That evening, when the banquet ended, Deanna was slightly tipsy. Although she had only sipped champagne and drank very little each time, the numerous toasts added up. Lance looked at the dazed Deanna in his arms, both amused and exasperated. "I told you, if you can't drink, don't. No one would dare say anything."
"No way, if I don't drink, I won't receive their blessings," Deanna slurred, her eyes wide as she looked at the handsome man before her, then hiccupped.
Lance's face showed helplessness, but his eyes were full of laughter. Just as he was about to say something, Deanna wrapped her arms around his neck and boldly declared, "From now on, you're mine, officially."
"Yes, only yours," Lance responded joyfully.
As they spoke, Samantha and Logan walked over. Seeing the two so close, they teased, "Is Deanna drunk?"
"She is. I'm taking her back. Gregory and Chloe will stay here tonight; I'll pick them up tomorrow," Lance explained.
The elders knew his intentions and waved them off. "Go ahead, we'll take care of Gregory and Chloe."
Lance nodded and left the old mansion with Deanna. On the way back, Deanna started acting up.
"Hey handsome, you're so good-looking. I want to kiss you," she said and moved to kiss Lance's lips.
Lance didn't know whether to laugh or be angry at the forward woman in his arms. Just because he's good-looking? It seemed he could never let her drink outside again!
Unaware of her future restrictions on drinking, Deanna managed to steal a kiss from Lance, her eyes lighting up immediately. So soft, so tasty! She clung to Lance's neck like a greedy cat, licking his lips continuously.
Faced with such teasing, Lance couldn't hold back his desires anymore. He clasped the back of Deanna's head with one hand and kissed her deeply. Deanna was left dizzy and weak, instinctively leaning on Lance to keep from collapsing.
When the kiss ended, both were breathless. Lance's forehead veins bulged with restraint; after all, they were still in the car. Xavier, unaware of what happened behind him, had sensibly raised the partition after noticing the intimate atmosphere.
Upon arriving at the estate, Lance suppressed his body's urges and carried Deanna into the villa. During this time, Deanna was restless in his arms, touching him here and there. Lance's eyes reddened with desire as he finally saw their room.
"You asked for this," he gritted out to Deanna.
Deanna smiled sweetly at him, unaware of the impending danger. By the time she realized it, she was exhausted and powerless. No matter how much she pleaded, the man before her wouldn't relent.
The next day, when Deanna woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. She felt utterly spent, her head pounding and body aching as if run over by a truck. Simultaneously, memories of last night played in her mind like a movie.
Recalling her bold actions from the night before, Deanna's face turned beet red. "Ah-how could I do something so stupid!" she screamed softly, pulling the blanket over her head.
When Lance came in and saw this scene, he couldn't help but laugh. He walked over and gently patted the blanket. "Since you're awake, come down for breakfast. We need to go to the old mansion to pick up Gregory and Chloe, and Grandma."
Old Ashley had also stayed at the old mansion last night. Hearing Lance's voice made Deanna even more embarrassed; she didn't dare face him and mumbled from under the blanket, "You go out first; I'll get up later."
Understanding her shyness, Lance didn't insist. Later, after lunch, they went to the old mansion. Meanwhile, news about last night's Mercer family banquet began circulating online.
Emily watched the TV showing Deanna in all her glory and was consumed by jealousy. Why? Why was that wretched Deanna living better while she was stuck in a detention center?!
Garrett and Mia also saw the reports and felt conflicted. Garrett especially regretted his actions deeply. If he had known how much the Mercer family valued Deanna, he wouldn't have ruined their relationship. With the Mercer family backing them, who would dare disrespect the Jones family?
But it was too late; he had destroyed everything. Moreover, the company's financial issues were urgent. If not resolved soon, Jones Group's foundation would be shaken.