<b>Chapter </b><b>319 </b>
In a private room at the hot spring resort, most of the group members had already gathered before Bowen and Aubree arrived.
Ollie Lane was the first to arrive as he had to get things ready. Alvin Turner and Mark King arrived togetherter that morning.
“You’re early! Didn’t Ninae with you?”
“We came on the same flight. She went to pick up the cake Bowen ordered.” Ollie was sprawledzily on the sofa, snacking on a fruit tter and bantering with the rest.
Momentster, Nina Pryor arrived carrying the cake Bowen had ordered.
Ollie looked around the room. There were four of them, just right for a game of bridge. Thus, he took out a deck of cards and they yed a few rounds. Soon, he received a message on his phone. <b>“</b>They’re here. Bowen just texted to say they are at the entrance.”
Mark nodded dumbly.
Ollie suddenly asked Alvin in a quizzical manner, “<b>Hey</b><b>! </b><b>Doesn’t </b>that <b>mean </b>Aubree <b>is </b>your <b>aunt</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
Alvin froze for a second. He realized he had <b>never </b><b>really </b>considered <b>that </b>question <b>before</b>.
Aubree was actually a few months younger than him. <b>To </b>think that he had to <b>acknowledge </b><b>someone younger </b>than him <b>as </b><b>“</b>Aunt” henceforth…
Alvin’s eyelid twitched a <b>few </b>times before he gave <b>a </b>nonmittal grunt.
This cracked Ollie up. <b>“</b>Alvin, <b>if </b>you <b>ask </b>me, you should straighten <b>your </b><b>Uncle </b><b>Bowen </b>out! We <b>can’t </b>let that old <b>weasel </b><b>step </b>all over us like this!”
Mark produced a trump suit at this <b>juncture </b>and won the game. Ollie <b>wailed</b>, “<b>No </b><b>way</b>! <b>I </b><b>was </b><b>just </b>chatting and <b>wasn’t </b>paying attention. That doesn’t count!”
Mark scoffed, “Who <b>cares</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
Ollie got angry and shoved the cards <b>aside</b><b>. </b><b>“</b>I’m not ying anymore!<b>” </b>He then noticed Nina <b>still </b>standing quietly in one <b>corner</b>, so <b>he </b>beckoned to her. “Come sit down, Nina. No need to be <b>so </b>formal. <b>We’re </b>all friends <b>here</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
Not wanting to stand out too much, Nina took <b>a </b><b>seat </b><b>next </b>to Mark hesitantly.
Mark turned to Ollie, “You got here <b>yesterday</b>? What <b>were </b>you up toing <b>so </b><b>early</b>?”
Ollie grinned wickedly and replied, “Out of the three of <b>us</b>, only <b>Bowen </b><b>is </b>still a cherry boy<b>. </b><b>As </b>his bro<b>, </b>shouldn’t I help him a little?”
“Hey<i>, </i>Ollie, <b>easy </b>now. Don’t piss off my uncle.”
Ollie said with relish, “Ho! Just wait and see<b>. </b>After tonight, Bowen Turner will be kissing my shoes and thanking me!
“Back then, Aubree wasn’t officially his girl <b>yet</b>. But now it’s the first time <b>he’s </b>celebrating her birthday after they got together. Did you guys see Bowen prepare any gift for her? I bet he’s scheming to gift himself to her!”
Mark wasn’t optimistic about the sess rate. He chuckled as he <b>recalled</b>, “When they <b>were </b>in Kroit City, the two of them got drugged, but Bowen summoned a doctor for Aubree while he himself just toughed it out.”
“Mr. Turner is almost thirty and still…? And after identally swallowing an aphrodisiac, he still didn’t do anything with Ms. Miller…” Nina was incredulous,
Strictly speaking, as bodyguards, they shouldn’t pry too much into the employer’s private affairs. However, Nina’s curiosity overcame her and she asked timidly, “Surely Mr. Turner isn’t really… unable<b>?</b><b>” </b>
“Cough, cough…<i>” </i>Ollie choked on his drink. Nina was too frank.
She lookedpletely serious, which <b>made </b>Mark burst outughing. “Yeah, Bowen’s really not up to it.”
Alvin couldn’t resist smiling in spite of himself.
The door swung open at this point<b>, </b>and Bowen walked in with Aubree, who wasughing uncontrobly. “If I still don’t show up, who knows what kind of rumors I’d be hearing about myself tomorrow!”
Aubree thought to herself that she could perhaps vouch for Bowen that he was actually quite capable in this <b>aspect</b>.
“Haha! Huh? What<b>? </b><b>Ah</b><b>, </b><b>we’ve </b>been <b>waiting </b>for you guys <b>forever</b><b>!</b>” Ollieughed ingratiatingly. Nina, <b>however</b>, <b>kept </b>her <b>head </b>lowered sheepishly.
12:57 PM
&
Bowen wasn’t actually angry. After all, if he could make Breeugh like that, it <b>was </b>all worth it.
Now that everyone had arrived, Ollie herded the group to the dinner table. All of them weren’t exactly chatty, except for Ollie. Thus, it was up to him to keep the conversation lively <b>at </b>the table.