I pressed my lips together, my fury threatening to spill over. But I kept my voice ice cold. "I can't drink. I've got somewhere else to be, so I'm leaving."
Before I could walk away, James grabbed me by the neck, his grip tight. "Shannon, have I been too nice to you? Lindsay drank an entire bottle for you, and you're just going to walk out?"
He yanked me hard, slamming me against his chest. He pried the bottle open and forced it toward my mouth. The liquor poured down my chin, soaking my clothes as I choked and coughed, clutching my stomach in pain.
He tossed the empty bottle to the ground, still fuming. "Don't be ungrateful!"
Tears welled in my eyes, not from sadness but from the physical strain.
His angry, threatening words kept coming. "Apologize to Lindsay, or we're getting divorced! I'm done with this!"
Everyone around us expected me to explode, to lose control. But I didn't. I composed myself, even as my face burned with humiliation. I nodded calmly. "Fine, then. Let's get divorced."
I took two steps, but Lindsay grabbed my arm, panic creeping into her voice. "Don't be impulsive! Divorce isn't a small thing. You shouldn't do this because of me—"