Chapter 355: Let Her Live, Samuel

The clinking of crystal glasses echoed softly through the grand dining room as April raised her drink, her brown eyes glittering under the warm chandelier light.

Beside her, Nat let out a low, victorious bark of laughter, instantly clinking his glass against hers with enough force to slosh a few dark amber drops over the rim.

"That’s my girl," Nat drawled, his amber eyes burning with a dark, satisfied heat as he watched her take her first tentative sip. "Bottoms up."

April winced slightly as the heavy vintage liquor scorched down her throat, leaving a trail of liquid fire in her chest.

She still wasn’t used to this kind of burn.

"Careful, April," Xavier murmured, his raspy voice dropping low near her ear. He reached out, his long fingers lightly steadying her hand around the crystal glass. "This vintage has a deceptive bite. I wouldn’t want our host passing out before the real celebration begins."

"I am completely fine, Xavier," April hummed, though a faint, rosy flush was already creeping up her neck, dusting her cheeks with a soft warmth.

She set the glass down with a soft clink against the mahogany table. "Besides... I have five capable men here to carry me if I fall, don’t I?"

"Ah," Alexander exclaimed and looked towards Nat. "Let’s hope that rough handling doesn’t happen tonight. Nat Collins, you should take a step back from drunk care duty."

Xavier laughed under his breath and Nat clicked his tongue.

"That was one time, okay? I’m not going to make the same mistake twice," his eyes burned.

Sure, he wouldn’t want her throwing up all over her from flipping her over when she’s drunk.

"I will carry you anywhere you wish, Miss April," Samuel stated smoothly from behind her, his crisp white apron—still faintly dusted with the flour Xavier had thrown earlier—doing nothing to diminish his immaculate authority.

He reached down, refilling her water glass with practiced grace. "Though I would strongly advise pacing yourself."

"Oh, let her live a little, Samuel," Alexander interjected, a lazy smirk curving his lips as he rested his elbow on the table. "She spent the last week overseeing a nationwide tournament and managing all of us. She’s earned the right to unravel."

"Unravelling in a controlled environment is statistically proven to reduce psychological fatigue," Oliver added, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses with one finger. He fixed his gaze squarely on April. "Provided... she remains within my sight."

Nat snorted, leaning back in his chair and slinging a heavy, muscular arm over the back of April’s seat, his fingers casually brushing the bare skin of her shoulder above her emerald dress.

"Look at you, Doc. You’re acting so differently now. You were bold before but now you’re extra, extra bold." He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with wicked interest. "Tell us, what were you up to while we were turning this entire household upside down searching for her this morning? Did you make a move?"

The atmosphere at the table shifted instantly, the playful bantering sharpening into a taut, crackling electric charge.

Alexander’s blue eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as he set his glass down. Xavier’s smile remained intact, but his jaw clenched rigidly, his dark eyes flicking between Oliver’s calm face and April’s flushed cheeks.

"Indeed," Xavier said, his voice dripping with lethal elegance. "Dr. Baxter was remarkably quiet this morning while the rest of us were... actively searching for our lady. Perhaps he would care to enlighten us on how he spent his early hours?"

Oliver didn’t flinch. He simply picked up his fork, cutting into his perfectly seared steak with surgical accuracy before lifting his dark gaze to meet Xavier’s head-on.

"I was receiving specialized treatment for severe sleep deprivation," Oliver replied calmly, his voice entirely unbothered by the predatory glares surrounding him. "Administered directly by Miss April. It was remarkably effective."

Nat let out a harsh, low growl in his throat, his hand tightening possessively over April’s shoulder, while Alexander’s knuckles turned white around his wine stem.

April couldn’t help it—a soft, breathless giggle escaped her lips, the alcohol already loosening her usual tight restraint.

She leaned back against Nat’s arm, looking at the five men sitting around her table, all glaring at each other over a home-cooked meal they had bickered endlessly to make.

"You are all completely hopeless," April laughed softly, her eyes sparkling as she reached for her glass once more. "We’re supposed to be celebrating the end of the competition... and here you are, ready to start another war."

"It’s not a war, sweetheart," Nat whispered against her temple, his lips brushing her hot skin as his hand slid down to rest firmly against her waist beneath the table. "It’s just hungry men... fighting over the only prize that matters."

"Mm, it’s no fun," she hummed and lifted herself from Nat’s arm. "Let’s drink. I can’t be the only one drinking, okay?"

The clinking of crystal glasses echoed softly through the grand dining room as April raised her drink, her brown eyes glittering under the warm chandelier light.

Beside her, Nat let out a low, victorious bark of laughter, instantly clinking his glass against hers with enough force to slosh a few dark amber drops over the rim.

"That’s my girl," Nat drawled, his amber eyes burning with a dark, satisfied heat as he watched her take her first tentative sip. "Bottoms up."

April winced slightly as the heavy vintage liquor scorched down her throat, leaving a trail of liquid fire in her chest.

She still wasn’t used to this kind of burn.

"Careful, April," Xavier murmured, his raspy voice dropping low near her ear. He reached out, his long fingers lightly steadying her hand around the crystal glass. "This vintage has a deceptive bite. I wouldn’t want our host passing out before the real celebration begins."

"I am completely fine, Xavier," April hummed, though a faint, rosy flush was already creeping up her neck, dusting her cheeks with a soft warmth.

She set the glass down with a soft clink against the mahogany table. "Besides... I have five capable men here to carry me if I fall, don’t I?"

"Ah," Alexander exclaimed and looked towards Nat. "Let’s hope that rough handling doesn’t happen tonight. Nat Collins, you should take a step back from drunk care duty."

Xavier laughed under his breath and Nat clicked his tongue.

"That was one time, okay? I’m not going to make the same mistake twice," his eyes burned.

Sure, he wouldn’t want her throwing up all over her from flipping her over when she’s drunk.