Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress novel Chapter 1853

Chapter 1853: Two grooms

"You’re drinking too much," Hugo said with concern, noticing Max chugging down drinks like a man parched in the desert. "If you keep doing that, you might end up very drunk even before the night ends."

Max huffed, glancing at Hugo, clicking his tongue before emptying his glass.

"Damn you," Max cursed under his breath. His gaze shifted towards where Ginnie was seated, glaring daggers at Kiara and Lily.

Why them?

Well, Kiara’s only sin was dating this jerk Hugo! Meanwhile, he resented Lily for even trying to befriend Kiara, knowing full well that her best friend, Ginnie, was in love with Hugo.

Was Lily even a friend?!

"After all the effort I’ve put in..." he grumbled, pouring another glass of wine.

Setting up dates for Ginnie and Hugo had become routine. Some days, Hugo declined, and other times, Ginnie was too busy to respond. Yet, Max persisted in trying to spark something between them.

It didn’t matter how many times he orchestrated these meetings for them. However, Hugo still pursued Kiara, despite Max’s relentless warnings about her. And now, at Nina’s wedding, poor Ginnie had to pretend she was unaffected.

"Do they think what I’m doing is easy?" Max lamented, his heart heavy with bitterness. "I have to suppress my own feelings so she can be happy. But damn it!"

He drowned his sorrow with wine, feeling overwhelmed. His heart ached knowing he had chosen Ginnie’s happiness over his own desire to pursue her. For him, her happiness was his happiness, but so was her despair.

While Max drowned his sorrow, Hugo nudged Dean. "Hey, is he alright?"

Dean, sipping his wine, raised an eyebrow at Hugo, glancing at Max, who seemed to be drinking more than was wise.

"I don’t know him," Dean replied coldly, dismissing Max. "But I know he hates me for ’stealing’ his best friend."

Meaning Finn. After all, Max and Finn had been best friends.

Dean shrugged indifferently, continuing to sip his wine. Witnessing Finn getting married still felt surreal. Dean couldn’t believe Nina had married him—or that Finn had gotten married at all.

"She seems to have become respectable," Dean mused, watching the newlyweds return to their table. "But why him?"

Seated beside Dean, Zoren nodded in agreement. "That’s a question I ask myself, too."

Dean glanced at his uncle skeptically, and Zoren avoided his gaze. "You just hate that they have another son-in-law, don’t you?" Dean remarked, and Zoren looked away.

"No," Zoren replied flatly. "It’s just too soon for them to get married."

"But you married Penny without telling anyone."

"..."

"You two didn’t even have a proper wedding."

"..."

"Should I propose to her?"

Everyone: [O.O]

Everyone: [?_?]

Meanwhile, at another table, Angel and Mark couldn’t help but stare at the commotion unfolding at Hugo’s table.

"My gut tells me not joining them was the best decision I’ve made in a while," Angel remarked, shaking his head. "Something weird is definitely happening over there."

Mark remained silent, observing the reactions of everyone seated at that table (Hugo’s). It was clear something was amiss.

"Don’t let them see us," Mark muttered, but before he knew it, Slater sat down at their table.

Angel and Mark turned to Slater, only to see a sour expression on his face. Slater raised an eyebrow at the two, glancing back towards the commotion.

"Strange things are happening everywhere," Slater commented. "For once, I want to be around normal people. My father is telling everyone he’s succeeded in raising a normal child, so I’d like to keep it that way."

Mark and Angel nodded quietly, unsure how to respond. They didn’t mind Slater’s company alone, but they should have known he wouldn’t be the only one. It was only the beginning of the ruin of their peace.

Suddenly, Mint sat down and joined them, drawing the attention of Angel and Mark. Their faces soured at her white tux, which made her look like the groom. Mint grinned and adjusted her ribbon, but then froze when she felt an ominous presence take the seat next to her.

"Hello there, beautiful groom."

They turned to look at the newcomer, and their expressions twisted in dismay. Seated next to Mint was another man in a white tux, as if he were the groom: Ray.

"Mint, if this is our wedding, it’ll look like a same-sex marriage, which I don’t mind—" His words were cut short as Mint sent him flying across the garden venue, shouting:

"LEAVE. ME. ALONE!"

Despite the force of her actions, Ray kept returning, driving Mint to zero options but to run or hide from her relentless stalker for the rest of the night and... for the rest of her life.