CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: THE NUPTIAL TOAST

"Drop me off in front, I’ll take a taxi back myself." Evelyn Clayton gazed idly out the window.

"Why go back so early?" James Grant lifted the corners of his lips, giving her a sidelong glance. "We’re about to get engaged, shouldn’t we be cultivating some feelings?"

Evelyn Clayton frowned at him.

They both knew this marriage was just an agreement, what feelings were there to cultivate?

"Not necessary."

"I think it’s very necessary. Only when there’s genuine chemistry can a performance truly shine." James Grant turned the steering wheel, taking her to an elite club.

Looking at the dazzling signboard, Evelyn Clayton felt her eyes hurt.

She clutched her seatbelt. "Where is this?"

Her reaction, akin to a small animal, made James Grant laugh.

He unbuckled her seatbelt for her. "Don’t worry, this is a club under my name, a legitimate place. I brought you here to relax and to enhance our connection."

"I’m already relaxed and don’t need to enhance anything, I—"

Before Evelyn could finish her sentence, James Grant had already pulled her through the club’s entrance.

"You—James Grant!"

Unable to resist, Evelyn was dragged by him all the way to a large private room door.

The server opened the door for him. "Director Grant, Director Donovan has been waiting for you inside for a while now."

"Alright. Make sure only fruit wine is served in this room, no other alcohol," James Grant instructed, pulling Evelyn Clayton inside the private room.

Once inside, Evelyn immediately shook off his hand, covering her ears to muffle the deafening music.

In contrast, James Grant seemed perfectly at ease among the crowd, whispering to Shawn Donovan, who was already enjoying himself.

Shawn Donovan glanced at Evelyn Clayton, a touch of astonishment in his eyes. "Wow, so that’s the Evelyn Clayton who caused a rift between you brothers? She’s quite beautiful, no wonder you fought tooth and nail over her."

James Grant casually blocked his view. "Keep staring at my woman, and the beauty next to you might get upset."

Shawn Donovan laughed awkwardly, standing up to hand Evelyn a drink, introducing himself to her.

Evelyn’s reaction was indifferent; she accepted the drink but didn’t drink it, simply placing it on the table.

Faced with indifference, Shawn Donovan rubbed his nose and went off to dance with other beauties.

The atmosphere in the club was undeniably great; watching them dance made Evelyn feel her mind was blank.

The result of zoning out was being unable to immediately resist when James Grant pulled her to dance.

"Hey—"

"Shh—"

James Grant whispered in her ear, "Can’t you stop looking so reluctant? If your acting is this bad and my dad sees through it, what then? You need more practice!"

It was the first time seeing someone take such liberties so boldly.

Evelyn rolled her eyes.

Though she wasn’t good at dancing, the music and atmosphere were energetic.

Gradually, Evelyn began to sway along with James’s movements.

"Wow, what a perfect-looking couple! What’s the point of just dancing? Come on, fill Eldest Young Master Grant’s glass."

Shawn Donovan handed over two glasses of wine, egging them on, "Cross-cup wine! Cross-cup wine! Cross-cup wine!"

The DJ even stopped the music.

The entire crowd chanted for the cross-cup wine.

James Grant brought the wine to Evelyn’s hand, but she refused to take it.

"I don’t want to play such a boring game."

Looking at James Grant’s calm demeanor, it was clear he was often egged on like this and usually indulged them.

But she didn’t want to cooperate.

Just as Evelyn was about to push him away, James Grant suddenly caught her waist, pulling her uncontrollably against him.

A whiff of pine scent filled her nose, and sensing the man’s overly warm temperature, the heat at Evelyn’s ears kept rising. For a moment she was dumbfounded, forgetting to resist...

The next second, James Grant’s face loomed in front of her.

Her mouth was suddenly invaded by something foreign, the cold wine mingling with James Grant’s breath poured in together.