Ethan’s gaze shifted slowly toward Julian.

A low, icy laugh escaped him—soft in tone, but heavy with unspoken menace.

“You seem to enjoy drinking, don’t you? Well, today you’ll get your fill,” Ethan said, a sly curve on his lips.

He snapped his fingers sharply.

The sound echoed through the private room.

At once, Benjamin pushed the door open.

Waiters streamed inside in two neat rows.

Each carried bottles of wine that shimmered under the muted lights.

One by one, they placed them in front of Julian.

The clink of glass on wood rang like a death knell in Julian’s ears.

His face went pale.

Sweat beaded on his forehead.

The air grew thick with tension.

The entire display took less than five minutes.

The head waiter stepped forward.

“Mr. Blackwood, all the wine is here,” he announced, voice formal yet edged with shock.

Every bottle in the restaurant now stood before them.

Was Ethan trying to kill him with drink?

Ethan’s cold eyes swept over the group before locking onto Julian.

“Enjoy,” he said, the single word falling like a sentence.

Julian’s breath caught.

He forced a strained smile.

“Mr. Blackwood, this is… too much,” he stammered.

He shot a desperate glance toward Sophia, silently begging for help.

Catching his look, Sophia gave a subtle nod.

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Ethan, this amount of alcohol could be fatal—” she began, her voice soft and pleading.

But Ethan cut her off.

His tone was stern, commanding.

“So you understand the risk, then?”

His words hung in the air, sharp and clear.

His gaze swept over her, sarcastic and cold.

The implication hit Sophia directly.

Emotions churned within her.

Her face lost all color.

She never imagined Ethan would go this far for Isabella.

It felt like all the air had been sucked from the room.

Beneath the table, her fingers clenched around her handbag until her knuckles turned white.

Her carefully crafted gentle facade began to crack.

Julian understood, too.

He had provoked someone far more powerful than he realized.

There would be consequences.

Trapped and desperate, he dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.

He clasped his hands together.

“Miss Scott, I was a fool to offend you! Please, have mercy—ask Mr. Blackwood to spare me, just this once!”

The room fell into a dead silence.

Everyone watched, frozen, hardly daring to breathe.