Chapter 168: Exchanges II

Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Exchanges II

Christopher’s phone vibrated again.

He glanced down.

Another message from Vivienne.

Okok. Thank you, Senior Archibald... hehe ^_^

He stared at it for a moment.

Then a small smile touched his lips.

There was something rather amusing about the message.

The little hehe.

And that strange little symbol at the end.

He wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

Still...

It was charming.

His thumb hovered over the screen.

Should he reply?

He considered it briefly.

Then decided against it.

She had already said she was in class.

There wasn’t really anything left to answer.

He locked his phone and placed it beside his documents.

James Camelot, one of the council secretaries sitting nearby, happened to notice the faint smile that remained on Christopher’s face.

"Something amusing?"

Christopher looked up.

"Nothing important."

James raised an eyebrow.

"That’s a suspicious answer."

Christopher laughed quietly.

"Is it?"

"You’ve been smiling at your phone."

"I’m allowed to smile."

"Of course."

James grinned.

"Was it someone you met at the Student Union’s matchmaking event?"

Christopher paused.

There was no reason to lie.

So he simply answered,

"Someone I met there."

James immediately smiled.

"I knew it."

Another council member looked up.

"Who?"

Christopher shook his head. He believes it was not his place to give someone else’s name away.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it does."

James laughed.

"You can’t say that and expect us not to be curious."

Christopher merely shook his head.

He wasn’t going to elaborate.

There was nothing particularly interesting about it anyway.

At least...

Not yet.

Before the conversation could continue, another council member spoke.

"Actually..."

He looked toward Christopher.

"I think I saw Lady Vivienne Beaumont at the event."

Christopher’s expression remained neutral.

Another member nodded.

"She was there."

"Wasn’t she?"

"Yes."

The conversation paused.

Several people exchanged glances.

Then, almost instinctively, their eyes shifted toward Anthony.

Anthony had been reviewing the Sports Fest documents.

His pen paused.

"Lady Beaumont?"

"She was at the matchmaking event."

Anthony looked up.

For the first time, genuine surprise crossed his face.

He hadn’t known she had actually gone.

And, despite himself, he remembered their conversation on Saturday.

If I were to start dating someone tomorrow... would you mind?

He had thought she was asking hypothetically.

Apparently...

She hadn’t been.

One of the members hesitated.

"Are you all right?"

Anthony blinked.

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"Well..."

The man glanced awkwardly at the others.

"You and Lady Beaumont..."

"We thought..."

He didn’t finish.

Anthony understood anyway.

A faintly amused expression crossed his face.

"You thought I was upset?"

No one answered.

Anthony leaned back slightly.

"The engagement was arranged by our grandparents."

"It was never something either of us chose for ourselves."

"We mutually agreed to end it."

His tone was matter-of-fact.

"There isn’t any bad blood between us."

Another member looked relieved.

"So you’re really fine?"

"Yes."

Anthony returned his attention to the documents.

"There’s nothing to be upset about."

The others exchanged glances.

Apparently satisfied, they let the subject drop.

Christopher had remained quiet throughout.

He already knew the engagement was over.

But now he understood something else.

Anthony genuinely wasn’t angry with her.

And, judging from his reaction...

He hadn’t expected Vivienne to attend the matchmaking event either.

Christopher’s gaze briefly shifted toward his phone.

He didn’t think much of it.

Still...

He quietly filed that information away.

"She was at the matchmaking event."

Anthony looked up.

For the first time, genuine surprise crossed his face.

He hadn’t known she had actually gone.

And, despite himself, he remembered their conversation on Sunday.

If I were to start dating someone tomorrow... would that be too soon?

He had thought she was asking hypothetically.

Apparently...

She hadn’t been.

One of the members hesitated.

"Are you all right?"

Anthony blinked.

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"Well..."

The man glanced awkwardly at the others.

"You and Lady Beaumont..."

"We thought..."

He didn’t finish.

Anthony understood anyway.

A faintly amused expression crossed his face.

"You thought I was upset?"

No one answered.

Anthony leaned back slightly.

"The engagement was arranged by our grandparents."

"It was never something either of us chose for ourselves."

"We mutually agreed to end it."

His tone was matter-of-fact.

"There isn’t any bad blood between us."

Another member looked relieved.

"So you’re really fine?"

"Yes."

Anthony returned his attention to the documents.

"There’s nothing to be upset about."

The others exchanged glances.

Apparently satisfied, they let the subject drop.

Christopher had remained quiet throughout.

He already knew the engagement was over.

But now he understood something else.

Anthony genuinely wasn’t angry with her.

And, judging from his reaction...

He hadn’t expected Vivienne to attend the matchmaking event either.

Christopher’s gaze briefly shifted toward his phone.

He didn’t think much of it.

Still...

He quietly filed that information away.

--

The Student Council members gradually filed out of the room.

Christopher remained behind for a moment to collect his papers.

James stopped beside the door.

"Are you coming?"

"In a moment."

Christopher closed his folder and slipped it beneath his arm.

The hallway outside was already filling with students heading toward their afternoon classes.

He checked the time.

He still had one lecture before the day was over.

International Relations.

He made his way toward the Political Governance building.

--

By the time Christopher entered the fourth-year Political Governance lecture hall, most of the students were already seated.

He glanced around the room before taking his usual place.

Damian Blackwood was there, seated several rows away with Julian Spencer and Adrian Carlisle.

Christopher gave them a brief nod before setting his books down.

It was an ordinary afternoon class.

Or at least, it should have been.

He had noticed Damian looking at him yesterday.

And again earlier that morning.

Not constantly.

Just often enough to make Christopher wonder if he’d somehow done something.

Earlier, he thought it must be because he witnessed him talking to lady Vivienne Beaumont the other day, and because he’s Anthony’s cousin, he might have thought it inappropriate. But since he heard from Anthony himself that he didn’t mind... perhaps, Damian’s information was simply not updated?

In any case, He decided not to think much of it.

Perhaps Damian had something to say.

Perhaps not.

Either way, Christopher had no reason to involve himself in it.

--

Tbc