Chapter 576 drunkenness
"What conversation?" Lilian craned her neck to get a better look. The two, seemingly busy with food and drinks hardly appeared to be in any serious discussion.
"I'm not privy to the details, ma'am. All I know is that now is not the best time for you to approach," the guard informed.
"So, you just don't want me to talk to Natalie, right? You just don't want others to sample Natalie's cooking, is that it?" Lilian accused playfully.
"Miss Lilian, it's better if you understand without further explanation."
Frustrated and at a loss for words, Lilian huffed and sheepishly retreated. Even dealing with her cousin's guard was proving to be a challenge!
Watching the scene, a sharp-tongued socialite quipped, "Oliver truly lives large, having his own guards block people."
Someone retorted, "If you were the head of the Windsor family and had RK Corporation in your hands, you could afford such extravagance too."
"Yeah, better stop dreaming, then."
With Oliver's guard standing firm, even his own cousin Lilian got turned away, discouraging others from attempting to approach.
The lamb leg was roasted to perfection, the kind that paired exquisitely with a few gulps of beer. Natalie, eating the lamb and downing beer after beer, had an air of an elegant lady, poised and graceful. You'd never guess she'd be holding a beer mug instead of sipping red wine from a wine glass, yet she made even beer drinking look elegant.
Oliver was so engrossed in watching her that he didn’t realize his gaze betrayed his unspoken infatuation.
"Why the sudden urge to drink? Were you rattled by what happened this afternoon?" Oliver inquired.
Part of the reason he had agreed to let Natalie drink that day was out of concern that the afternoon's events had frightened her.
Drinking could numb the senses, relax the mind.
"Not at all," Natalie laughed, her tone a mix of seriousness and playfulness. "Those guys were after you, why should I be scared?"
Besides, this wasn't her first brush with danger alongside him. They'd been through high-speed car chases, gunshots, and even jumping from moving vehicles.
With the effects of the alcohol, her clear and beautiful eyes seemed even more lustrous and bright. Her glances were captivating, drawing one in with ease.
“Why should I be scared if Mr. Windsor here isn't?” Natalie boasted, a slightly jaunty tone spiced by the drinks she’d indulged in. “Besides, we're divorced, so even if someone wanted to use a woman to threaten you, they wouldn't target your ex-wife. They’d suspect Susan instead.”
“What does Susan have to do with any of this?” Oliver frowned, somewhat defensively.
“Look,” Natalie continued, playfully ticking off points on her fingers, “Firstly, our divorce is final, meaning our relationship is kaput. I’m no threat to you, and using me against you would be pointless; secondly, the public are buzzing with rumors about you and Susan—lots of folks think you left me for her. They say she’s the one that got away, your unattainable high school sweetheart, therefore she means a lot more to you.”
Oliver’s smile hardened into a thin line.
“Natalie, that’s not—”
“Not what?”
He clasped her glass firmly, preventing her from taking another sip, and gazed in her eyes, “I didn’t leave you for her. She’s not my one that got away. And we didn’t…”
“We didn’t get divorced because of her.” Natalie finished his sentence and nodded in agreement, “Indeed, our divorce wasn’t about her, she was just one piece of the puzzle.”
We’re not divorced, Natalie.
Oliver repeated the words silently to himself.
Natalie took a few more hearty gulps, quickly draining her pint of beer.
“Another one, please,” she called out to the server nearby.
The waiter glanced at Oliver, who subtly shook his head, signaling to cut her off.
Natalie glared at him, annoyed. She was enjoying herself!
“Natalie, no more drinks for you,” Oliver said firmly, taking away her glass, not leaving her even the last few sips.
“I can handle it!” she declared confidently.
Seeing Oliver holding her glass with no intention of returning it, she casually reached for his, and under his watchful eye, took a large gulp. Savoring the taste, her eyes squinted with satisfaction—a clear provocation.
Oliver didn’t know whether to be amused or exasperated by her antics.
With an almost saintly patience, he remarked, “Natalie, it’s not good for a lady to drink too much.”
“Guys drink beer all the time,” Natalie retorted, “why don’t I see boys cutting back on beer?”
Oliver was taken aback, “What did you just say?”
Natalie thought her previous remark was too soft, so she raised her voice to make sure he could hear her.
The area was usually quiet due to the presence of the security guard, Oliver. As people passed by, they instinctively hushed themselves, but then, out of the blue, came a remark from Natalie.
Natalie, prim and proper Natalie, said that? I couldn't believe it. Nor did I dare ask.
Oliver, intrigued, quietly took out his phone and turned on the voice recorder, placing the device to the side.
"Natalie, you've had too much to drink," Oliver sighed.
"I haven't," she insisted with conviction.
Seemingly worried that Oliver didn’t believe her, she added, "Maybe just a little bit, alright, more than a little, I am a bit buzzed."
She even pinched her fingers to show just how "little" she meant.
But her thoughts were still clear; her mind was sharp.
Natalie didn't drink often, yet she could hold her liquor impressively, thanks to Jane's peculiar training wherein Jane would say, "Drinking is a way adults interact; knowing how to handle your alcohol can save your life."
Oliver chuckled softly, took her hand in his, and asked, "How much is 'a bit'?"
"Just..." Natalie considered it seriously, struggled for a description, and concluded, "Just a bit!"
A deep, joyful laugh escaped his throat. He hadn't expected her to be this adorable when tipsy.
His heart moved, and though he had already begun recording, he couldn’t help but entertain the thought of getting her to drink at home when they had some leisure time.
"Don't hold my hand like that!" Natalie said, realizing she couldn't move her left hand and scowling at Oliver's touch.
Reluctantly, he held on for two more seconds before letting go and said nonchalantly, "Seems like you're not too drunk."
"Right?" Natalie said with pride, lifting her chin defiantly.
Oliver gazed at her playful chin, feeling an urge to touch.
And since he wanted to, he just did.
"Natalie, your chin seems sharper," Oliver remarked with displeasure, aware that it was due to previous issues with eating which had resulted in her losing weight.
It was his fault. He was angry at himself for not having taken better care of her.
However, Natalie was oblivious to his thoughts. Her reactions were slow, allowing Oliver to stroke her chin gently as if petting a cat, and she smiled, saying, "Sharper is prettier."
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