Nor Wilson. Or even Gavin. Had he truly abandoned her here?

Then... footsteps.

She sealed her lips, closing her eyes tightly, praying the person would just leave.

And then...

A bag was tossed over the top of the door. It landed with a soft thump, directly on Suzy’s head. A muffled squeak of surprise came from inside, but she caught it before it fell.

"Clean up," he barked, his voice utterly devoid of warmth or sympathy.

Gavin.

Why was he back?

He didn’t wait for a response. He spun on his heel, his face a mask of disgust and irritation. He pulled the restroom door open and stepped out, not even glancing back. He was gone.

She opened the bag.

It contained a clean tracksuit. New wet wipes, hand sanitizer, a mid-sized towel, and a small, sealed trash bag, even a small vial of anti-diarrheal medicine.

Suzy’s face contorted, and a loud, heartbroken wail echoed through the now-empty men’s restroom. It was a desolate sound of utter mortification and despair.

She wanted to die.

Meanwhile, where was Alice in all of this chaos?

Burning with a fever.

All that was left for her was to get the luxury car and disappear.

She went into the room where she was supposed to meet the team. But things were always bound to be difficult for her.

From the side, Rowan watched her closely. He noticed how she swayed a little, how her hand pressed briefly to her abdomen, and how she blinked like she was fighting something off.

"You okay?" he asked under his breath as they walked toward the canopy where the team was.

Alice gave a tight smile. "Fine. Took something from the first aid. Just a dull ache now."

He didn’t quite believe her, but before he could press further, they reached the large, half-enclosed canopy.

"Look who’s suddenly a star."

Linda.

God, no.

She stood with her entourage of lacquered-lip sycophants, eyes narrowed, lips curled in disdain. She was out of her vest now and simply in a white tracksuit. Apparently, that was where her team had conveniently decided to rest, drinks in hand like they were at some kind of cocktail party.

Alice’s gaze flicked to her. She was not in the mood.

Again!

Linda’s smile was venom-sweet. "Winning the march, rubbing shoulders with Dawin and getting a car? Aurora dear, you’re really milking this new attention, aren’t you?"

Her underlings chuckled, a chorus of petty amusement.

"And here I was thinking you were just a desperate little pauper who got in through some quota system. But no. You’ve got ambition. Almost like you’re trying to seduce Dawin, hm?"

More laughter.

Alice stilled. Her headache throbbed again, and something in her gut coiled like a spring. She inhaled slowly.

Don’t. It’s not worth it. You are here for something else.

"Mrs. Aurora Wildfire, here is the car key for testing. You can do the paperwork later if you prefer—" A staff member began to say, attempting to diffuse the escalating situation, but Linda, with a swift, predatory movement, snatched the key from his outstretched hand.

Linda was once again in her face, testing her, twirling her drink in her hand. "What’s the rush? It’s a gift from my family anyway..."

Alice remembered—remembered Suzy saying Linda had thrown her drink on Aurora. Deliberately.

Linda was a bully. And someone had to put her in her place.

With quiet deliberation, Alice stepped forward, took the wine glass from Linda’s hand, and—without so much as a blink—splashed its contents across her face.

Some splashed on Alice too, as well as one of Linda’s underling behind who squealed.

The crowd gasped. A collective, stunned silence fell over the canopy.

Linda stood frozen, mouth wide open, but the gasp failing to escape. Wine dripped from her hair, her face, her tracksuit, staining the pristine white fabric.

"That," Alice said with a slow, almost dangerous calm, her voice a low, steady current of steel, "is for the other party."

Before Linda could recover, Alice snatched the car key from her, and stared at it, a flicker of disgust in her eyes.

Then—crash—she slammed it to the floor. The luxury car key clattered loudly on the concrete, the metallic sound ringing in the sudden quiet.

"I don’t need your cheap prizes in my apartment. Keep it."

Goodness, no. That is definitely not cheap. And she needed that!

But oh well...

"W-what the hell?!" Linda stammered, dripping and livid, her eyes blazing with furious indignation. "You wild bitch!"

"Don’t tempt me." Alice’s voice was a soft warning, yet it held the weight of a concrete threat.

Linda lunged, as if she might actually try something, but Rowan was fast. He stepped forward at once, casually but firmly positioning himself between them, his posture relaxed yet ready.

"I’d think twice about that if I were you," he said with an amused, slightly dangerous smile.