Chapter 150 When It Comes to Sarcasm, If You Claim Second, No One Dares Claim First
During the wedding ceremony, the parents of both parties need to send a representative to give a speech, expressing some blessings and hopes for the newlyweds.
Quinlan knew she was not qualified to give a speech, so when Preston asked for her opinion, she declined.
Many business friends and contacts attended today's wedding. Preston stood on the stage and solemnly introduced Leopold as his eldest son. From his words, it could be heard that he intended to hand over the management of the group to Leopold. However, his action made Leopold feel disgusted. This was a wedding, not a company annual meeting.
On the other hand, regarding the Tudor family, Elijah asked Elysia to speak on stage as a representative of the bride's parents. Her few words moved everyone present to tears.
After the banquet, the parents of both sides had a pleasant conversation. Quinlan was very grateful that they could respect her so much, but the atmosphere between Elijah and Preston was a bit strange.
The two tacitly went to a quiet place. Elijah, with piercing eyes and a sense of righteousness, said, "If you have anything to say, say it now."
"Mr. Tudor," Preston began, his tone conciliatory, "I know we've had our disagreements in the past. But now that we are family, I hope…"
Before Preston could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Elijah. "I hope that their life together is smooth and happy. Their happiness is the only shared ambition our families should have."
Preston found himself silenced once again, just as he had been before. A tight, humorless smile touched his lips. "Mr. Tudor…"
Elijah corrected him, saying, "On today's occasion, we are in-laws, so let's not talk about work."
He turned to glance at Elysia not far away, smiled at her, then turned to Preston and said, "We should go now."
It was a custom in Seaside City for the bride's family to depart before the afternoon festivities concluded.
Before Caroline saw her parents off onto the bus, even though she knew it wasn't like they wouldn't see each other often in the future, she just couldn't hold back her tears. She cried so beautifully, like pear blossoms caught in the rain. As soon as she started crying, Leopold beside her felt terrible. He wiped her tears while tightly holding Caroline's hand and refusing to let go.
Once the car had driven far away, Caroline shook off his hand and said in a tearful voice, "What are you doing? You've been holding onto me and not letting go?"
Leopold knew her heart was aching. He gently pulled her into an embrace, his hand stroking her back in slow, soothing circles. "I saw you crying, and I couldn't fix it," he murmured into her hair. "I guess I got a little desperate."
A watery, tear-streaked laugh escaped her. "Were you desperate to make me feel better, or were you afraid I'd run off with my parents?"
At that time, there were two people standing beside the flower bed, and Erica looked on with hope. "It's so nice, seeing them this happy."
Maddox, leaning against the stone border of the garden with his long legs crossed at the ankles, folded his arms. "What's there to be jealous of? This won't stop them from fighting later."
Erica fell silent for a moment, she turned her face helplessly and said, "What are you talking about! That's my best friend getting married today. Can't you say something nice?"
Maddox jutted his chin toward the newlyweds. "He's my best friend, too. I'm just stating facts."
Frustration boiling over, Erica balled her hands into fists and landed a few soft, ineffective blows against his chest. "It's that mouth of yours. I bet you got into a lot of trouble for being a smart-ass in school."
Her little punches were more like a kitten's swatting, and Maddox laughed as he dodged them. "You'd be wrong. The teachers loved me."
"Yeah, loved giving you detention," she retorted. Still not satisfied, she grabbed his arm and, to his complete surprise, bit down hard.
He yelped, a genuine cry of pain. "You actually bit me! That really hurts. Just you wait until tonight. We'll see who's biting who then."
As the afternoon light began to fade, the wedding guests started their slow, cheerful departure. Caroline's high school friends, who had served as an unofficial hype squad all day, came to say their goodbyes. Griffin was the last of them, and he stopped directly in front of her.
"You look really beautiful today, Caroline," he said, his voice earnest.
"Thank you, Griffin," she replied with a gentle smile.
Leopold stepped forward, extending a hand. "Mr. Wallace. I expect we might need to ask you for a favor when Caroline and I have kids who need to get into a good school."
Griffin, who had clearly been drinking, blinked. A shadow of loss flickered in his eyes before he managed to compose himself and shake Leopold's hand. "Of course. Anything you need. If I can make it happen, I will."
"He's just kidding," Caroline said quickly, sensing the awkwardness.
"Who's kidding?" Leopold countered, his tone perfectly serious. "Getting into the best elementary schools in Seaside City isn't easy. We don't even own a property in the right district yet. We'll definitely need Mr. Wallace's help."
Caroline shot him a look of pure exasperation.
The alcohol seemed to hit Griffin all at once. He waved a hand dismissively. "No problem. No problem at all."
He looked like he was on the verge of tears, and Caroline quickly signaled to his friends to help him to their car.
Once they were gone, she turned and twisted a sharp pinch into the muscle of Leopold's side. He sucked in a breath through his teeth, a hiss of pain.
"When it comes to being passive-aggressive, you're in a league of your own," she muttered.
"What did I do?" He asked, his face a perfect mask of innocence.
Caroline narrowed her eyes, seeing right through him. "You can drop the act."
"What act?" Leopold, who had also had his fair share of drinks, swayed slightly, tilting his head to look at her. "What is it, wife?"
"Don't pretend to be drunk. I know your tolerance," she warned.
He just grinned. "I really am drunk."
"No one who's actually drunk says they're drunk," she shot back.
Leopold pointed toward the now-empty table where her high school friends had been sitting. "See those empty bottles over there?" On the table sat three vacant bottles of premium whiskey.
Caroline's eyes widened. "You drank three bottles?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. The movement made the room spin, and he quickly stopped. "But I did have three glasses of whiskey, courtesy of Griffin. Are you still going to blame me for being a little sharp with him?"
Her expression softened into a frown. "Why would Griffin push so much liquor on you?"
Hearing the protective edge in her voice, Leopold's head lolled onto her shoulder. "See? My wife does care about me. Your friends ganged up on me while you weren't looking. Plying me with drinks… their intentions were sinister, I tell you."
"That's a bit dramatic," Caroline said, though she couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. "They were probably just celebrating with you. It wasn't sinister."
"Oh, it was," he insisted, his voice muffled against her shoulder. "They wanted to make sure I couldn't do anything on our wedding night except pass out."
Caroline's hand flew to his mouth. "Be quiet! There are still people around. Do you want them to hear you?"
Just as the last of the guests departed, Preston approached them, his steps slow and measured. "The wedding was a great success. You're both tired. Leopold, you're officially on leave. Take this time to rest. I have matters to attend to at the office, so I'll be going."
The moment he saw his father, Leopold seemed to sober up by half. They walked him to the entrance. "Thank you, sir," Leopold said.
Preston offered a rare, small smile, then turned and got into his car. Erik held the door, then gave Leopold a respectful nod. "I'll see Mr. Wipere home. Congratulations to you both."
"Thank you," they said in unison.
Quinlan had slipped away sometime before Preston's departure, a quiet and unnoticed exit. She disliked goodbyes, and so she simply avoided them. Caroline found her personality uniquely compelling—a woman of sharp edges and surprising warmth, an enigma she felt strangely close to.
Maddox, the designated driver, had abstained from alcohol all day. As he drove them toward their new home, Erica sat in the passenger seat, leaning her head against her hand.
"After you drop them off, take me home," she said.
"Not coming to my place?" Maddox asked.
"I drank a little too much," she murmured. "I don't feel well."
A wicked grin spread across his face. "You don't feel well? Then you definitely need a caring guy like me to take care of you."