Chapter 117 Drink to Your Mistakes
"Fine, sit down," Scarlett commanded, her gaze fixed on Alexander.
Alexander, with calculated nonchalance, chose the seat next to Ava, feigning an intimacy that was not yet fully formed.
"Grandma, you seem even more spirited than before," he commented, attempting to lighten the mood.
Scarlett, however, was not one for sweet talk. "Don't try to flatter me. Ava's been the one cheering me up. You've done nothing but annoy me," she retorted with brutal honesty.
Alexander, far from being offended, took her words in stride. His devotion to his grandma was unwavering, and he understood that her stern demeanor was rooted in love.
"I'm sorry, Grandma. I've been in the wrong," he admitted, his apology sincere.
"Recognizing that is good. Now, for your punishment," Scarlett declared, turning to the butler with a stern gaze. "Get Mr. Alexander a bottle of wine. He's to drink three glasses on his own as a penalty."
The butler, obedient as ever, promptly brought a bottle of red wine. He uncorked it, filled a wine glass, and set it before Alexander.
"Grandma," Ava interjected, concern etching her voice. "He needs to drive back later. Drinking may not be the best idea."
Scarlett dismissed her worries with a wave of her hand. "Don't worry. If he gets tipsy, the driver will take him," she insisted, then turned to Alexander. "Well, what are you waiting for? Don't tell me you won't accept your punishment?"
With a resigned smile, Alexander picked up the glass and downed the wine in one go.
Ava watched in silent worry as her husband seemed intent on accepting his self-imposed punishment. The butler, unyielding in his service, filled the large wine glass halfway on his first pour.
"Alexander, eat some food first. Don't down it all at once. Take it slow. Grandma never said you had to drink it all in one go,” she advised, offering him a helping of food.
“Ava, don’t coddle him. If he's done wrong, he has to face the consequences,” Scarlett interjected, her tone firm.
“Grandma, can't he have a bite to eat first?” Ava pleaded, holding the food up to Alexander’s lips. She knew drinking on an empty stomach could mean a rough night ahead.
Feeling Ava’s concern, Alexander felt the unease from the half glass of wine dissipate. He accepted the food she offered and handed the wine glass back to the butler.
Scarlett watched their exchange with a keen eye, missing nothing.
The butler poured another half glass, this time more generously, seemingly intent on giving Alexander a hard time.
Alexander, having known the butler for years, respected the old man and understood he was merely acting on Scarlett’s wishes.
Seeing the excessive pour, Ava turned to the butler with a distressed expression. “Mike, why did you pour so much?”
Her tone was not imperious but protective, that of a wife defending her husband.
The butler responded with measured confidence. “Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. Alexander can hold his liquor. There’s no need to worry. And surely, he'd prefer that I pour a bit more so as not to seem stingy.”
He turned to Alexander, his gaze calm and wise. “Right, Mr. Alexander?”
Alexander, despite having just drunk a glass of wine, was still steady—his tolerance for alcohol was indeed good.
“Yes, pour a bit more. I was late today, so I should take the punishment,” Alexander conceded, nudging the glass aside.
Upon seeing the butler pour almost a full second glass, he added, “Mike, you might as well fill it up for the second one.”
It seemed a half-glass hadn’t satisfied him.
Just as the butler was about to top off the glass, Ava, frantic, interjected, “Enough, don’t fill it up. You still have one more to go.”
