Chapter 43: The Drinking Contest
Sonya, marveling at the smallness of the world, carried the liquor with Leo Jones back to the private room.
“Who organized this?” she asked.
“Jake, but it was really for Julian. He couldn’t back down. There’s a Reynolds’s project, oration’s been trying to secure a partnership, but it’s been going nowhere. Henry is in charge of that project,” Leo Jones explained.
Sonya nodded. Julian Jennings had probably tried to curry favor with Jason Reynolds, unsuccessfully, and now he was trying to cozy up to Henry, But Henry was just an employee, even if he was the project lead, he didn’t call the shots.
“Sonya, just give me the bottles; don’t go in,” Leo Jones said.
Sonya scoffed.“Come on, I want to watch the fun.”
Leo Jones sighed.“Julian’s riled up by Henry; he might say something nasty.”
“How did Henry provoke him?”
“Henry doesn’t even have to do anything; Julian gets triggered just by his presence. It’s probably a conditioned response. Growing up, Julian was always compared to Henry, and Henry always outshone him. Even in college, Henry went abroad, only then did Julian escape his shadow.”
“So, he suddenly lost it and said all that stuff?”
“Ahem, it’s my fault. I mentioned back in high school how every girl in the school liked Henry. including Seraphina.”
“Seraphina liked Henry?”
“She even publicly confessed, but Henry rejected her brutally.”
“Wow, no way.”
Leo Jones sighed.“You should have seen how embarrassed Seraphina was. She was so confident, thinking Henry would say yes. It became a school–wide joke.”
Leo Jones then mimicked Henry’s words:
“Aren’t you Julian’s girlfriend? Or not? If not, why make him beg for your attention like a dog? Sorry, I don’t get your twisted sense of humor. I prefer being human, you should too!”
Sonya burst out laughing, imagining Seraphina’s humiliation.
The words were clearly meant to defend Julian Jennings, but given his personality, he probably wouldn’t appreciate it.
In the private room, Henry and Julian Jennings were already drinking heavily, Jake Parker trying to mediate to no avail.
“Get the liquor!” Julian Jennings boomed.
Leo Jones approached with the alcohol, trying to dissuade Julian Jennings,“Julian, this is a reunion, no need to drink so much.”
“Drinking “is part of the reunion.” Julian Jennings laughed, then looked at Sonya, “Sit here, pour
me a drink.”
34.7%
Chapter 44 The finding Come
Sonya scoffed, heading straight to Henry.
She poured him a drink, whispering, “Vaxy”
Henry discreetly hooked her hand under the table, grinning, mischievously. “Watch me get revenge”
“You two don’t even know each other, what are you saying? Julian Jennings asked suspiciously. Henry tilted his head, smiling “I’m asking this lovely lady if she has a boyfriend.” “What’s it to you?”
“A lot. If she doesn’t, I’m going to chase her.”
Julian Jennings clenched his glass, yelling at Sonya, “Come here!*
Ignoring him, Sonya looked at Henry, “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Then can I chase you?”
“Of course.”
As soon as she spoke, Julian Jennings slammed a bottle on the table. “It’s a drinking contest, let’s go!”
Henry turned to Julian Jennings, smiling, but his eyes were cold.
“Let’s go.”
Sonya poured for Henry; Leo Jones poured for Julian Jennings. They quickly finished a bottle.
Sonya remembered Henry’s dislike of alcohol and his presumably poor tolerance. She grew worried.
“Maybe we should stop,” she whispered.
Henry placed his empty glass on the table.“Relax, I’m going to drink him under the table tonight!”
“Whoever passes out first is a loser!” Julian Jennings, noticing Sonya whispering to Henry, was furious.
They opened another bottle each, quickly finishing it. Julian Jennings was getting unsteady, sliding down in his chair.
“Pour me more! More!”
Leo Jones supported him.“Julian, let’s call it a night.”
“Get out of the way!” Julian Jennings shoved Leo Jones, pointing at Sonya.“Come over here!” Sonya gave him a withering look.
“Don’t you dare flirt with every guy you meet. You’re my woman!”
Henry suddenly grabbed his glass and flung it at Julian Jennings. It missed him, shattering against the wall behind him.
Julian Jennings was stunned; everyone else was shocked.
“Henry, what are you doing?” Jake Parker frowned.
Henry kicked the chair.“His mouth is foul!”
Jake Parker glanced at Sonya; he couldn’t argue; Julian Jennings, had been incredibly insulting to
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Chapter 43: The Dunking Contest
Sonya that night.
Menu
Henry grabbed a bottle of Whisky (strong Chinese liquor), opened it, and raised it to Julian Jennings.“If you’re still a man, let’s chug this whole bottle!”
Julian Jennings, eyes red, tried to stand but stumbled. He grabbed a bottle, ready to drink. Leo Jones and Jake Parker tried stop him, but he pushed them away.
to
They both raised their bottles and started chugging. It was Whisky, and they’d already drunk a lot. Julian Jennings soon vomited and collapsed.
Henry paused a few times, but finished the bottle, slamming it on the ground.
“Julian Jennings, that’s all you got?”
“You… don’t laugh… I… I didn’t lose…” Julian Jennings slurred.
Henry scoffed, pulling Sonya towards the exit. As they passed Julian Jennings, he lurched towards Sonya.
Henry stepped in front of Sonya, shoving Julian Jennings away.
Julian Jennings fell to his knees, pulling the tablecloth with him, sending food, drinks, and tea flying onto him. The mess was revolting. Julian Jennings, amidst the debris, looked like garbage. Seeing his pathetic state, Sonya was shocked. He was crying.
“Sonya, Sonya, take me home.”
In eight years, she’d never seen him like this. Henry’s shadow was deep. She wondered why Henry had beaten him up in the first place.
“Sonya! Sonya!”
He kept calling her name, as if only she could restore his dignity.
