"I thought you could handle your drinks. How did you end up this drunk?" Addison glanced at Lance, but before she could think any further, a wave of discomfort rolled through her stomach. It felt like tiny shards of ice cutting through her insides, sending chills across her skin. This was bad. She had definitely drunk too much. She had never consumed so much alcohol before, but in her eagerness to keep up with him, she had downed drink after drink without hesitation. Now, her stomach was protesting fiercely. She tried to hold it in, but the nausea only worsened. Unable to bear it any longer, she braced herself against the wall and forced her unsteady legs to carry her toward the restroom. The moment she got close to the toilet, she lost control and threw up everything she had consumed. She wasn't sure how much time had passed when a knock sounded from outside. "Miss, are you alright?" "I ... I'm okay," she responded weakly. Grabbing a tissue, she wiped her mouth before leaning against the cool wall. With a steady breath, she reached out and pressed the flush button. The roar of water filled the space, washing away all traces of her discomfort. When she stepped out, a waitress was waiting outside, her face full of concern. The moment their eyes met, she asked, "Miss, are you sure you're alright?" "I'm fine." She waved a hand dismissively and made her way back to the private room. Lance was sprawled across the table. The man, usually towering and imposing, now looked oddly vulnerable and shrunken in his drunken state. Even in his deep sleep, the icy and authoritative air around him remained unchanged. Addison halted, her gaze lingering on him for a few seconds. Well, there was no waking him up and no reason for her to stick around. She had made it clear earlier. If he got himself drunk, she wouldn't be the one to take care of him. She had even joked about tossing him into the lake for the sharks to feast on.Now that he was truly passed out, she figured she should stick to her word. With that thought, she stepped forward, grabbed her bag from the table, and turned to leave. "Wait a moment, Miss!" Just as she took a few steps, the waitress' voice called out from behind, making her stop and glance back. "What is it?" Addison asked. "Are you leaving?" the waitress asked confusedly. "Yeah, I am. Is something wrong?" "The man over there ... Are you ... " The waitress' gaze was deep, silently questioning why she hadn't taken him along. "He's staying here. He'll leave once he wakes up." With that, Addison turned around and kept walking toward the door. Unexpectedly, the waitress hurried after her, blocking her path. "Wait, Miss, you can't go." Addison asked, "Why not? Your restaurant runs all night, doesn't it?"I've already settled the bill. "Is it about an extra charge for staying overnight? If that's the case, I don't mind paying." Addison lowered her head, reaching into her bag to grab her phone. The waitress quickly denied, "No, we don't have extra fees for staying overnight." "So, are you worried about him? Don't be. He's perfectly fine. Sleeping here won't hurt him." Honestly, even if he stayed two nights, it wouldn't make a difference. Taking him to the Johnston Residence was out of the question. And this man had the worst timing! Why did he have to fall asleep at the most critical moment? I was this close ... Just a little more, and I would've found out what I needed. But what happened instead?!