"What are you going to do by getting her drunk?" Jonathan, one of the brothers, asked.
"I don't know exactly what I'm going to do to her, but I am sure of getting her drunk. Doesn't she have a thing for her pride? Let me smash it first," Andrea replied. She was the eldest among all the cousins, possessing a beautiful yet stern face.
As they discussed their plan, they didn't have a clear strategy in mind yet. Their immediate goal was to get Katrien drunk, and they planned to decide their next steps later, particularly since Andrea and Madonna, her cousins, had observed that Katrien was already at her limit.
Soon, a waiter approached Katrien while she was engrossed in a conversation with Ron Charleston, the Director of the Musical Community, a music production house, who was also the organizer of the ceremony in collaboration with Princeton University.
"I have something to take care of at the company. I might have to leave earlier than I thought. I can't avoid it, so please excuse me as I take my leave," Katrien spoke softly.
The director was insistent about her staying a bit longer.
"Ms. Miles (as she was known in the industry), we've only just begun, and you're talking about leaving. This isn't fair. How can I make my guest leave before even having dinner? I can't do it. I insist you stay at least until dinner is served," he said, flashing a smile that was starting to irritate Katrien. She couldn't bear it any longer. Her patience had reached its limit, and she desperately sought an excuse to end the conversation and find someone else. She even contemplated leaving without informing anyone, now regretting her decision to attend.
The director beckoned the waiter closer and poured two shots of vodka. "Miss, I know you rarely attend such events. So, enjoy yourself to the fullest while you're here," he said.
He handed one of the shots to her and downed the other. She had no choice but to take it. She hesitated but eventually emptied the shot in one gulp. The eyes fixated on her gleamed with joy, as their target had taken the bait.
Ron continued to lead her to meet others, and alcohol became an uninvited guest that accompanied everyone. Katrien attempted to use her phone as an excuse to leave, but he ignored her attempts. She couldn't hold out any longer; her face was as red as a plum, and she began to mumble.
Ron noticed her state but continued to encourage her to drink. Quincy went looking for Katrien but was intercepted by Ron's men and ended up being knocked down and locked in one of the staff locker rooms.
"Excuse me, I need to use the ladies' room. Please excuse me," Katrien said without waiting for their reply.
Andrea, Madonna, Jonathan, Max, and Theo, who had been waiting for this opportunity, started to follow her. She walked toward the balcony, and Ron also didn't fail to notice. He was irritated, akin to a wolf whose prey had just escaped, and he followed her.
However, neither Ron nor her cousins could catch up with Katrien. She had surmised Ron's intentions, and she couldn't allow that to happen. She entered a room shortly after leaving the hall, but what she hadn't anticipated was her cousins following her.
Eventually, Katrien realized that her pursuers had fallen too far behind. She breathed a sigh of relief and exited the room, continuing her journey to the elevator. She pressed the button for the ground floor.
When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and began searching for her car. She spotted it, but Quincy was nowhere to be found. She tried calling him, but her call went unanswered.
"The number you have dialed is currently not available..."
Suddenly, she felt something strike the back of her head.
Bam...
Clang...
Her phone fell to the floor faster than she did. A pair of hands caught her.