Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Little Aunt-in-law

The liquor was strong. Yvonne Sutton downed it in one gulp, and her throat burned. She looked over at Claire Lawrence, who was already wasted but still struggling to drink more.

Yvonne Sutton took a deep breath and was about to grab a second glass, but Monica Lynch stopped her.

"Yvonne Sutton, take a look at where you are and who you’re with! You’re drinking for her? Who do you think you are?!" Monica Lynch said venomously.

Joshua Hale frowned. "You can’t say that. We’re all friends here."

"Hah! Even among friends, there’s a pecking order. People like them shouldn’t go around saying they’re friends with me, Monica Lynch. I’d be too embarrassed!"

"Yvonne Sutton, I’m sorry, but there really isn’t a seat for you at this table. Why don’t you go drink outside? My treat," Wendy Winters said, her voice gentle and kind.

But her words dripped with humiliation.

"Get out!" Vincent Reed snapped.

Yvonne Sutton bit her lower lip hard. "Claire, let’s go."

She tried to help Claire Lawrence leave, but Claire pushed her away, turned, and grabbed another glass. "Mr... Mr. Rhodes, a toast to you..."

She was so dizzy she couldn’t even see straight, toasting a nearby fruit platter instead. Just as she was about to drink, Yvonne Sutton snatched the glass from her hand and turned to face Silas Rhodes.

"Mr. Rhodes, I’ll drink this one for her as well. Please forgive us." With that, Yvonne Sutton downed another glass.

"Yvonne Sutton! Are you deaf or just stupid? You..."

Monica Lynch didn’t get to finish her tirade, because Silas Rhodes had unexpectedly stood up.

He picked up a glass of wine, clinked it against Yvonne Sutton’s now-empty one, and then drained his own in a single motion.

"When a beautiful woman offers a toast, of course I have to drink."

Silas Rhodes’s eyes were deep, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

Silas Rhodes was notoriously difficult to deal with and didn’t give face to anyone. Just moments ago, both Monica Lynch and Wendy Winters had taken turns toasting him, but he hadn’t taken a single sip.

"This one’s a toast to you." Silas Rhodes put down his empty glass, picked up a full one, and drank it down first.

Yvonne Sutton felt there was something strange about this man, but since he was showing her respect, she had to reciprocate. She quickly picked up another glass. Just as she was about to drink, however, Vincent Reed came over.

"She’s a lightweight. I’ll drink for her."

Seeing him reach for the glass, Yvonne Sutton dodged his hand and downed it herself.

Vincent Reed’s face darkened. Suppressing his anger, he said, "Stop embarrassing yourself and get out of here."

Yvonne Sutton frowned. "Are you nuts? Even if I am embarrassing myself, it’s none of your business."

"You’re embarrassing *me*!"

"If you’re sick, go see a doctor. Don’t disgust me."

"You!"

Vincent Reed took a breath, then stepped in front of Yvonne Sutton to block her. He looked back at Silas Rhodes. "She’s unimportant. Let’s get back to our conversation."

"But I enjoy talking with Miss Sutton," Silas Rhodes said with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

"She’s not one of us."

"And what circle is that?"

Vincent Reed pursed his lips. ’Silas Rhodes is clearly trying to stir up trouble.’

"Boss Sawyer, could you please add two seats for these two beautiful ladies?" Silas Rhodes said to Joshua Hale.

Joshua Hale glanced at Vincent Reed, then nodded. "Sure, I’ll go get the chairs right now."

At Silas Rhodes’s direction, not only were seats added for Yvonne Sutton and Claire Lawrence, but he also specifically had Yvonne sit next to him. Vincent Reed glared in their direction, his face a thundercloud.

Wendy Winters nudged him under the table, then smiled. "Mr. Rhodes, let me introduce you. They were our classmates in college. This is Claire Lawrence, she used to be an actress, and this is Yvonne Sutton, she’s a doctor."

Silas Rhodes proactively extended his hand, first shaking Claire Lawrence’s, which left her dumbfounded. Then he shook Yvonne Sutton’s hand, his grip noticeably tighter.

