Chapter <b>101 </b>


    After leaving Liz, Zac headed straight to a bar.


    By the time Rick and Jeff walked into the private room, he had already downed half a bottle of Rémy Martin.


    They watched as he poured himself another ss and knocked it back in one go. Jeff rushed forward and grabbed the ss from him<b>. </b>


    “You already have stomach problems. Do you have a death wish drinking like this?”


    Zac’s eyes turned cold. “Give it back.”


    “What happened? Don’t tell me you’re drinking yourself sick over Liz.”


    The moment her name was spoken, the air around Zac seemed to drop several degrees. His face hardened, and instead of reaching for the ss, he grabbed the bottle itself and drank straight from it.


    Seeing his reaction, both men knew exactly what this was about.


    Rick sat across from him, raising a brow. “So now you finally get it? Liz really meant it when she said she was done with you.”


    The bottle mmed against the floor, shattering into pieces, liquor pooling across the carpet. The room went silent.


    Zac red at him. “You came here tough at me?”


    Rick didn’t even flinch. “That’s right. Isn’t this exactly what you deserve?”


    “Say that again!” Zac shot to his feet, veins bulging in his forehead.


    Jeff quickly stood too, grabbing his arm. “Zac, calm down. Rick has had a rough day too. Don’t take it to heart.” He shot Rick a warning look, but Rick ignored it, his gaze locked on Zac.


    “When you first started cheating with Xena, Jeff and I both told you to stop. You didn’t listen. You were so sure Liz would never leave you. Thenter, when you said you wanted to marry her, I told you to cut things off with Xena. Again, you refused. And now? Liz really left you. So what, you drown yourself in alcohol? Who are you trying to impress?”


    “Rick, enough!” Jeff snapped, his face tense.


    Zac let out a sharp, bitterugh. “No, let him talk. I want to hear every word.”


    “As your friend, I’ll tell you this once,” Rick said evenly. “If you want to be with <b>Liz</b><b>, </b>then cut off every messy tie you have with women like Xena. If you just want to y around, then let Liz <b>go </b>and give her peace.<b>” </b>


    Truthfully, Rick hadn’t wanted to get involved in Zac’s mess. But when he heard Zac had sabotaged <b>Liz’s </b>cases<b>, </b>he couldn’t stomach it anymore. She hadn’t wronged him. They had just dated. Why was he <b>so </b>intent on destroying her?


    Jeff’s signals went ignored, and as Rick’s words faded, the room filled with suffocating silence.


    Jeff quickly tried to smooth things over. “<b>Rick</b>, what are <b>you </b>even saying? Zac, don’t take it to heart. He’s <b>just </b><b>in </b>a bad mood today<b>.</b>”


    Zac shoved him aside with a coldugh. <b>“</b>Bad mood? Or just saying what he really thinks<b>? </b>I know the difference.<b>” </b>


    With that, he grabbed his coat and stormed out<b>. </b>


    Jeff was left frozen, unsure whether to chase after him or shy. He turned to Rick, frustration written all over his face. “Why would you say that to him? Do you even want to stay friends with Zac?”


    Rick didn’t answer. His face was set and cold as he stood and walked out.


    Outside, the night air hit Zac hard, sobering him a little. He leaned against his car and lit a cigarette. Smoke curled upward, blurring his sharp features and masking the storm in his eyes.


    Deep down, he knew Rick had been right.


    As long as Xena was still around, there would never be a way back to Liz.