When Samuel received Alexander’s call, his first thought was that he had made a mistake. Am I dreaming? Alexander is actually calling me?
“Hello, Alex, it’s rare for you to give me a call at this hour.”
Alexander gave his collar a tug. “I’m at Corona. Come drink with me.”
Samuel was surprised. “Why are you getting yourself drunk? Has Sophia finally woken up and fallen for someone else? Are you heartbroken?”
“Are you coming or not?”
Alexander was in no mood for any banter. Why does Samuel have such a foul mouth all the time?
All of a sudden, he felt as if inviting the latter to drink was a stupid decision. As the realization struck him, he changed his mind. “Forget it. I don’t want you here anymore.”
When Alexander hung up right after, Samuel clicked his tongue in response. “Is he ordering me around on a whim? Does he think I’m his dog?”
Sheesh! I’m definitely not!
Given that Alexander was seldom in low spirits, Samuel felt it a shame if he didn’t take advantage of it to ridicule his friend.
During the drive there, Samuel floored the accelerator, worried that Alexander would be gone by the time he got there.
Evidently, his fears were unfounded. Alexander was so disturbed by Perrin’s words that he didn’t even dare show his face in front of Sophia for fear that her sharp eye would easily spot how distraught he felt. Consequently, he ended up in Corona, drinking in a private room.
After parking his car, Samuel entered the club. As the few of them had rooms reserved on a long-term basis, he knew where to look.
Although the room door was closed, he easily opened it with a gentle turn of the door knob.
Not all the lights were on, but he could clearly see Alexander slumped on the couch underneath the dim lighting.
On the table in front of him was a bottle of red wine and a decanter. Close to the edge sat a wine glass with a single mouthful of wine left.
Brows raised, Samuel approached him. “Alex, what’s wrong with you?”
Isn’t he usually by Sophia’s side at this hour? Why is he getting himself drunk alone today?
“Did Sophia really dump you?”
The words caused Alexander to gradually open his eyes and give Samuel a cold stare. “Mr. Dawson is in Jadeborough. I just had dinner with him.”
“Who is this Mr. Dawson to have unsettled you to this extent? Wait, do you mean that Mr. Dawson?”
The answer dawned upon Samuel mid-sentence.
Alexander threw him a scornful glance. “Can you be any dumber?”
“Is he trying to break you up? Hahaha. All this while, I have only heard of the boy’s parents getting the girl to leave their son because they think she is beneath him. This is the first time I’ve encountered a situation where the roles are reversed. You’re amazing, Alex, to have become the first of a kind!”
Unable to control himself, Alexander grabbed Samuel’s wrist and bent his fingers forcefully.
“Ouch! It hurts! You’re going to break my fingers!”
It wasn’t until Alexander gave him the side-eye that he released his grip. “You had better watch that mouth of yours.”
“Fine, I’ll stop teasing you. What did Mr. Dawson say?”
After giving his hand a shake, Samuel poured himself a glass of red wine unabashedly.
Upon smelling the nose of the wine, he quickly took a sip when he recognized the wine as one from Alexander’s personal collection.
Ah… A bottle that costs six hundred thousand really tastes a little better than one that costs a few hundred thousand.
In no mood to comment, Alexander simply gave him the side-eye.
When silence finally returned to the room, the unsatisfied Samuel began chattering non-stop.
At that moment, Alexander felt calling Samuel over was nothing but a mistake, for all he wanted to do now was to throw the latter out.
“Can you shut your trap for once?”
“That’s too much, Alex! I’m doing this for your own good. Tell me, don’t I deserve half the credit for helping you reconcile with Sophia?”
Alexander let out a snort. “You really are good at blowing your own trumpet.”
The embarrassed Samuel scratched his nose. “Even then, I’m sure I have at least ten to twenty percent contribution in the matter. If I hadn’t convinced you to admit your mistake to Sophia, you would still be courting her till the cows come home!”
“I can’t believe how shameless you are, Samuel.”
All of a sudden, Alexander could understand how Sophia felt when he behaved shamelessly in front of her. She must have been so enraged and helpless at the same time.
Despite Samuel’s brazenness, he had inadvertently given Alexander a useful suggestion.
The latter fixed his gaze on the man. “He didn’t say much. He just told me that he disapproved of our relationship.”
“We’re no longer living in the age of arranged marriages, so what’s the big deal about an old fogey like him objecting to the marriage?”
Samuel was typical of someone who liked shooting his mouth off without a true picture of the situation.
Alexander—sick of the sight of his friend—closed his eyes. “Get lost.”
He was on the brink of beating the former up.
With only a single night light on, Alexander cut a pitiful figure underneath its yellow hue.
Feeling sorry for him, Samuel adopted a serious tone. “If you think Mr. Dawson is someone important, wouldn’t making him happy solve the problem? I’m not telling you to ingratiate yourself with him, but by treating Sophia better, the Dawson family will be moved by your sincerity with time. Wouldn’t it end happily for everyone?”
Alexander’s response upset Samuel. “Am I wrong?”
I have always enjoyed a good relationship with the older generation, so what’s with Alexander’s attitude toward my perfectly valid suggestion?
“My words might have sounded redundant, Alex, but you have to realize you can’t change the past. You’re now together with Sophia, who has now been recognized by the Dawson family. Considering that Mr. Dawson has just learned of the existence of his granddaughter, he can’t help treasuring her like she meant the world to him. Therefore, it’s natural that he feels as if you’re taking her away from him. Anyone would be upset in his position. You have to give him some time, as patience is the key to victory. If you don’t trust my words, there’s little else I can help you with.”
When Samuel ended his soliloquy with a shrug, Alexander was stunned.
It was true the former seemed to be stating the obvious, but Alexander still found gems of advice in his words.
He now realized the source of his problem—his overwhelming sense of urgency.
Since his divorce from Sophia and her acknowledgment by the Dawson family were both recent events, his attempt to reconcile their marriage in such a short time would naturally trigger discontent among those around her.
Patience wasn’t going to be a problem for him. He was just caught off guard by the suddenness of Perrin’s involvement.
Holding that thought, Alexander could feel the tension within him ease up.
He then turned toward Samuel. “Thank you.”
With that, he got up to leave the private room.
Upon realizing what was going on, Samuel asked, “Where are you going?”
Take me with you! It’s lonely being by myself.
“To see Sophia.”
The answer rendered Samuel speechless.
Get lost, you ungrateful friend!
After letting out a snort, he lowered his gaze to eye the half-empty bottle of wine. He subsequently pressed the call bell to summon the waiter. “Help me store this bottle of wine. Remember, it’s mine!”
Not Alexander’s!