Yvonne Sutton frowned and immediately pulled her hand away as if it had been scalded.

Silas Rhodes stifled a laugh. "Dr. Sutton, since you dared to sit here, you should have been mentally prepared."

"Prepared for what?" Yvonne Sutton’s expression turned serious.

"To be prepared, of course..." Silas Rhodes paused deliberately, then grinned. "To be prepared to drink to your heart’s content, of course."

’This man!’

Yvonne Sutton gritted her teeth. ’He seems to really enjoy teasing me!’

"Mr. Rhodes, I’d like to toast you as well," Wendy Winters said, standing up to toast Silas Rhodes.

Silas Rhodes waved for her to sit down. "We’re all friends here, no need to be so formal. Just call me Silas."

Hearing this, Wendy Winters’s smile widened. She was about to drain her glass, but Vincent Reed stopped her and drank it for her.

"You’re pregnant. You can’t drink."

Wendy Winters then turned to Silas Rhodes with an apologetic look. "Silas, you see, it’s really not convenient for me."

"If you can’t drink, then why host a banquet? All this ’I’ll drink for you, you drink for me’ is so boring." Silas’s smile faded slightly.

Monica Lynch quickly jumped in to help Wendy Winters. "Weren’t we just talking about the new project at your company, Spectra Pictures? Wendy is very fond of one of the roles—it’s the third female lead. To be honest, with Wendy’s fame now, playing the third lead is a bit beneath her, but she really loves the role. So, for the sake of our old friendship, could you put in a good word for her?"

Silas Rhodes nodded in understanding. "Ah, so that’s what this is about."

"It’s really just a matter of a single word from you."

"It is indeed a small matter."

"So, what do you think?"

"Isn’t the director holding open auditions? If she wants the role, she should go audition."

Monica Lynch was at a loss for words, but she pressed on, unwilling to give up. "For someone of Wendy’s status to compete with newcomers for a role... it’s fine if she gets it, but if she doesn’t, the haters will have a field day."

"If she can’t win the part, shouldn’t she consider whether the problem is with her acting skills?"

His words were a slap in the face to Wendy Winters. The smile on her face faltered.

"Oh, by the way, Miss Sutton, is your friend an actress too?" Silas Rhodes proactively asked Yvonne Sutton.

Yvonne Sutton nodded. "She... she wants to join your production too."

The moment she said that, Monica Lynch burst out laughing.

"Some people just don’t know their place. Even Wendy has to audition to get into this production. That just shows how high the standards are. And now a complete nobody thinks she can get in?"

Having just heard Wendy Winters get rejected, Yvonne Sutton now felt that she might have overreached as well.

She glanced at Claire Lawrence. The woman was completely out of it, barely able to sit upright, let alone speak for herself.

"Uh, can my friend go for an audition?" she asked.

"Even auditions have standards, not just anyone can..."

"I’ll have a word with the director. Add me on WeChat. Once the time is set, I’ll let you know," Silas Rhodes said directly to Yvonne Sutton, completely ignoring Monica Lynch.

At his words, both Monica Lynch and Wendy Winters stared in disbelief.

When he said he’d "have a word with the director," the weight of those words was no less than a direct promise to get Claire Lawrence into the production. The director would never dare to refuse him.

’They had begged for so long and gotten nowhere, but Yvonne Sutton managed it with a single sentence?’

Yvonne Sutton hesitated for a moment before adding Silas Rhodes as a friend.

"Miss Sutton, have a few bites of food first. Then we can continue drinking."

By the time the party broke up, Yvonne Sutton was completely drunk, but she still managed to help Claire Lawrence walk out. Mr. Webb was already waiting outside. Seeing them, he quickly got out of the car and helped them inside.

After closing the car door, Mr. Webb ran up to Silas Rhodes.

"Did you get Miss Sutton drunk?"

"Oh," Sidney Sutton replied, a deep smile on his face.

"You just wait. Mr. Shaw is going to deal with you."

Sidney Sutton gazed at the car window, tutting. "My dear little aunt-in-law is really something else."