Chapter 6

Lila POV

So-called high society galas were really just large-scale human markets.

To salvage his crumbling business, James Johnson forced Alysa to attend a business cocktail party.

He made it sound nice.

"Let you see the world, meet some people."

In reality, he wanted to sell Alysa for a good price.

The male fourth lead, Mr. Todd Shaw, a notorious playboy who claimed he never fell for anyone, walked toward Alysa with a wine glass, smiling.

"Alysa, long time no see. You've gotten even more beautiful."

That drink was drugged.

Alysa could smell something wrong.

This was also a plot device. Whenever the female lead appeared at such events, she'd inevitably be drugged, then inevitably have some indescribable encounter with the male lead.

Alysa felt her body starting to heat up. That was the plot's forced mechanism taking effect.

She looked at me in panic.

I was standing by the buffet table eating lobster. Receiving her distress signal, I put down my plate and walked over casually.

"Todd, is it?"

I inserted myself between them, blocking Shaw's lewd gaze.

"I heard the Shaw family's stocks have been crashing lately. Still have the mood to go hunting?"

Todd frowned.

"Who the hell are you? Get lost. I'm talking to Alysa."

"I'm her mother."

I smiled, and while he wasn't paying attention, with lightning-fast hand speed, I switched the glass he'd handed Alysa with the one in his own hand.

This was hand speed I'd developed doing crisis PR. I specialized in dealing with all kinds of troublemakers.

"Since Todd is so enthusiastic, I'll drink this on Alysa's behalf."

I raised the actually clean glass and clinked it against his now-spiked one.

He didn't suspect anything, just wanted to get rid of this nuisance quickly so he could make his move on Alysa.

"Fine, fine. Drink up and get lost."

He tilted his head back and downed it in one gulp.

I watched the red liquid slide down his Adam's apple, my smile deepening.

"Alysa, let's get some air over there."

I pulled Alysa away and left.

Less than ten minutes later, the show began.

A commotion suddenly erupted in the center of the hall.

The previously composed man now had a flushed face and unfocused eyes, frantically tearing at his tie and shirt.

"Hot... so hot..."

He shouted while hugging a Roman column in the hall's center like a dog in heat.

Then, under the gaze of hundreds of guests, he started performing a striptease.

The scene was absolutely eye-searing.

"Oh my god! Is that Todd?"

"Did he take drugs?"

"Quick, film this! This is too wild!"

Everyone around was holding up phones taking photos and videos.

I pulled Alysa to the second-floor railing and started a livestream on my phone.

"This is what they call high society breeding?"

I commented coldly.

Alysa watched the man making a fool of himself below. Her previous fear evaporated, replaced by disgust and absurdity.

"Lila, was that... the drug he prepared for me?"

"Yes."

I said flatly.

"Since he likes aphrodisiacs so much, let him go perform himself."

"Want to scheme against my daughter? First see if his kidneys can handle it."

Todd's drug was too potent. Not only did he strip completely naked, he also tried to forcibly kiss the arriving security guards, and finally was carried away in an ambulance foaming at the mouth.

I heard that due to excessive cardiac stress, he might not function in that department anymore.

This was what you called physical castration.

From then on, the entire circle spread tales of Todd's "heroic deeds," and his reputation was completely ruined.

Alysa watched the viral videos on her phone, looking thoughtful.

"So this is real counterattack."

"Don't dirty your own hands, yet completely destroy the opponent."