Chapter 20: What Happened Last Night?

When Daniel woke up that morning, he could have sworn he was sleepwalking and ended up on the side of the road.

The luxurious, empty house looked like it had been ransacked, with every corner destroyed. The only thing that seemed untouched was the grand crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of the hall.

The few hundred-square-meter seaside mansion was in shambles—large and small items had been damaged. For example, the mattress in his bedroom, worth tens of thousands, had been soaked with water, the expensive Chinese Mugwort foam soaked and spread all over the bed.

The mattress was stained black with some kind of liquid, ruined completely.

In the walk-in closet, rows of custom-made high-end suits, each requiring months to make, were slashed with knives—every single one of them destroyed. Even the clothes he had prepared for Vivian had been shredded.

It was as though a group of bandits had come in and trashed the place.

Lawrence, called in early in the morning by an urgent phone call, rubbed his eyes sleepily and looked around, utterly confused. "Dan, what happened last night? Was it some kind of show of affection?"

He'd been called in this early just to watch them flaunt their love? There was no need for that.

Daniel's head was pounding. "Your love life's that obvious?"

Lawrence, quick on the uptake, noticed Daniel's sour mood.

"Did you get robbed?"

If someone broke in, he should have called the police. He wasn't the one to catch thieves.

"Or maybe someone's after you?"

How big of an enemy could Daniel have?

Daniel scratched his brow, not responding to Lawrence's teasing. Instead, he asked another question: "When you dropped me off last night, was it her who opened the door?"

He needed to confirm something.

Who else but Daniel had the right to stay in the house? The answer was clear.

Lawrence quickly understood who Daniel meant.

He sighed, sounding doubtful. "Dan, are you sure you didn't secretly drink after we parted ways last night?"

How else could he be this drunk and not remember how he got to his room?

"Get to the point," Daniel said, not wanting to deal with small talk.

"The point is, I dropped you off downstairs. You insisted I couldn't go up, so I left."

Lawrence had tried to accompany Daniel upstairs last night, but Daniel had almost kicked him out, not allowing him to follow.

"If you don't believe me, you can check the security footage."

Lawrence raised his hands in surrender, making sure he was off the hook.

But then he started to wonder. If Vivian lived here, why wasn't she around now? The place was a mess, but where was she?

He glanced over at Daniel again, and the whole situation seemed even stranger.

The things that were still usable were ruined, and the tension was unbearable. Suddenly, the electronic screen lit up, signaling a video call from the butler.

"Mr. Smith, there's a delivery for you that requires your signature."

Before Daniel could speak, the butler rushed on, sensing his employer's mood. "It's from Miss. Pruitt."

Daniel paused for a moment, then replied, "Send them up."

The butler entered with the courier. As expected, he didn't dare speak out of turn, his eyes lowered, careful to avoid making any noise.

"Please sign here."

It was a file folder.

Daniel tore it open, and his usual calm expression shifted in a flash, revealing a rare shift in his demeanor.

Lawrence peered over curiously and his eyes widened when he saw what it was.

It was a check.

"Miss. Pruitt said this is for your service fee," the courier explained.

Lawrence, stunned, couldn't contain his surprise. Once the courier left, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Dan, what did you do to Vivian last night for her to use money to insult you?" Lawrence smirked, clearly impressed by Vivian's boldness. Did she not know just how rich Daniel was, or was she testing his limits?

Seeing Daniel completely speechless was a rare sight. But one thing was clear—nothing good had happened last night.

"So, what happened last night…?" Lawrence raised an eyebrow, looking at Daniel's state, then jokingly added, "Bro, you're dressed like this. Shouldn't you change into something decent?"

Daniel glanced down at himself and saw that a few buttons of his shirt had popped off.

As he looked at his shirt, fragments of last night's events flashed through his mind.

He had dreamed a beautiful dream.

A dream in which Vivian had kissed him first.

The sweet, intoxicating taste of her lips had left him wanting more.

So, everything that happened last night—was it real? Not a dream?

The only thing that could make him confused between fantasy and reality was this feeling—

"What kind of wine did you open last night?" That familiar, uncontrollable sensation had been absent for a long time.

Even though he had been trying to cut back.

Lawrence scratched his head, then answered truthfully. "Château Blanc."

He thought about it and continued, "Oh my god, Dan, you opened a bottle of good wine. Are you seriously telling me you're going to make me pay for it now?"

If anyone had bought the wine, it should have been Daniel, and even if Lawrence had opened it, he hadn't drunk any. He wasn't going to take the fall.

"That wine wasn't just any wine."

Daniel's gaze turned sharp as he connected the dots. "The one from the hallway?"

Lawrence's face turned pale as realization hit him. "Wait, don't tell me that…"

That was when it clicked.

Daniel had remained sober last night, having chosen not to drink because he was planning on driving. But clearly, it hadn't been just any regular wine.

Lawrence's mind raced as he pieced together the situation. "Dan, the wine wasn't ordinary… that bottle was more than just alcohol."

Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had been too careless last night, relaxing and not asking enough questions.

Now, it was clear that the wine had been a pivotal factor in everything that had happened.

He hadn't expected to wake up to find Vivian gone, and the house in such a mess.

Everything in the walk-in closet, including expensive watches and cufflinks, had been untouched, but his usual belongings in the bedroom had been destroyed.

It was clear someone had taken out their anger on his personal space.

His head throbbed in frustration.

"Why did this house end up like this? The answer is here."

He pointed toward the document on the table—the acquisition plan he had shown to Vivian yesterday.

Lawrence's brain buzzed as he realized just how serious this situation was.

"Dan, I think you should stop drinking, especially when…"

Before Lawrence could finish, he was silenced by a sharp look from Daniel.

That acquisition plan had been part of his plan, and he hadn't had time to explain before Vivian found it.

He could already imagine how furious she must be.

Seeing the chaos in the house, it seemed she had held back, but she was definitely angry.