Chapter 271
Chapter 271 Casanova
“Everyone’s hard work is appreciated, but it’s just a birthday, after all. Nancy, let’s not do this again,
okay? Everyone’s really busy, and I’m not too fussed about birthdays!” Bet remarked as he and
Nancy joined the rest of the party at the riverside pavilion.
Bet looked resigned, gently chiding Nancy.
Rhiannon interjected, “Mr. Sanchez, Nancy’s gesture is her way of showing her respect and love.
Please don’t be too hard on her. Plus, we have to dine anyway. Getting to celebrate your birthday while
enjoying the great meal you’ve prepared is a treat for us all.”
Shaun and the others, despite this being their first encounter with Bet, echoed this sentiment
respectfully.
Bet, with a reluctant smile, said, “Well, if everyone insists. Give me a moment, I’ll bring out my
three- year-old pineapple wine for you all to try.”
As Bet turned and noticed Finnegan, he nodded in acknowledgment before walking away.
Finnegan, taking a seat, queried, “Nancy, is this the first time you’ve celebrated your dad’s birthday?”
Nancy exined, “Dad’s never told me his birthday, and he avoids the question whenever I ask. I’ve
never celebrated it before! I only found out today because I stumbled upon his ID while doingundry.
Otherwise, he probably would’ve never told me.”
This elicited aughter from Shaun, who remarked, “It’s not unusual. I always forget my parents’ and
grandparents’ birthdays until thest minute.”
“That’s pretty cold, man. I always remember my family’s birthdays. It’s a good chance to act nice and
score some extra pocket money!” Zephyr chimed in.
Their banter continued until Bet reappeared with a y pot.
The chatter subsided as he ced the pot down and broke its wax seal. A tantalizing scent of
pineapple and alcohol filled the air. “Brewed this three years ago,” Bet exined. “Used almost ripe
pineapples and double-distilled corn wine. By now, it should be smooth with a slightly sour, sweet
undertone.”
Shaun sniffed the aroma. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was some kind of fruit juice.”
Bet poured the wine, cautioning, “It’s mild and not too strong to taste. But it packs a punchter on,
so go easy on it.”
Jaxon, brimming with confidence, dered, “Mr. Sanchez, don’t worry about us. You’re meeting us for
the first time and probably aren’t aware of how much we can drink. This batch of your wine might not
suffice for me alone.”
“All right, stop showing off.” Witnessing Jaxon slipping back into his old ways of overconfidence and
showboating, Finnegan lightly tapped his head, reprimanding, “You should realize that Mr. Sanchez’s
homemade wine isn’t something you canpare to those mass-produced liquors.”
Chuckling, Jaxon rubbed his head and jested, “Go easy on me next time, Finnegan. It really hurt! And
by the way, we all address him respectfully as ‘Mr. Sanchez. When you call him ‘Bet,’ it sort of
diminishes
III
our generation gap. Doesn’t that seem a little disrespectful?”
Yuliana, on the sidelines, couldn’t help but giggle. “Considering Finnegan is my grandfather’s master, I
think we should all stick to our roles.”
Jaxon quickly agreed, “Absolutely, everyone should stick to their roles. I definitely don’t want to be
called Finnegan’s grandchild.”
Thisment caused uproariousughter throughout the room, effectively marking the start of the
dinner.
Nancy, lifting her wine ss, stood and addressed the gathering. “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks
to Finnegan and everyone present here tonight for joining us in celebrating my father’s birthday. Let’s
raise a toast to this wonderful gathering!” She took the lead, sipping her wine, and everyone followed
suit.
Turning toward her father, Nancy continued, “Dad, although I only came to live with you when I was
nine, and you weren’t a part of my earliest childhood memories, you’ve always been the dad I
cherished the most. After Mom passed away, you single-handedly raised me for twelve years, sparing
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no effort to provide the best for me and shielding me from any hardships. You assumed the roles of
both father and mother, teaching me valuable life lessons, how to love, and to stand tall and confident
among others.”
Pausing momentarily, she added, “And that’s why I’m making this toast to you, Dad, as a gesture of my
gratitude for all that you’ve done for me!” With that, Nancy raised her ss and emptied it in one
smooth motion.
Bet’s eyes shimmered with a hint of moisture, noticeably redder than usual. “You, my dear, should
drink less of this; it packs a punchter on. And really, it’s me who owes you thanks. You’ve taught me
so much about responsibility and the true meaning of a fulfilling life.”
He then joined in the toast, emptying his ss in one swift motion.
Zephyr, dabbing at the corners of his slightly wet eyes,ined, “Do we have to get so emotional?
Now you’ve got me missing my parents. Can’t we just focus on enjoying our drinks?”
The mood lightened as everyoneughed.
Bet gestured for Nancy to sit down and pped his hands, signaling the start of the meal. “Let’s
dig in. The pork chop and duck confit are best when hot. They lose their charm once they cool down.”
The table’s atmosphere gradually shifted from the earlier sentimentality to a more jovial tone. Everyone
picked up their wine sses or chopsticks, easing into a warmer, more convivial mood.
True to Bet’s warning, the pineapple wine, though delightful to sip, had a potent kick.
Nancy, having downed a full ss, soon appeared slightly tipsy, on the verge of dozing off.
Even Shaun, usually a seasoned drinker, was visibly affected, his face flushed and sweating lightly, a
testament to the strength of Bet’s fruit-infused brew.
Casper, clearly under the influence, pped Finnegan’s shoulder and slurred, “Finnegan, remember
when you were little? You used to tag along after my sister, vowing to marry her. You even made her
pinky swear not to change for a hundred years. Now look at you, all grown up and changing your mind.
You’re such a rascal! Thinking about what my sister has been going throughtely, it’s heartbreaking.
Her genuine feelings for you, all wasted! And you know, I doubt I’d ept anyone else as my brother-
inw. You’ve
After a moment, he raised his hand, dering, “In short, Finnegan has be quite the Casanova, a
real old rascal.”
As Finnegan smiled wryly, Rhiannon, intrigued, asked, “A Casanova?”
Shaun, amused, remarked, “Ever heard the saying those who meet a Casanova are forever smitten?
Now it’s ‘those who meet Finnegan are forever smitten!”
As the conversation spiraled into more absurd territory. Finnegan intervened, half-jokingly threatening,
“Keep it up, and I’ll toss you into the river to cool off.”
Rhiannon. joining in the teasing, nodded in agreement. “They might be onto something. Finn. You are
kind of bing a jerk.” Dr?мanоvels
Even his sister joined in the yful ribbing. Finnegan, realizing the futility of defending himself, chose to
remain silent, though internally, he was bemused by the whole situation.
Who did I even flirt with? Is it my fault for being too charming?
Jaxon, previously boasting about his alcohol tolerance, pped his forehead, questioning. “Mr.
Sanchez, what’s the proof on this? Did you add something extra? I’m feeling woozy.”
Bet, clear-eyed, answered, “It was initially sixty-two percent, but now it’s around forty-seven or
forty- eight percent. I’ve added some sleep-inducing herbs for rxation.”
Finnegan sipped his drink quietly, his expression unchanging.
He knew exactly what herbs Bet had added in there!