Meeting his outlandish friends

After working for a few hours, they left Clinton’s firm for the designated venue for the friends' gathering.
Alice had her heart in her mouth as she sat frozen beside him the car.
Sensing her nervousness, he held her hand with one hand while the other was on the wheel, “Hey, why are you so nervous? My friends don’t bite.”
Alice gulped, realizing he had seen through her nervousness.
“No, it's nothing,” she managed to say at last.

After a few turns and stops, they finally arrived at the couture restaurant. Immediately, they got out of the car. Enzo held Alice’s hand and they walked into the place while the workers around bowed for them.
The reserved table for them was in a VIP corner, a separate room.
As the workers opened the giant door, everyone in the room stood up at attention.
Ross, Ryu, Serena, and Caleb were astounded at the sight of the long-awaited person.
“Sister-in-law?” Ross was the first to speak.
Alice felt her heart tremble again, but with her hand caught in Enzo’s, she felt reassured.
“Hello, I am….” Before she could finish, Enzo interrupted, “What are you doing? Won't you welcome your sister-in-law?”
Caleb was the first to sit down with a hiss. Alice was surprised, but the others didn’t say anything. Caleb had always been short-tempered.
His father is a cousin to the Clinton family, making him eligible to be Enzo’s friend.
Serena spoke at last, “Hi Enzo, good to see you again after five years.”
“Welcome back to Liverpool, you’re looking much bigger than your age,” Enzo said, and everyone laughed except Alice.
After the long greeting and introductions, they sat down.
“Hey, bro, we never expected you to have a wife, is she made of iron?” Ross asked before the food was served.
Enzo smiled simply and raised Alice’s hand, pinching her slowly on the arm and causing her to let out a little whimper, “Can a robot feel pain?”
They all laughed again, even though laughter could not cover the hatred in Serena’s eyes.
She glanced at her with such a look that no one could explain. She couldn't believe that he liked such a simple girl like her.

Then she decided to start a conversation.
"Enzo," she took a deep breath and maintained a decent smile on her face. She asked casually, "When are you and Alice planning to have your wedding? So that I can plan my plans in advance."
Alice, who had just taken a sip of juice, choked.
Wedding? Why would she bring up the matter of wedding?
She remembered when Kyle had asked her such a question too.
"Drink slowly, why did you choke?" Enzo patted her hand gently on her back and waited for her to get better, before replying to Serena, "I will only do what she wishes.”
Such an answer made Serena's face change.
She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists but still maintained her smiling face, "Aunt and Uncle haven't urged you."
Enzo slowly raised his head.
When his dark eyes looked at Serena, she instantly felt a sense of panic that he saw through. She could explain that this kind of expression was when he was angry.
Before waiting for what he would say, she explained in a panic: "I mean, you are already married. Your mum and dad will definitely want you to get the wedding done soon."
Enzo looked at her for a few seconds and ticked his lips, "They still don't know about the marriage."
"What?" Serena pretended to be surprised, "Did you not tell them? How come you are already living together and calling her wife?”
"Alice is not yet mentally prepared."
Enzo turned his head, looked at the girl sitting beside him, reached out to touch Alice’s head, and said softly, "When she is ready, I will take her to my parents.”
"Before that, if she doesn't want to go to my parents, we wouldn't go."
His tone was not particularly gentle, but it conveyed a hint of indulgence and warmth.
His meaning was obvious.
All in all, he respected her decision.
Not to mention Serena, even when Ross and Caleb, who had listened to what he said, showed surprise and surprise on their faces.
Serena asked this, thinking that Enzo did not want to take Alice to his parents, perhaps he was planning to use her and then dump her.
She wanted Alice to know this.
But Enzo’s answer undoubtedly slapped both of them on the face.
"Yes, is it?" Serena bit her lip tightly, her hands shaking by her side.
"Huh," Enzo just responded faintly.

After some time, the meal was served. The table was enveloped in a heavy silence, punctuated only by the clinking of plates and cutlery. Alice kept her gaze fixed on her plate, avoiding eye contact with anyone at the table. It felt as though every pair of eyes was on her, scrutinizing her every move.

She hurriedly shoveled rice into her mouth, trying to stifle her nerves, but her haste led to a choking fit. Gasping for breath, she coughed uncontrollably until Caleb's cold voice cut through the tension. "Nobody is rushing you, at least not when your husband is here," he remarked, passing her a glass of water with a hint of impatience.

"Am... am... so... sorry," Alice stammered, accepting the water gratefully. She was about to take a sip, when Enzo collected the cup from her and returned it. Then he gave her another water from his own cup.
Everyone was astonished.

“Hey, did you have to oppress us here? What’s bad in giving her water?” Ryu asked.
Enzo shot him a glance and kept quiet.

Ross intervened, attempting to ease the tension. "Come on, Enzo, don't be so hard on us because of your wife. It's natural to feel concerned for our sister-in-law.”

Alice nodded in agreement, but the embarrassment lingered, and she returned her focus to her food, determined to avoid any further mishaps.
Enzo held her hand and removed the spoon, “I’ll feed you.”
This last statement really surprised everyone.
He’s going to feed her?
Alice felt really embarrassed. She whispered to him softly, “What are you doing? Everyone is here.”
Enzo didn’t reply but shoved a spoonful of soup into her open mouth, staining her lips in the process.
By this time, everyone in the room was in utter shock.

The dining room descended into another uncomfortable silence, broken only by grunts from Alice and patting by Enzo.
After the meal, Ross started another round of jests as he went around the room trying to make everywhere funny.
“Um, I will love to use the restroom,” Alice said obediently.
They all looked at her again.
Enzo quickly stood up.
“Let's go.”