At the bar, a sweet-faced woman nursed her drink, lost in her own gloomy world. Ever since she'd arrived, she’d only cared about her liquor, paying no mind to the noise swirling around her—a textbook case of drinking to drown her sorrows.

Lauren Shaw, sharp-eyed as always, caught sight of her. "Isn’t that He Shuang?"

Claire Xu turned her head to follow Lauren Shaw’s gaze—and sure enough, it was He Shuang.

After considering a moment, Lauren Shaw asked, "Have you heard about Hugo Pierce’s situation?"

"Of course," Claire Xu replied.

Scandals like Hugo Pierce’s were all too common among the wealthy, but for those personally involved, such things were a real shackle.

"He hasn't been in touch for a while now," Claire Xu said as she sipped her drink, her mood darkening as the conversation shifted to Hugo Pierce. "I have no idea what he’s been so busy with. Ever since he moved back to the Zhu family, it’s like he talks less and less."

The Zhu family was like a giant dye vat—no less troublesome than Claire Xu's own clan. With Zhu Xun’s wandering ways, who knew if another illegitimate child would turn up someday? Given the choice, Hugo Pierce probably wouldn’t want to be Zhu Xun’s son, either.

Meanwhile, He Shuang was downing drink after drink. When Lauren Shaw noticed a couple of men approaching to chat her up, she nudged Claire Xu and strode over with her.

At first, He Shuang was genuinely happy to see them, but then her face fell as some thought occurred to her. "Oh, you’re here too."

Worried about her drinking alone—a pretty woman like her was just asking for trouble from predatory men—Lauren Shaw invited, "Come sit with us at our table."

Claire Xu couldn’t help but press, "Why’d you come out drinking all by yourself, anyway? This isn’t the safest place for a girl on her own."

Those men had been staring at her the whole time, and here she was, completely oblivious. Claire Xu shook her head at He Shuang’s lack of street smarts.

He Shuang looked miserable. "Hugo Pierce’s ignoring me now. He broke up with me." As she spoke, tears of grievance spilled down her face.

Lauren Shaw and Claire Xu exchanged a look—feeling helpless. Sometimes, there was just no reasoning with someone lovesick.

Claire Xu tried to tease, "It’s just a guy—cheer up. There are plenty of men out there. Worst case, tomorrow I’ll even go man-hunting with you." She meant it as comfort, but it only made He Shuang cry harder.

"I only want Hugo Pierce. No one else will do," He Shuang said stubbornly.

What a headstrong girl.

……

Shengmei Group.

Yancy Shaw was lounging in his office, eyes closed, lost in thought.

Bryce Shaw's eyes were aching after staring at documents too long. He glanced up, spotting Yancy Shaw stretched out comfortably on the sofa and couldn’t resist commenting, "You sure have it easy. I just got back and already you’re slacking off?"

Yancy Shaw half-opened his eyes to look at him, said nothing, and shut them again.

"So what are we going to do about Mandy Snow?" Bryce Shaw asked, stretching his neck as he leaned back in his swivel chair.

Outside, the night was enchanting, enough to lighten anyone’s mood.

Yancy Shaw thought for a moment. "The Mo family has been eyeing the Ancheng market for a while—they’ll probably make a move on us soon. If I’m right, Mandy Snow will try to turn the tables on us when that happens."

He wasn’t wrong. Exposing Mandy Snow would mean a total fallout with the Snow family, and knowing her temperament, she’d never let that slide.

"The Snow family really has some nerve," Bryce Shaw muttered under his breath. Ever since learning Shen Siyin wasn’t actually Nathan Shaw’s daughter, he’d been equal parts shocked and indignant on Nathan Shaw's behalf.

And thinking further, after all these years in the Shen household, who knew what kind of dirt Mandy Snow had gathered? She could prove a powerful rival in the future.

Yancy Shaw fell silent. Bryce Shaw checked the time.

"How about we call Big Brother out for drinks tonight? The three of us haven’t hung out together in ages."

"You just got better, you shouldn’t be drinking yet. Gotta hold off for a bit," Yancy Shaw advised kindly.

"It’s fine, I’ll just watch you guys drink."

"No can do. I’m busy tonight." Yancy Shaw paused, a smug glint in his eyes. "I’ve got to go home and sleep holding my wife." It was getting late—he needed to go pick up his little one.

Bryce Shaw’s smile froze instantly. He gritted his teeth, "Oh, so sleeping with your wife is so impressive, huh? Acting like you’re the only one who’s married!"

"I get to sleep holding her every night—can you say the same?"

Honestly, this guy was such a public wife-flaunter, Bryce Shaw could barely stand to look at him. He just wanted to smack him.

If Li Qiuchi hadn’t been away filming on location these past few days, Bryce Shaw wouldn't have even thought of inviting him for drinks. That smug look—truly infuriating.

As Yancy Shaw reached the door, he turned back. "Want me to have you driven home?"

"No thanks! I have a driver."

Just thinking about Yancy Shaw showing off his wife again soured his mood—he felt like he’d taken a thousand arrows to the heart. No way was he getting a ride from that brat.

……

He Shuang clung to her bottle, pounding back liquor in earnest. Most people would’ve blacked out by now, but she held her booze. The more she drank, the clearer she got—which only made her sadness worse.

Claire Xu finally grabbed her arm. "Silly girl, that’s enough. You keep drinking like this and you’ll end up in the hospital!"

"Even better! That way, Hugo Pierce will have to come visit me there," He Shuang slurred.

Claire Xu: "..."

Lauren Shaw: "..."

"If you really want to see him, I actually have a way to make that happen," Lauren Shaw offered.

"Really?" Brightness flashed in He Shuang’s eyes.

Lauren Shaw nodded confidently, then whispered her plan to Claire Xu—who immediately agreed.

He Shuang looked at the pair, puzzled. "What’s your plan?"

"If you want to see Hugo Pierce, that’s easy. Leave it to us," Lauren Shaw said.

Claire Xu and Lauren Shaw exchanged a glance before taking out their phones and calling Hugo Pierce. "He Shuang’s drunk," they said, "and if you don’t come soon, some other guy’s going to take her home." After that, they hung up.

Still worried, He Shuang asked, "But what if he doesn’t come?"

"If he doesn't show, then he doesn’t care about you. In that case, cut your losses," Lauren Shaw answered honestly. If a man couldn’t show up for you in a time like this, hanging onto that hopeless relationship just meant hurting yourself.

Hugo Pierce was a friend, but as a woman, Lauren Shaw hoped her friend would recognize her own worth in love.

Sure enough, twenty minutes later, Hugo Pierce turned up.

By then, He Shuang was rather tipsy. Hugo Pierce eyed her, drunk and disheveled, and frowned. "Why’d you drink so much?"

Claire Xu teased, "Aw, are you worried about her?"

Hugo Pierce took a deep breath, swallowing whatever he’d almost said.

"Since you’re here, sit down and talk," Lauren Shaw offered, pointing at the empty chair.

Hugo Pierce, concern written all over his face, took the seat next to He Shuang. Maybe the alcohol was taking effect, because now that he was by her side, she finally fell quiet.

"You’ve seemed busy lately. You never text me back. How have you been?" Claire Xu broke the silence. As childhood neighbors and old friends, she was always straightforward with him.