Chapter 217: The Four of Us
Reagan left the suffocating tension of the private room and headed straight for the elevators after he had made an agreement with both his father and Sarah’s father.
His jaw was set, his mind racing with Sarah’s name still ringing in his ears. Her driver had been waiting outside the ballroom when Reagan stepped out, hurriedly whispering that Sarah hadn’t gone home. She was on the 15th floor, at the hotel bar, drowning her fury and humiliation in alcohol.
He went straight to the elevator, and just as Reagan came, he halted.
Standing there, waiting with arms folded and an impatient tap of her heel, was Nancy. Her expression flickered with mild surprise when she saw him approach. But her eyes quickly sharpened, calculating, as though she already knew why he was here.
"Well, isn’t this interesting?" Nancy drawled, her painted lips curving into a smirk. "Heading to the bar too? What a coincidence..."
Reagan’s gaze hardened, catching the sly glint in her eyes. "Don’t play games, Nancy. Why are you going there?"
Her smirk only deepened. "Same reason as you, I suppose. Word travels fast in this hotel, and I heard Raymond decided to drown himself at the bar."
Reagan’s fists clenched at his side. The thought of Sarah sitting vulnerable in front of Raymond, crying, made his blood run hot. He stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the 15th floor with a forceful jab.
Nancy sauntered in beside him, deliberately close, her perfume heavy in the confined space. "Relax, Reagan. I’m only curious how this night will end. Sarah... Raymond... me and you." She tilted her head, watching his reaction with a glimmer of mischief. "Sounds like quite the scene waiting for us upstairs, doesn’t it?"
"Nancy, just a piece of advice..." Reagan’s voice was low, sharp, his eyes narrowing as the elevator hummed upward. "Don’t make tonight worse than it already is."
Nancy arched a perfectly groomed brow, a sly curve tugging at her lips. "Me? Make it worse?" She let out a soft laugh, the sound filled with mockery. "I think Sarah has far more potential in that department. I’m just here to collect Raymond. Honestly, I still can’t believe we’re in this mess."
Her gaze shifted, calculating, almost cold. "Who would’ve thought Georgia and Nick would cross paths and actually fall for each other? But perhaps heaven favors me. With Georgia out of my way, things became easier." A dark chuckle slipped past her lips. "So, maybe it’s Sarah who’s being punished by the gods..."
Reagan’s jaw tightened. He rolled his eyes and gave his head a slow shake. "I don’t even know whose side you’re on anymore."
Nancy tilted her chin, her expression unapologetic. "I’m on mine, Reagan. Always have been. As long as I get Raymond, everyone else is irrelevant."
The elevator dinged sharply, cutting the tension. The doors slid open to the 15th floor, the muffled sound of music and chatter spilling in from the bar. Without another glance at him, Nancy strode out and immediately looked for Raymond.
And just as Reagan feared, Sarah was there, slumped at the corner of the hotel bar with Raymond, both of them already drowning in alcohol. Their laughter was hollow, their words slurred, yet the storm in the air was undeniable.
Reagan’s gaze sharpened as Nancy slid toward them. Without hesitation, she placed a firm hand on Raymond’s shoulder.
"Let’s go, Raymond. If you still want to drink, we’ll drink at your house, not here."
Sarah’s bleary eyes lifted, her tone sharp despite her drunkenness. "Hey, bitch! Don’t take Raymond away, we’re still talking about how he can win Georgia back. Stay away from him!"
Nancy’s lips curved into a dangerous smile. "Hello, bitch too. Forget about Nick. He already proposed to Georgia, he’ll marry her, and nothing you do will change that. Move on, Sarah. Accept that he will never treat you the way he treats her. Open your eyes, there are plenty of men out there."
Sarah let out a bitter, mocking laugh. "You’re only saying that because you want Nick and Georgia tied together, so Georgia won’t go running back to Raymond. But newsflash, Nancy, we’re on the same side, whether you like it or not. And Raymond—" she turned to him with a vicious sneer—"will never give you what you want. He’s in love with Georgia, not you. Maybe you should’ve made sure she was dead when you pushed her off that ship."
The words cut like a blade. Reagan froze, every muscle in his body coiled tight. His sharp stare flicked between the three of them, but before he could step in, Raymond slammed his hand on the table, his face twisted with rage.
"Enough! I’m standing right here. Stop dragging Georgia’s name into this!"
Shoving back his chair, Raymond pulled out his wallet and tossed a handful of bills onto the table. His lips curved into an unsettling smirk.
"The drinks are on me, Sarah. How about we go to my place and keep the night going, and do something fun? The four of us haven’t been together before."
Two voices rose in unison.
"No way!"
"No!"
Nancy and Sarah snapped, their tones filled with disgust.
Raymond only laughed, dark and unhinged. "I haven’t even said anything yet. Why are you both panicking like that?" In one brazen move, he slung an arm around each of their shoulders.
Sarah recoiled immediately, shoving him hard. "You’re disgusting, Raymond. We know exactly what you’re thinking. Just go to hell already!"
Raymond chuckled, his eyes glinting with something reckless. "Fine. Sulk here like a real loser if you want." His gaze shifted, finally landing on Reagan, who had remained silent, watching every dangerous word unfold.
With a sly grin, Raymond stepped closer. "What about you, Reagan? Coming with me and Nancy? Let’s do something fun. I need to get rid of all this frustration."
Reagan’s expression didn’t flicker. He gave Raymond a heavy pat on the shoulder, his voice still calm. "You two go ahead. I need to talk to Sarah."
Raymond smirked and pulled him into a quick, drunken hug before staggering toward the exit with Nancy in tow. The two disappeared, leaving Reagan and Sarah behind.
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Thanks for the Golden Ticket!
Kristen2025