?Chapter 1640:


    A subtle change flickered across the Wade siblings’ faces. After Christina’s words, refusing was out of the question.


    “Since we lost, it’s only right that we ept the punishment,” Jaxen said, forcing a polite smile. He hoped that epting defeat gracefully would leave a good impression on Christina.


    La kept her smile intact. “Exactly. A wager is a wager, and the losers have to pay the price. Bonnie, punish us however you like.” Inside, she was seething — furious with herself for letting things spiral this far. If she had known Christina would turn out to be this capable, pushing her and Jaxen intost ce, she never would have suggested the golf game in the first ce.


    “I really respect how gracefully you’re handling this… so…” Christina smiled and let the pause linger, her eyes drifting between La and Jaxen.


    They took it as praise and a sign she might go easy on them.


    “So now,” she continued, “it’s time for the punishment.”


    She turned to her brothers with a light, teasing tone — affectionate and utterly yful. “Bain, Jordy, Gerry, could you ask someone to bring over two buckets of cold water?”


    That tone alone was enough to make the Jones brothers willing to do anything for her, especially something as simple as this. Bain lifted a hand, and a servant hurried over at once.


    “Sir, how may I assist you?” the servant asked, bowing slightly.


    “Bring two buckets of cold water,” Bain said evenly.


    “Right away, sir!” The servant rushed off without another word.


    The smiles on the Wade siblings’ faces stiffened as they struggled to hold theirposure, inwardly cursing their own misfortune. They had expected Christina to spare them — yet she was truly going through with it. The weather was already cold, and being soaked with two full buckets would surely leave them ill. Worse still, the Jones family’s servants would be watching the entire ordeal — a humiliation that was painful just to imagine.


    Before long, several servants returned, each carrying a bucket filled to the brim with cold water. Following closely behind them was the visibly concerned housekeeper, Etta.


    “I heard you were ying golf and that the losers were to be drenched with cold water,” Etta said, her displeasure in. “Those buckets arepletely full. They’ll freeze solid.” Having heard what was happening, she had rushed over without even reporting to Florrie, hoping to put a stop to it.


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    “It’s fine, Etta. They’ll be okay,” Gerry said with a grin, trying to reassure her.


    Etta shot him a sharp, disapproving look. “Oh, really? And how exactly will they be fine? If you’re so confident, why don’t you take the punishment yourself?”


    “I didn’t lose, so it wouldn’t make sense for me to be punished,” Gerry replied with a shrug, sounding entirely unconcerned.


    Etta was thoroughly exasperated. “You didn’t lose, so you’re just going to stand there and watch them suffer through something this ridiculous? That’s heartless. I’m telling your grandmother about this.”


    “Etta, please!” Gerry cut in quickly. “Don’t do that. Jaxen and La already agreed to it — telling Grandma won’t change anything.”


    “What?” Etta paused. “Jaxen and La lost?”


    She had only caught fragments from the servants about the golf match and the cold water punishment, and had assumed Christina and Gerry — the weakest yers — were the ones who hade inst.


    “Yes, they finishedst. Bain and I were second, and Bonnie and Jordy took first,” Gerry said with a proud grin.


    Etta stared at Christina in stunned silence, momentarily speechless. Who would have thought she was this capable? She had truly lived up to the Jones family name. As the reality of it settled in, Etta’s expression gradually softened. “Well… I suppose that’s eptable then.”


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