Mr. CEO's Substitute Bride

"This glass of liquor is for all you elders. If there’s anything Evander has done before that made you unhappy, I hope you’ll be forgiving!"

With that, Evander Lancaster drained the whole glass in one bold gulp.

Daemon Lancaster and his brother exchanged a glance, each lifted his glass, and drank as well.

Michael Lancaster had been silent the whole time; ever since he learned he was infertile, his temperament seemed to have become much more subdued.

After a few rounds, Victoria Thornton and Valeria Howard feigned discomfort and went back, and Aunt Aurora Lancaster’s husband had to go on a business trip tomorrow, so they also went back to rest.

Michael Lancaster glanced at his wife Catherine Taylor, who had been at his side the whole time. "You go back and rest too. We men are drinking; no need for a woman to keep us company."

"Michael..." Catherine Taylor started to speak but stopped, a bit uneasy. They had already gone through quite a lot of baijiu, and she was worried about her husband.

"Go back, I’m fine." Michael Lancaster frowned and snapped in a low voice. Only then did Catherine Taylor leave, reluctant.

"I’ll go make some hangover soup for everyone." Sophia Hamilton also stood up, and on the other side, Mina Drake got up as well, saying she was going to take care of the baby.

Originally, making soup was the nanny’s job, but right now Avery Stuart’s mind was fixed on Daemon Lancaster, so she stayed by the dining table to attend to him.

Once in the kitchen, in no time Sophia Hamilton made a small pot of tomato and egg soup. After ladling out a small bowl, she raised her voice to call someone.

"Sister Xu, come in and give me a hand!"

"Eh, coming, coming!" Sister Xu answered and jogged into the kitchen.

"Second Madam, what is it?"

"Sister Xu, take these soups out to the uncles."

Sophia Hamilton pointed at the small bowl of soup she’d just ladled, then continued ladling another bowl.

"Okay, got it!" Sister Xu readily agreed, picked up the soup, and briskly walked out.

Watching Sister Xu’s back, the corners of Sophia Hamilton’s lips lifted slightly.

As expected, once she came out, the first bowl of soup Sister Xu delivered was set in front of Daemon Lancaster.

"Master Daemon, have some soup to settle your stomach. You haven’t eaten much the whole night."

"Mm, leave it." Daemon Lancaster responded. Perhaps worried he wouldn’t drink it, Sister Xu took the spoon and helped stir it a few times. "Master Daemon, drink it while it’s hot; it’s just the right temperature now."

Seeing the others at the table glancing over, some unintentionally, some out of curiosity, and not wanting anyone to notice how attentive Sister Xu was being toward him, Daemon Lancaster picked up the small bowl and drank the soup down in one go.

Only after seeing him finish the hangover soup did Sister Xu go back to the kitchen for another bowl.

Sophia Hamilton divided the hangover soup evenly, one bowl per person, and once she was done she returned to the dining table.

She took Evander Lancaster’s glass and poured herself some baijiu, then raised the glass.

"Elders, Evander and I have been together for so long; we’ve even had a child now, and we still haven’t properly toasted you."

Joseph Lancaster and Gabriel Lancaster both let out a derisive snort almost at the same time.

Sophia Hamilton didn’t mind. Holding her glass, she went on, "Taking this opportunity, I’d like to toast you uncles. I, Sophia, come from an ordinary background. If I do anything wrong in the future, I hope you uncles will be tolerant."

When she finished, Sophia Hamilton lifted the glass toward her lips with a hearty air, but Evander Lancaster stopped her.

"Don’t mess around! Our son’s still breastfed!"

Daemon Lancaster and Gabriel Lancaster hadn’t intended to drink the toast from Sophia Hamilton, but after hearing what Evander Lancaster said, the two brothers exchanged another look, and Gabriel Lancaster, the family’s habitual cannon, spoke up.

"Evander, don’t stop her. It’s just one glass, won’t do any harm. It’s your wife’s token of respect."

"See, even Third Uncle says so. The baby does need milk, but we can’t neglect proper manners either!" Sophia Hamilton insisted, unwilling to back down, while Joseph Lancaster and Violet Zimmerman kept their heads down, casually focused on their food, pretending not to see.

The baby’s milk had already been expressed and stored in the fridge in advance, and this little act from Sophia Hamilton was her and Evander Lancaster putting on a two-person show.

Seeing that neither husband nor wife was going to yield, Joseph Lancaster finally couldn’t hold back. He set down his chopsticks and picked up his glass as well.

"Evander, don’t stop her. If your wife gets drunk, just give the child some formula for a few days; it won’t hurt him."

"Second Master has already said so, Evander, just let it be!"

Gabriel Lancaster chimed in again, while Michael Lancaster braced his hands on his knees, frowning, his eyes half-closed; he looked clearly drunk already.

As for Violet Zimmerman, seeing her son and daughter-in-law still arguing, she put on a look of anxiousness, like she wanted to step in but didn’t know whose side to take.

Sophia Hamilton brushed Evander Lancaster’s hand aside, her expression turning displeased as she questioned him.

"Evander Lancaster, what’s that supposed to mean? Right now Big Uncle and all three uncles are sitting here watching me toast them. If I go back on my word, how am I supposed to have any standing in the Lancaster Family in the future?"

"All right, all right, I really can’t win with you!" Evander Lancaster pretended to give in helplessly. Sophia Hamilton said a few more polite phrases to the elders, then tipped back her head and downed the glass of baijiu in one gulp.

"Our niece-in-law can really hold her liquor." Daemon Lancaster gave a half-smiling compliment. His mouth was parched, and as soon as he spoke he hurried to drain his own glass of baijiu as well.

The few of them had almost reached their limit already, and after that glass of baijiu, Michael Lancaster waved to Robert Lancaster. "Robert, take me back."

"Okay."

Although Robert Lancaster had also been drinking, when Evander Lancaster was toasting, most of the drinks had gone to the elders, so by comparison he had had much less than them.

"Sigh, I’m getting old, useless now." Joseph Lancaster shook his head and sighed, then stood up. "I’m heading back too."

They had prepared towels for wiping sweat while drinking, so most of the baijiu had ended up sacrificed to the towels, but he still walked a bit "unsteadily."

"Joseph, let Evander see you home?" Violet Zimmerman called after him from behind, but Joseph Lancaster waved a hand without even turning his head. "No need, I live close."

Evander Lancaster was just about to go help Daemon Lancaster when Sister Xu beat him to it, stepping forward to support Daemon, so Evander had no choice but to help Gabriel Lancaster and escort him back.

Violet Zimmerman kneaded at her temples as she wobbled up the stairs, and at the dining table only Sister Xu and Daemon Lancaster were left.

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