Chapter 46: Drunk at the Doorstep

The taxi came to a steady halt at the entrance of the late-night villa district.

Mervin Lee unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to glance at the man beside him, who was still dead to the world.

Sebastian was leaning against the seatback, his tie crooked. That face was certainly something; right now, it even held a touch of vulnerability.

A wicked spark flared up in Mervin’s heart again, mixed with the smug satisfaction of a successful revenge.

"Wake up, you're home."

Mervin gave Sebastian a kick. He used enough force to make Sebastian let out a soft groan, his body slumping against the car door from the momentum.

"Quite the actor."

Mervin sneered, unbuckled Sebastian’s seatbelt, opened the door, and—like hauling out a bag of trash—dragged Sebastian directly out of the back seat.

Sebastian fell heavily onto the cold concrete with a dull thud.

He furrowed his brow, appearing as if he wanted to crawl up, but his limbs were limp and lacked strength. He could only sprawl there like a broken ragdoll.

Mervin stood by the car, looking down at him.

By the moonlight, he watched as Sebastian’s expensive custom suit became covered in dust and grass clippings, and the feeling of disgust in his heart finally dissipated a little.

Always acting so high and mighty, but when he's drunk, he's no different from those thugs—just a toy at someone's mercy!

He lifted his foot and gave Sebastian’s calf a moderate kick.

"Alright, stop playing dead. Your 'Brother Kevin' is gone. Enjoy your wedding night, President Sebastian."

Sebastian’s body swayed from the kick, but he showed no signs of waking.

Mervin clapped his hands as if he had just touched something filthy.

He opened the front door, sat in the passenger seat, and told the driver to pull away, not giving the man on the ground a single backward glance.

The wind whistled past the car window, dispersing the residual scent of alcohol and perfume that belonged to Sebastian.

Mervin was in an excellent mood, even whistling a tune.

He took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hey, Leon, you asleep? If not, come out and hang! I know a BBQ joint that's seriously authentic. Bring that junk car of yours; I'll wait for you at the old spot."

A cacophony of loud music and women's laughter came from the other end; clearly, the person was in the middle of a wild party.

Mervin didn't mind. He hung up, unable to suppress the grin on his face.

Ten minutes later, at a large roadside food stall.

A flashy red Ferrari pulled up to the curb.

Leon came out of the Ferrari wearing sunglasses, a half-finished bottle of whiskey swinging in his hand.

"Yo, Counselor Mervin. What brings you to ask me for BBQ? That's not like your usual style."

Leon plopped down opposite Mervin and expertly picked up a skewer of mutton.

Mervin poured himself a glass of beer and drained a large gulp, sighing with satisfaction.

"Don't mention it. I'm in a good mood; came out to celebrate."

"Celebrate what? Won a case?" Leon looked at him suspiciously.

Mervin pulled out his phone with a mysterious air, found the photos he had taken earlier at the bar entrance, and pushed them toward Leon.

"See for yourself."

Leon leaned in for a look, and his eyes widened instantly.

"Holy crap! Isn't this... Sebastian?? Is he... getting laid?"

In the photo, Sebastian was leaning in Mervin’s arms with his clothes disheveled, his eyes hazy and his cheeks flushed. He truly looked as if he were in the afterglow of something indescribable.

"Hehe, this is what happens when a villain meets a bigger villain."

Mervin smugly shook his phone. "This kid usually acts like a saint, but he finally let the mask slip today."

Leon gave a thumbs-up. "Sick! Truly worthy of you. But..."

"My god! You guys????!"

Mervin nearly vomited on the spot once he realized what Leon was implying.

"Are you an idiot? I took them on purpose!"

Mervin was nearly dying of rage. He continued: "Ran into him coming out of a bar. I endured the disgust and sent him back; he should actually be thanking me!"

"Psh—"

Leon looked speechless. He thought...

He picked up a skewer and looked at Mervin. "Speaking of which, what are you going to do about your job? You really planning on quitting law? I heard your high-end client base has all run away?"

The smile on Mervin’s face froze for a moment before returning to his usual cynical mask.

"Don't mention it. That crowd is incredibly snobbish. Now that my reputation stinks, who would dare hire me? Even if they did, the pittance they offer wouldn't cover my dental bills. Want me to do a losing business? In their dreams!"

"Fair enough."

Leon took a drink, his smile somewhat meaningful. "But what do you plan to do later? Your wife ran off, your reputation is shot, and you're basically finished in this industry."

Mervin was silent for a while. He picked up a skewer and took a vicious bite, as if he were chewing on an enemy's bones.

"I’ll just move to another city."

He spoke through a mouthful of food. "Anyway, I'm not lacking for money; I have more than enough to last until I die. But before I go..."

He lifted his head, a fierce light flashing in his eyes.

"I have to ruin that bastard Sebastian first. He made my life this miserable; if I don't destroy his reputation, I won't be able to swallow this resentment."

Leon watched him for a long while, then raised his glass.

"Fine. Tough enough. Come on, let's have a drink. Here's to achieving your wish soon."

"Cheers!"

The two glasses clinked heavily, making a crisp sound.

On the other side of the city, Sebastian was lying alone at the entrance of his villa, enduring the cold wind.

The night in the villa district was terrifyingly quiet, save for an occasional distant bark of a dog.

Sebastian woke up in a fit of violent suffocation.

His stomach felt as if it were churning upside down; stomach acid surged upward, leaving a bitter taste in his throat.

He snapped his eyes open. What met his sight was the familiar carved iron gate of his villa and the pitch-black night sky.

He braced himself against the ground, trying to stand, only to find his limbs were sore and weak. His head felt like it was about to explode with pain.

His memory was fragmented. The last image he had was sitting in a booth at the bar, and that man named Kevin handing him a drink...

The next second, his stomach convulsed.

"Ugh—"

Sebastian sprawled by the edge of the lawn, dry-heaving heart-wrenchingly.

Because his stomach was empty, he could only bring up stomach acid and bile.

He coughed until tears streamed down his face. Waves of nausea followed one after another, as if he were going to vomit up his internal organs.

"Cough... ugh..."

He was in terrible distress. He could only sit on his knees, one hand clutching the collar of his shirt while the other trembled as it rubbed his agonizing stomach.

The cold wind blew past, and he shivered. The expensive clothes he wore were already in ruins, stained with dirt and grass.

He looked down at himself, his mind full of questions.

He couldn't remember anything.

The panic of a blackout hit him instantly, accompanied by a strong hangover headache that made his vision darken in waves.

He tried to recall what happened. Had he been robbed? Or had he been...?

The more he thought, the more afraid he became. Combined with his extreme physical discomfort, Sebastian felt his eyelids growing heavier.

"No... have to get inside..."

He gritted his teeth, trying to brace himself against the ground to stand. But the moment he exerted force, his vision went black, his knees buckled, and he collapsed heavily onto the lawn.

His consciousness completely shattered at this moment.

In the final second before he fainted, he only felt his stomach throbbing with pain, and the music from that night seemed to echo in his ears—chaotic and noisy.

...