Averie felt relieved as she saw Mike leave the table. She picked up her fork and started eating.“ Averie, did you like the gift I sent you?” Tammy asked as they chatted away.
Averie laughed, “Of course! But how did you manage to keep so many ugly photos of me?” Tammy gave Averie a photo album for her birthday.
Sage opened up the album Tammy gave to her, and it was filled with photos of them from college.
It was a precious gift. “We are best friends, that‘s how! Other than my own photos, the rest of them are mostly yours.” Tammy said as she looked at Averie lovingly, “Cheers to the friendship forever!”
Averie raised her glass and cheered, “Friendship forever!” She took a sip and put the glass down.
Someone patted her shoulder. It was Ben looking blushing red. “Come sit with us, Miss Tate!” Ben pointed at the table next to hers and said, “Tell your staff to behave themselves, we are getting hammered by any minute now.” Ben looked pitiful.
“You‘re kidding Ben, you are a master at drinking!” teased Tammy.
Ben sighed and said, “That was all in the past. I‘m getting older now…”
Averie got up and followed Ben to the next table. Ben signaled for her to be seated on Mike’s seat. It was next to Elyette‘s. She glanced over at Elyette and saw him staring sharply back at her.
She sat down as he was making her uneasy.
“Miss Tate, have some juice, “Ben said as he poured her a glass of juice and asked Elyette, “Do you want some?”
No one was trying to make Elyette drink in her presence. Elyette raised his liquor glass and drank by himself.
Ben awkwardly put down the jar of juice.
“Miss Tate, Happy Birthday. Cheers to you,” a manager stood up and raised his glass at her.
“It‘s not my birthday today, you don‘t have to drink with me.” She sipped on her glass of juice as she said it. The manager felt embarrassed as the glass of liquor was still in his hand.
Elyette stood up and raised his glass with a hoarse voice, “I‘ll drink with you guys!”
Averie took a deep breath and looked past Elyette with her eyes laid sight on Ben. Why blame it on her staff when Elyette was the one asking for drinks from everyone?
Ben dug out his phone and sent Averie a text. It read, (He took a glance at your chest. I guess he didn’t expect to see you dress sexily.)
Averie replied and said, (I can wear whatever I like. If he doesn’t like it, he may leave!]
Ben replied, (I don‘t mean it that way, Miss Tate. Let him drink if he wants to. Just ignore him.)
Averie placed her phone on the table. Elyette glared first at Averie, then Ben. He meant that he knew they were texting about him behind his back.
He raised his glass, took a sip, and said, “Do you guys know, what‘s the most important thing about running a company?”
The supervising managers were dumbstruck. Where did that come from? Were they suddenly looped into a free seminar?
Averie looked stunned as well. She couldn’t tell whether it was her or Elyette who was drunk
She looked at him as his face now looked surreal. Elyette felt hot and he tugged at his collar ajar with his fingers.
“To start a company is easy. But to maintain it is another story. To keep the company afloat, you got to have some management skills…” Elyette opened his mouth again.
The managers all put down their glasses and listened to him attentively.
Ben sent another text to Averie saying, (He‘s trying to warn you. He’s worried that you will go broke.) Averie read the text as her face blushed red.
Elyette suddenly held Averie’s hand. She let go of her phone in her hands and he let go of her instantly. Ben was right, he was directing the speech towards her. The managers’ jaws all dropped.
Oh shit! Is something about to happen between the both of them? Averie’s face felt burning hot. She took a huge gulp of the juice she just poured for herself.
Fortunately, today wasn‘t her real birthday. It will be a real treat to have a lecture on her real birthday, Averie thought sarcastically. Elyette went on and on about his secrets of success while drinking with everyone.
It seemed as if he forgot today was her birthday celebration.
Averie had two plates of pasta and a plate of fresh fruits. An hour later, he‘s still at it with his speech. She held her head and looked at him.
Elyette cleared his throat and turned at her, “Averie, you got everything I said jotted down?”
“Let‘s drink!” Averie looked down as she helped herself a glass, and poured one for him, “It’s been ages since I knew you and we never drink together!”
As Elyette contemplated, Averie had already finished hers.
Tammy looked wildly surprised at the table next to them and gasped, “Averie has gone mad!”
Jun said to Tammy, “In the end, it was Averie who ended Elyette tonight, not Mike, and certainly not the managers.”
As Jun said it, Tammy saw Elyette raise his glass and drank it all. She gasped, “What are they trying at?!”
Jun continued, “It‘s obvious, these two are attracted to each other. Either they get back together, or they become each other‘s worst enemies.”
“They are never getting back together. There‘s Zoe, and Shea…even if Averie’s gone mad, she’ ll stay away from a relationship with him,” Tammy said with a scoff.
They continued drinking for another half an hour.
Elyette was dead drunk, and Averie drank quite a bit too. She rubbed her fingers against her temples, forcing herself to stay awake.
Mike was the last man standing. Everyone was high from driņking except him. Mike dragged Ben away for more drinks. Looks like Mike had planned to have all of them drunk today!
At 10.30 at night, Zoe appeared at the banquet hall with a cold expression. Her heels clicked
against the marble floors as they caught Averie‘s attention. They looked at each other.
“Happy Birthday, Miss Tate,” Zoe stood taller than Averie and she looked down as she spoke, “I ‘m here for Elyette.”
Averie had too much to drink. She tried to speak but nothing came out of her mouth.
She waved her hands signaling at Zoe. That‘s the best she could manage for now.
“Miss Tate, why did you get Elyette so drunk for? You knew that overconsumption is bad for health. I thought you would care for him since you used to be with him!” Zoe reprimanded as she tried to get Elyette up with his driver.
They couldn‘t get him to the parking lot as he was heavily inebriated. Zoe had no choice but to get a room. The driver left as soon as they got Elyette to the bed. Zoe took out the bottle of liquid Cole gave to her. She must seize the opportunity tonight.
Ben replied, (I don‘t mean it that way, Miss Tate. Let him drink if he wants to. Just ignore him.)
Averie placed her phone on the table. Elyette glared first at Averie, then Ben. He meant that he knew they were texting about him behind his back.
He raised his glass, took a sip, and said, “Do you guys know, what’s the most important thing about running a company?”
The supervising managers were dumbstruck. Where did that come from? Were they suddenly looped into a free seminar?
Averie looked stunned as well. She couldn’t tell whether it was her or Elyette who was drunk
She looked at him as his face now looked surreal. Elyette felt hot and he tugged at his collar ajar with his fingers.
“To start a company is easy. But to maintain it is another story. To keep the company afloat, you got to have some management skills…” Elyette opened his mouth again.
The managers all put down their glasses and listened to him attentively.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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