?Chapter 416:
Elsewhere, the party was vibrant, filled withughter and abundant drinks. Elena sat at the center, nked by Wesley on one side and Malcolm on the other.
Malcolm coughed lightly and broke the silence first. “Wesley, you’ve recovered well, haven’t you? A toast to that.”
He grabbed a ss and drained it swiftly.
Wesley’s gaze dropped to his hand as he absently rubbed his ring, his expression nk.
Malcolm drank his ss in one go, the empty vessel making a crisp sound as it hit the table. “I’m done with mine. No rush, Wesley.”
Wesley slowly lifted his eyes and gestured toward the untouched sses lined up. “Is that so?”
Malcolm’s stomach sank, but he forced a smile and nodded. “Ha-ha, sure.”
“All right then.” Wesley gave a faint nod, picked up a ss, and added, “In that case, I’ll toast to you as well.”
Wesley took a small sip and looked at Malcolm, his eyes indifferent.
Malcolm’s smile stiffened. Why was Wesley targeting him again? Still, backing down wasn’t an option now. It was only one more drink, right? Grimacing inwardly, Malcolm reached for another ss. His forced smile began to crack. “Fine, I’ll drink.”
But the ordeal didn’t end there. One ss followed another, toasts seeming endless.
Malcolm drank ss after ss, almost to the point of vomiting. Each toast came with a different reason—celebrating teamwork, apuding dedication, cherishing brotherhood…
Malcolm knew all too well Wesley was doing this deliberately.
After countless rounds, Malcolm felt the room spin. Desperate, he shot Elena a pleading look, silently begging for her intervention. If he kept drinking, he’d be done for.
Elena caught the signal and turned her gaze to Wesley.
Wesley leaned back in his chair, legs casually crossed, swirling the wine in his ss. His expression remained unreadable, rxed yet distant. No hint of his inner thoughts could be detected.
Fresh updates now on g?lnσνe??s
Elena’s gaze lingered on the tight line of his jaw, immediately sensing the simmering frustration beneath his calm exterior. After a moment’s pause, she spoke gently. “Wesley, how about some cake?”
Though it sounded like a simple suggestion, Elena’s true intention was to discreetly remind Wesley that today marked Malcolm’s sister’s birthday—and this wasn’t the moment to escte anything.
Malcolm stared intently at Wesley.
While the rest of the room buzzed with cheerful chatter, this small corner was weighed down by an invisible tension.
A short distance away, Felix and Larry exchanged uneasy nces, silently expressing their concern.
Felix muttered under his breath, “Mr. Johnson never fails to stir the pot. He knows full well Mr. Spencer has feelings for Miss Harper, yet here he is, interfering.”
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