Chapter 550 Patricia Kisses James
Patricia watched the treachery unfolding before her, all without a word. She casually wrapped her arms around herself and leaned back to enjoy the show.
Max, cornered and desperate, looked to Patricia for confirmation after his outburst. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? You messed up and got fired, and now you're trying to drag me down with you? Patricia's not going to believe a word you say! Right, Patricia?"
Jack and Andrew, panicked, hastily interjected, "Everything we've said is true! It was Max who directed us to work together to isolate you, to make the position untenable for you so you would step down and give up the CEO seat. He even promised us promotions once his son was in charge."
Patricia, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, turned her gaze to Max, whose face flashed with panic as he pushed Jack and Andrew away, pleading, "Patricia, they're just trying to frame me. Please don't believe them. They must be from HT Corporation and sent to sow discord among us. They aim to watch us destroy each other and reap the benefits."
"Oh, really?" Patricia asked, her expression amused yet skeptical.
Max nodded vigorously, "Absolutely! We're all on the same team here. We can't fall for their tricks."
Patricia remained silent, her unwavering gaze leaving Max uneasy. After a moment, she smiled, "Of course, I trust Max!" She knew without solid evidence, it was impossible to convict Max on Jack and Andrew's one-sided accusations.
As the security team arrived, Patricia commanded, "Take Jack and Andrew out, and if they cause more trouble, take them to the police station."
"Understood!" the head of security responded, his team escorting Jack and Andrew out as their cursing voices echoed, "You backstabber, you broke your promise, you dishonest, despicable coward. We went through so much trouble for you, and you betrayed us. You'll pay for this. You'll get what's coming to you. We won't let this go. I'll get my revenge. Just you wait..."
Their voices faded into silence.
Max, avoiding Patricia's gaze, forced a laugh, "They still haven't learned their lesson. They had it coming."
"Indeed they did," Patricia agreed, her words carrying a weight that deepened the embarrassment in Max's eyes.
"Since you have more meetings, I'll head out now. Don't mind me," Max said, quickly turning and leaving without a backward glance at Patricia. The tactic of setting an example had clearly been effective.
With Jack and Andrew serving as cautionary tales, the entire meeting went smoothly. Everyone was especially spirited. Not only did they listen attentively, but they also shared their opinions. Such a stark contrast to the previous state of affairs. The company has been swamped with work lately, and that meeting dragged on until 7 PM, inadvertently skipping dinner time.
After it wrapped up, Patricia offered to treat everyone to a hearty meal outside.
James was ready to leave, but Patricia wouldn't let him. "You can't go back now. You're the guest of honor tonight; it wouldn't be the same without you. You have to come."
Seeing her excitement, James found himself unable to refuse and nodded.
The mood was light, with everyone seemingly in high spirits. Liz, in particular, was visibly delighted, having finally realized her long-held ambition for a promotion. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and conversation, leading them to unwittingly overindulge in drinks.
Noticing James's untouched plate and glass later in the evening, Patricia draped an arm around his shoulder.
"Aren't you hungry? Why aren't you eating?" she asked, seemingly unaware of how close she was.
Her body, made limp by alcohol, leaned heavily against James, her breath, warm with the scent of alcohol and mixed with her unique fragrance, made him shiver. His breathing became heavy, and his heart raced.
"Why won't you answer me?" Patricia asked, pouting when he remained silent, her dazed eyes making it clear she was quite drunk.
James, recognizing her intoxication, said firmly, "You've had too much tonight. No more drinking."
"No, I don't wanna. I'm happy today, and I haven't enjoyed myself enough! I want more," Patricia protested, shaking her head in refusal as she reached for the glass of red wine, intending to finish it in one gulp.
James quickly took the wine from her grasp and set it down firmly. "That's enough. You really can't drink anymore."
"I want to drink. Cheers," Patricia mumbled, her speech slurred as she slumped against James's shoulder.
James looked around the room, noting that most were still sober, though a few had started to show signs of having had too much to drink. Liz, in particular, had indulged a bit too much and had passed out on the table.
Turning to Alan, who was seated on the other side of Patricia, James said, "Alan, she's wasted. I'm going to take her home. Can you handle things here?"
Alan nodded. "Don't worry, I've got this. You two head out!"
After making sure everything was in order, James firmly grasped Patricia by the waist, helping her to stand up. He slung her purse over his opposite shoulder.
Patricia was visibly intoxicated, her steps wobbly as she stumbled along, leaning heavily on James for support.
Coughing intermittently, James guided her towards the exit, but Patricia wasn't making it easy; she intentionally pressed her weight against him, causing James's breathing to become increasingly difficult and his cough to grow more intense.
Finally getting her to the restaurant's entrance, out of breath and exhausted, he seated her on a bench by the sidewalk while he leaned against a nearby tree to catch his breath.
Left without support, Patricia pouted, her hands searching until they found James's waist, then began climbing up as if she were scaling a tree.
James was confused as she clambered onto him, using his stature to stand, and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. She pouted her lips in the direction of his own.
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