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Chapter 45 Thank you Bella for gracing us with your presence!

If William still had living parents, they might object to a relationship between them due to age differences.

But with William having no parents, this was perfect!

If the two of them chose to be together, no one could stand in their way.

"Oh... I'm sorry for bringing up a sensitive topic," Piper said, raising her glass and downing its contents. "That drink was an apology for my thoughtlessness."

William never knew his parents. He had spent many years living in society as an orphan. To Piper's words, he simply chuckled, "It's okay. I've been alone for so long that I've grown used to it. Isn't there a certain peace in knowing that if I eat, no one else goes hungry?"

"You certainly have an open-minded way of thinking," Piper replied. Setting her drink aside, she scooted closer to William, her tone intimate. "So, are you still living alone? No girlfriend?"

With all the life experiences William had under his belt, he could see right through things. Especially now, when Piper's intentions were clear as day.

Yet William had his own professional standards. Relationships in a bar couldn't be taken too seriously. It was all just a part of the show.

"Piper, I'm still young and not considering settling down," William said with a sly grin, lifting his own drink, "Let's drink!"

Neither rejecting nor encouraging, William always kept his bartender role at the forefront.

How else would he sell drinks?

Piper, having contemplated her next words, was silenced by another round of drinks and could only clink glasses with William.

As the night progressed, their conversation meandered, with William gradually steering it towards Piper's life. He listened intently as Piper shared the challenges she faced, navigating life as a lone woman.

The more they drank, the more Piper's cheeks flushed, her gaze upon William growing more tender and intimate.

"Piper, maybe we should call it a night?" William suggested, his voice hypnotic.

Piper, at 43, nodded gently as if she were a shy girl once more.

"I'll see you out," William said, already assisting Piper to her feet.

Leaning into William, Piper whispered, "William, would you stay with me tonight?"

Without missing a beat, William responded, "Piper, I'm not someone who can be swayed so easily. I'll get you to your car, and perhaps Nicholas can accompany you."

Any other guy in the bar would've easily been enticed by Piper's offer, especially with a monetary incentive. Piper had already tried that tactic with William the previous night. Tonight, she had hoped to appeal to his emotions. Still, she hadn't pushed it, wanting to leave a good impression.

"That's fine. Just get me to my car," Piper said, still trying to maintain a virtuous image despite her inebriation.

After escorting Piper to her car, William was stopped on his way back to the bar by a muscular man in a suit. "William, right? Our boss wants to see you."

This man had been eyeing William since he entered. William had noticed. Bella had arrived and was in the VIP room for over an hour, bringing ten men with her.

Although William didn't regard the burly man as a threat, he followed him, wondering, "Are all women these days this fierce?"

Ten men, plus him, that made eleven.

Could she really handle all of them?

If Bella knew someone was having such thoughts, she wouldn't hesitate and would have him dealt with immediately.

Following the muscular man, William entered the private room and saw Bella, dressed sharply in a tailored suit with her short hair neatly styled. Several stern-faced men stood around, creating a tense atmosphere.

"Vice President Bella, I've brought the man you wanted to see," the henchman announced.

Bella, seated on a sofa, cast a cold glance at William. "So you think you can hold your liquor? Today, you'll entertain my company's associates to their heart's content."

William chuckled, responding, "Thank you for the honor, Vice President Bella."

With a wave of her hand, Bella instructed her men, "Drink up! This is William."

It was clear to all: Bella was seeking vengeance for the events of the previous night. At the time, she hadn't thought much of drinking with William. However, upon reflection, her anger grew. She felt she had a score to settle. To ensure William would be thoroughly challenged, Bella had summoned the top ten heavy drinkers from her company. Only seeing William thoroughly drunk would satisfy her.

After giving her orders, Bella retreated to the side, engrossed in her phone. The group of men formed a circle, leaving William to sit opposite them.

"William," the man in the center began with a sly smile, "Our Vice President Bella tells us you're quite the drinker. We wanted to see it for ourselves. I'm Blake. Let's start with something light."

As he spoke, Blake began mixing beer, wine, and hard liquor into a large flask.

"One flask per person. Whoever finishes first drinks another!" Blake set a tough challenge right from the get-go.

Today, Bella had given them a clear directive: if William wasn't drunk by the end, they would all lose their jobs. Naturally, they had to go all out.

Most people would be floored by just one flask, let alone thinking about a second.

With a smile, William picked up his flask, "Quite the challenge!"

The two clinked their flasks and began to drink.

The way William drank was almost surreal. Most people would take sips and swallow each mouthful. However, he seemed to inhale his drink, emptying his flask in just a second.

Before Blake was even halfway through, William was already looking at him, empty flask in hand.

The other nine men stared, their eyes wide in disbelief.

Was this some kind of magic?

Having spent many years in drinking circles, they had seen impressive drinkers, but never like William. The mixture of liquors, though potent, was usually not pleasant to drink and would get anyone tipsy quickly.

Five seconds later, Blake, having emptied his flask, gave William a rueful smile and a thumbs up. He refilled his flask and began drinking again, struggling this time.

William did his best to feign a slight drunkenness.

One shouldn't overdo things; it was better to leave some room for hope.

Bella sat silently, while the remaining nine men exchanged glances. They weren't worried. Even if William could handle his liquor, could he really outdrink all ten of them combined?

"William, you sure can drink!" Another man, his face shiny with sweat and quite rotund, cheerfully remarked, "This is just the beginning. Each of us will toast with a flask to you. After that, how about a dice game?"