Chapter 155: Chapter 155: She Likes It Lively

Wendy Rhodes glared at Cecilia Croft. "On a day like today, for you to ask a question like that... you’re obviously doing it just to be disgusting!"

Cecilia Croft strongly disagreed with Wendy’s words and spoke up.

"If this is what you call disgusting, then aren’t the people who’ve done shameless things even more disgusting?"

"You..." Wendy Rhodes gritted her teeth. Just as she was about to retort, Minnie Rhodes stopped her.

"That’s enough, Wendy. Quiet down. We’re just playing a game. Don’t be such a sore loser."

She couldn’t have Wendy getting provoked by Cecilia and saying something she shouldn’t.

After shooting Wendy a warning glance, Minnie picked up her wine glass from the table and drained it in one gulp, a trace of hatred hidden in her eyes.

Cecilia simply smiled at her. After Minnie downed her drink, Cecilia was even the first to applaud.

"Minnie, you can really hold your liquor."

Minnie found the smile on Cecilia’s face far too grating. She slammed her glass down on the table, then turned with a smile to Ash Quillan to ask her question.

"Ash, do you love me more, or your ex-girlfriend more?"

She decided to co-opt Cecilia’s line of questioning for Ash.

"The weather isn’t great today."

Without the slightest hesitation or pause, Ash answered Minnie’s question with a complete non-sequitur.

Minnie had expected Ash to consider her pride and give a straightforward answer, or at least just take the drink. She never thought he would actually dodge the question.

Her expression stiffened for a moment. Fortunately, Ash quickly turned to ask a question of the person beside him, so not too many people noticed her reaction.

Only Cecilia, who was closest to her, watched her with a knowing smile. On the pretense of setting down her water glass, she leaned in and said with a laugh.

"Minnie, that feeling... doesn’t taste too good, does it?"

Minnie sneered, calmly firing back at Cecilia, "Not as bad as your sister must feel."

As she spoke, she kept her expression perfectly controlled, giving the impression that she and Cecilia were just having a casual chat.

Cecilia wasn’t provoked by her words, her own face remaining calm.

"Why would my sister feel bad? She’s the one who set you two up. She’s sitting at the head table for your engagement today, and she’ll be at the head table for the wedding, too. It seems like you’re the only one who feels bad."

The fake smile on Minnie’s face faded slightly. She didn’t continue the war of words with Cecilia.

Soon, the round of the game ended, and the questions began to go counter-clockwise.

When it was Minnie’s turn to question Cecilia, a flash of vengeful pleasure crossed her eyes.

"Cecilia, dear, I heard you’re involved in improper relationships with many men?"

Everyone present was taken aback by Minnie’s question. Sebastian Hawthorne, sitting beside Cecilia, narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning sharp as he looked at Minnie.

But Cecilia was unfazed by the slanderous question. With a straight face, she replied with a non-sequitur, "A toad looks for a frog."

Jasmine Vance heard her reply and chimed in almost immediately.

"Ugly, and a total player."

The two of them worked together so seamlessly that it drew a burst of laughter from the people around them.

Minnie showed no obvious sign of being upset, merely offering a faint smile.

Cecilia turned sideways, her tone quick as she questioned Sebastian Hawthorne.

"So, do you like me?"

She was using his own question from the last round.

Sebastian: "..."

’She really knows how to give someone a taste of their own medicine.’

A victorious smile played on Cecilia’s lips, and she felt a surge of joy, as if a great wrong had been avenged. She picked up the wine bottle in front of Sebastian, filled a glass for him, and handed it over.

"Drink up."

Sebastian’s eyes were deep as he took the glass from her. He drained it in one go, his gaze never leaving her.

Zachary Grant went "Tsk," and teased,

"Sebastian, that look in your eyes is terrifying. Are you treating Cecilia like she’s on the menu?"

Sebastian’s eyes darkened. He put down his glass and shot him a look.

"When did you two get so close?"

Zachary Grant was a bit intimidated by his glare, but he just laughed and brushed it off.

Cecilia was still reveling in the joy of having evened the score.

But as it turned out, she was then targeted by all sorts of questions from Sebastian Hawthorne.

His questions became increasingly tricky. Sometimes Cecilia would have a nonsensical answer prepared in her head, but when it came time to speak, she would end up answering his question properly anyway.

She drank more and more, and her answers started to get muddled.

Sebastian, on the other hand, seemed to grow more sober, and he managed to dodge every single question she threw at him with a non-sequitur.

Cecilia was never a big drinker to begin with. When someone suggested changing the game, she grabbed a blank piece of paper and waved it in the air.

"I surrender, I surrender! I can’t drink anymore."

She was already starting to feel tipsy. If she kept drinking, she would most likely pass out.

Cecilia didn’t want to make a fool of herself in a place like this and embarrass her sister.

"You have to drink three glasses to surrender."

Someone shouted it out, and a chorus of agreement rose from the crowd.

Minnie Rhodes seized the opportunity, placing three full glasses of wine in front of Cecilia.

"Cecilia, it’s hard to go against the will of the crowd. Drink up. It’s not even a full bottle."

Cecilia’s tolerance for alcohol wasn’t great to begin with; she had already gone above and beyond her usual limits today.

Minnie had probably noticed her low tolerance and was deliberately using the crowd’s suggestion to give her a hard time.

Cecilia waved her hand in refusal. "I really can’t drink anymore."

Minnie said, "Cecilia, you have to drink the forfeit shots. After you drink them, if you really don’t feel well, I’ll have a servant help you to a room to rest."

"These are the rules in our circle. If you want to fit in with us, you have to know the rules."

As she spoke, she picked up a glass and moved it toward Cecilia’s lips.

Just as Cecilia raised a hand to push it away, the person beside her took the glass and drained it.

He then drank the remaining two glasses on the table until they were empty, set the last one down, and spoke in a cold, deep voice.

"She’s with me. I’ll drink for her. Any problem with that?"

"Miss Rhodes, were you about to lecture me on the rules?"

Cecilia looked up at Sebastian Hawthorne, feeling as if he were radiating the glorious light of a savior.

Good.

’Okay. I can forgive him for tripping me up during the game earlier.’

Minnie hadn’t expected Sebastian Hawthorne to publicly stand up for Cecilia, and she felt a pang of humiliation.

They had been classmates, yet he was still addressing her so formally as "Miss Rhodes."

Snapping out of her daze, Minnie shook her head and said with a smile,

"No problem at all."

’How could she dare lecture Sebastian Hawthorne on the rules?’

Sebastian grunted in acknowledgment and looked away from her.

The air was quiet for a moment, and then someone again suggested changing the game.

Amid a chorus of agreement, the brief moment of awkwardness quickly dissipated.

Minnie raised a hand to summon a server.

"Take Miss Croft to a side room to rest."

She had just given the order when Sebastian reached out and pulled Cecilia to his side.

"No need. She likes the excitement."