Chapter 188 King's Game
"Adrian, Oliver is disfigured and has no influence in the family, how can he ever compare to you? Moreover, we’ve known each other for such a long time, and the depth of our feelings for one another… How can any man come close to that? Don’t overthink things.”
Adrian's expression eased slightly upon hearing this. Although he did not truly love Hailey, the fact that she really loved him brought him satisfaction.
In reality, Adrian's dissatisfaction with Hailey had been increasing. However, with Hailey offering herself freely, combined with her appealing figure, agreeable skills, and attractive appearance, he found her tolerable for the moment.
"You should stop making things difficult for Natalie. She’s your sister. You should be kind. Otherwise, it’ll reflect badly on you if words were to spread.”
"I... I have not been making things difficult for her. Nothing happened,” Hailey said with an unnatural expression.
"You know what you did. Don’t think others are ignorant and can’t see the truth,” Adrian said, revealing that he had been aware of certain matters previously. He had refrained from saying anything due to his feelings for her, but now his feelings for her were waning.
Hailey clenched her teeth, rendered speechless.
‘Does he still have feelings for Natalie? She’s married to Oliver. She won’t have an interest in you!’
In the past, Hailey would have questioned Adrian out of jealousy, but now, she was indifferent to this matter.
Upon boarding the ship, Adrian headed directly to his cabin, ignoring Hailey. While this might not have seemed significant, given the presence of professional crew members to attend to her, the contrast between Natalie and Oliver's earlier interaction and this couple's current interaction was rather jarring.
Bystanders observed and quietly mocked them.
Feeling both embarrassed and irritated, Hailey's cheeks flushed red, and she was even more determined to win Oliver’s heart.
…
When the boats arrived at the island, the guests disembarked.
Natalie spotted two familiar figures among the guests, Isaac and Wyatt.
Although Isaac and Wyatt were present, they did not approach Oliver and stay with him like they usually would since he was now Oliver Windsor.
Upon seeing them, Wyatt offered Natalie a polite smile, while Isaac, seizing a moment of privacy, winked at her.
Oliver, sensing their attention, pulled Natalie closer, shielding her from their gazes, and shot Isaac a cold look.
Isaac shuddered.
"Must he treat me like a thief?” Isaac lamented to Wyatt.
Wyatt felt that Isaac had it coming. "Didn’t you want to pursue her before this?"
Isaac feigned innocence. "I was unaware that she was Oliver’s wife at that time. If I had known, no matter how beautiful she was, I wouldn’t dare to have any thoughts about her. Also, if I had known better, I’d have brought a date here, so I wouldn’t be stuck with you!”
Wyatt shot him a disdainful look. "Do you think I enjoy your company?"
…
The party featured two primary events: a charity auction and a dinner, both scheduled for the evening. During the day, guests were free to pursue their leisure activities.
Traditionally, men and women were separated during the party, with men using the opportunity for networking and business discussions, while women engaged in socializing and subtle competitions.
Noah also attended. However, to allow her brother and Hailey some alone time, she arrived on a separate boat. As soon as she arrived, she looked for Hailey.
Natalie was considered a prominent figure now. Although the Watson family was relatively humble among the elites, her marriage to Oliver had greatly elevated her status.
As the ladies chatted, they would often include Natalie in their conversations.
Conversely, very few were willing to engage with Hailey, who was marred by the scandal of the engagement party and her sullied reputation. Only a few interacted with her because of Noah.
"Natalie seems quite popular," Hailey said with a forced smile, trying to appear content and happy. Inwardly, she was seething with jealousy.
“She looks disgustingly smug with herself,” Noah said with a scoff. She did not bother to hide her disdain for Natalie. After all, she had yet to settle the accounts between them.
Meanwhile, the ladies near them felt awkward. Most of them thought that Noah was lucky to be born into the Harrington family. Otherwise, with such a character, she would have offended someone and gotten herself beaten up.
"It’s boring just to chat like this. Why don’t we play a game?” Hailey suddenly said, eager to recapture the spotlight and embarrass Natalie in front of everyone.
"Oh? What game do you have in mind?" someone asked curiously.
Most of the ladies were curious, always searching for amusement.
Hailey had already thought of a game, but she pretended to think before she said, “Noah, I remember you and your friends playing a card game where drawing various cards has different outcomes. That game seems quite entertaining.”
Noah, surprised by the sudden attention, was pleased. She said enthusiastically, “Are you talking about the King’s Game? The person who draws the King’s card has the authority to ask the person with the lowest card number to do something.”
"Perhaps instead of punishment, we can change it to performances,” Hailey suggested as she looked at the male guests. She saw this as an opportunity to shine.
The King’s Game was straightforward, essentially a more structured version of Spin the Bottle.
Noah agreed, thinking it was a splendid idea.
Soon, a group gathered around. The other young ladies also invited Natalie to participate.
Noah, who hated Natalie, would have preferred it if Natalie was excluded. However, seeing that Hailey did not object, she did not say anything.
Hailey smiled sinisterly, anticipating Natalie's embarrassment. She assumed that Natalie, who was treated like a servant in the Watson family, did not have any notable skills.
A lengthy table was set up on the lawn, and decks of cards were distributed among the participants. With nearly thirty players, it was decided that the two with the lowest card number would perform, serving as entertainment.
Natalie looked at her card; she got a ten. It was neither high nor low. In fact, she was not particularly interested in this game, but as Mrs. Windsor, she could not embarrass Oliver.
The game progressed, and many of the young ladies demonstrated their talents. From piano and violin performances to opera and rock songs, as well as classical and contemporary dances, there seemed to be no limit to their abilities. The estate was fully equipped, offering both instruments and costumes for the performances.
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