Chapter 26

Alison

The next morning, I woke up with a heavy feeling in my chest. Last night’s events played on a loop in my mind—Damien’s outburst, his threats, and the way he’d shoved me toward the edge of that rooftop. It left me shaken, but I knew better than to let my fear show.

As I stepped out into the hallway. My eyes fell on Damien. The tension between us couldn’t be ignored as we stared into each other’s eyes.

I hesitated for a moment, but before I could walk past him, he flashed me the same cold expression he’d worn the night before.

“Here,” he said, thrusting a small packet into my hand. I stared down at it, wondering what could be inside.

“What is this?” I asked, in a low tone, that seemed to come out as a whisper.

“Something to spike Rodrigo’s drink,” he replied flatly. “If he invites you to his home—which I’m sure he will—make sure you add this to his drink. It’ll knock him out for a good while giving you some time to get the contract.”

I nodded, slipping the packet into my pocket. This was the first time I’d been asked to do something like this, and I had a feeling it wasn’t going to go well.

“I’m coming with you this time. I’ll be waiting outside.” Damien added. “If things go according to plan and find it difficult to knock him out, call me immediately.”

He held out his hand, motioning for my phone. I hesitated, but handed it over. He punched his number into it before shoving it back at me.

“Don’t screw this up,” he said, walking past me without another word.

***

Later that day, I arrived at the ranch to meet Rodrigo for our usual horse riding session. My nerves were on edge, but I forced a smile as I greeted him. He seemed to notice nothing unusual, and soon enough, we were out in the open field.

After the lesson, Rodrigo invited me back to his house, just like he had done before.

I agreed, playing the part of the charming, slightly naïve woman he seemed to think I was.

As we drove, I noticed a car behind us, and after studying it carefully I realized it was Damien’s car. The car disappeared when we arrived at Rodrigo’s home.

Rodrigo’s home was just as impressive as I remembered—sprawling and luxurious, with tall windows that let in the afternoon sunlight. We settled into the living room, and he poured us both drinks.

“You know I didn’t take you for a girl who knows the good stuff!” Rodrigo said, pointing to the drink on the table.

I smiled as the thought of my times with Aiden crossed my mind. He was the reason why I could identify any wine—the good stuff, the bad stuff, and the strong ones.

My smile widened as I peered at Rodrigo. “I owe my wine knowledge to my endless adventures.”

“So you travel a lot?” He said as if to clarify and I nodded.

“I guess I should try that soon.” He added. “Leaving my business and traveling endlessly sounds like a good idea.”

“It is!”

As we continued to talk, Rodrigo’s phone buzzed. He frowned, glancing at the screen before excusing himself to take the call. I watched him disappear into another room, his voice rising in irritation as he argued with someone on the other end.

This was my chance.

I looked at the drink he’d left on the table, the glass sweating slightly from the condensation.

My hand shook as I pulled out the packet Damien had given me. For a moment, I hesitated. Should I go through with this? Or should I use the distraction to search for the contract Damien wanted?

The sound of Rodrigo’s voice echoed loudly, reminding me that I didn’t have much time. Deciding to stick to Damien’s plan, I tore the packet and quickly poured the liquid into Rodrigo’s drink.

I barely had time to compose myself before Rodrigo returned, looking irritated but trying to mask it with a polite smile.

“Sorry about that,” he said, settling back into his chair.

“It’s no big deal,” I replied, forcing a casual tone.

Rodrigo didn’t seem convinced. “It feels like a big deal,” he muttered, picking up his drink and taking a sip.

“I told you it’s fine,” I replied, trying to make my tone sound more convincing.

He didn’t dwell on that matter as he asked me about my famous adventure.

The minute I stopped talking and Rodrigo took over, I could barely focus on what he was saying.

My eyes kept darting to the glass in his hand, watching as he took another sip, then another.

“You know,” he said, leaning back slightly, “I never asked—where are you originally from?”

His question caught me off guard, but before I could answer, I noticed a slight change in his expression. His brow furrowed, and he blinked a few times as if trying to clear his vision.

“This... this drink is strong,” he mumbled, shaking his head slightly. “I didn’t expect it to hit me this quickly.”

He rubbed his temples, his movements sluggish. Panic started to creep in as he looked at me, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

“I feel...off,” he said in a slurred tone. “Did you... did you do something to my drink?”

My heart raced. “What? No, of course not!” I said, trying to sound shocked and offended.

But Rodrigo wasn’t buying it. He stood up, swaying slightly as he moved closer to me.

“Who sent you?” he demanded, his voice rising despite his clear struggle to stay conscious.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stammered, backing away.

He took another step toward me, but he betrayed him, and he collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.

For a moment, I just stood there, frozen.

My mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but I knew I couldn’t afford to waste time.

I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Damien’s number, my hands shaking so badly that I almost dropped the device.

The phone rang once, twice, three times—but he didn’t pick up.

“Come on, Damien,” I muttered, pacing the room as I tried again.

Still no answer.

I looked down at Rodrigo’s unconscious form, my mind racing. What was I supposed to do now? I couldn’t just leave him here, but I couldn’t stay either.

An easy feeling bubbled up in my chest as I tried to come up with a plan. Damien’s words echoed in my head: ‘Don’t screw this up.’

I sighed heavily, trying to think harder. I couldn’t screw this up. I just couldn’t.