Wendy blinked in surprise as the man appeared in the doorway.
Wasn''t this the same guy she''d seen the other day, the one who''d been waiting for Isadora—and had tossed away that bouquet of gorgeousvender?
She''d even picked up those flowers and put them in a vase at the design studio.
Judging by the way everyone treated him, this man had to be the most important person in the room.
Did that mean there was hope for them after all?
Wendy felt a flicker of relief and turned anxiously to Isadora. "Isadora..."
But Isadora stood there with a perfectly calm expression, showing no reaction at all.
Why were they both acting like strangers? Now wasn''t the time for this!
Someone, please get me out of this drinking mess!
Victor pulled out a cigarette. Instantly, ackey jumped forward, flicking open a lighter to help him. The me glowed red at his long fingers as he took a slow drag, his voice cool and indifferent: "What''s going on here?"
Someoneughed, eager to exin. "Oh, it''s nothing. The pretty youngdy here begged Mr. Oakley for a chance and volunteered to drink with us!"
Jonathan, feeling important in front of Victor, puffed up with confidence. "You two should feel honored. Not everyone gets to have a drink with the most eligible bachelor in Capitolion. If you both finish, I''ll let you skip the preliminaries and go straight to the finals."
All eyes turned to Wendy and Isadora.
Wendy was starting to panic-she might look confident, but in truth, one drink would knock her t.
She nced pleadingly at Victor, fluttering hershes, and then shot the same look at Isadora.
Unfortunately, both seemed to think she was just having an eye twitch.
Isadora frowned slightly, pressing her lips together. She hadn''t nned to drink at
all tonight. Now it felt like she was being forced onto the stage.
Her gaze flickered to the man seated at the head of the table.
He looked every bit the aristocrat-refined, distant, radiating an icy sort of authority.
It was hard to believe that this was the same man who''d spent the night beside her, their bodies tangled together.
Victor took the cigarette from his lips, his gaze drifting from the five bottles of whiskey on the table to Isadora, his eyes half-lidded and unreadable.
Wendy couldn''t take it anymore.
"Sir, Isadora and I are just girls. There''s no way we can handle that much alcohol. Could you please cut us some ck?"
The room collectively sucked in a breath. Had she really just tried to bargain with the prince of Capitolion?
"Oh?" Victor raised an eyebrow, azy smile ying on his lips. "And why should I help you?"
That wasn''t how this was supposed to go.
Wendy waspletely lost.
Jonathan, afraid of angering Victor, hurried things along. "Come on, don''t get cold
feet now. I''m already giving you such a great opportunity."
Isadora''s cheeks flushed, feeling the pressure mounting, but it was Victor''s
domineering presence that made her even more ufortable.
She couldn''t stand the thought of him looking down on her.
Biting her lip, she reached for a bottle, ready to drink straight from it.
The crowd cheered, some even whistling.
But then Victor''s low, cool voice cut through the noise.
"So, you called me here just to watch a woman drink?" he said, lifting his gaze
with a hint of disdain. "How dull."
The room''s excitement plummeted in an instant.
Nobody wanted to risk offending him.
Someone suggested hastily, "How about a game instead?"
Wendy let out a sigh of relief. Was it her imagination, or had Victor just
intentionally thrown them a lifeline?
Jonathan turned to the girls. "If you can''t handle the drinks, and a game will put Mr. Fitzgerald in a better mood, I''ll let you pass."
Wendy nearly jumped for joy and tugged Isadora to a seat.
At that moment, a tall, elegant woman in a slinky blue dress sauntered over to Victor''s side and sat down gracefully.
Victor cast azy nce her way, tapping the ash from his cigarette into a sleek crystal ashtray, saying nothing.
"Let me pour you a drink, Mr. Oakley," she offered softly.