Phoebe couldn’t hear her at all, running like a gust of wind.
Florence couldn’t breathe.
Right then, a big hand pressed on her shoulder from her back, forcing her to stop.
Just one second, Phoebe ran farther again.
Florence looked back anxiously.
She said, “Ernest, I must catch up with Phoebe. Let me go.”
Since everything was unknown, she was worried that Phoebe would see something that was unacceptable to her. In that case, Phoebe would be in trouble again.
Ernest said indifferently, “Relax. Nothing will happen.”
His affirmative tone calmed Florence down.
Since Ernest said nothing would happen, she believed him.
However, Florence was still worried. “I must keep an eye on Phoebe.”
“Stop running. You’ll be exhausted.”
Ernest looked at Florence unhappily, who was panting. She didn’t work out often. She ran so fast all of a sudden. He was afraid that her body couldn’t take it.
Florence panicked. “But, I…”
Before she finished retorting, her legs were in midair. Ernest scooped her up in a bridal carry.
Florence wrapped her arms around his neck immediately, looking puzzled. “What are you doing, Ernest?”
“I’ll take you there.”
Ernest strode over in the direction where Phoebe had run away.
He was striding, but he was faster than Florence when she was running.
Florence looked at the man in a daze. She felt delighted. Finally, she could adjust her breath.
Phoebe arrived at Roan’s study at her highest speed.
Standing at the door and looking at the closed door, she hesitated. She didn’t push the door open or enter immediately.
She was so nervous.
She was also frightened.
She was worried that she might see a scene that she wasn’t willing to see.
After all, Stanford and her father had been in the study for a whole night and still didn’t come out. Her hair stood on the end.
With a pale face, Phoebe hesitated for a while. Then her trembling fingers fell on the doorknob.
She took a deep breath and pushed the door open with strength.
Click. As the door was open, Phoebe saw the scene behind the door.
The initially clean study was in a mess.
She saw empty wine bottles all over the floor. She couldn’t tell how much they had drunk with one glimpse.
She was overwhelmed by the pungent alcohol smell.
Roan was sitting on the floor with his upper body on the sofa. He was holding an empty bottle.
Phoebe could tell that he was so drunk.
What surprised Phoebe more was Stanford was sitting upright next to Roan. He was holding a bottle, pouring the wine into his glasses.
However, he had lost the target. His hand trembled when pouring the wine, and most of them was spilled outside.
He seemed to be impatient but tried to keep being gentlemanly when drinking. He tried his best to pour the wine…
Phoebe felt like she was getting a headache.
She couldn’t believe what she had seen.
How could her father and Stanford make the study so messy?
It turned out they didn’t fight last night nor argue. Instead, they had a great night, drinking till the following day.
Phoebe was relieved entirely but also an indescribable feeling surged in her heart.
Florence arrived soon. Standing at the door, she was startled when seeing the scene.
What a mess!
She wondered if the two men had been nuts.
Besides, after the door was open, Stanford didn’t react at all. He still concentrated on pouring the wine. Obviously, he could only keep his eyes open as he was so drunk.
Florence rubbed her forehead. “Jesus Christ! We’d better take them out.”
The whole study was full of a pungent smell.
“How degenerate!”
Collin disdained them so much.
His boss, who was always aloof and cold, had gone to the bad.
Feeling disappointed, Collin stepped into the study.
Phoebe walked over, heaving a sigh while looking at her father and Stanford.
“Flory, please help me take my father to his room.”
Collin could look after Stanford.
“Okay,” Florence agreed right away.
When she was about to walk over, Ernest put his arm on her shoulder.
Ernest frowned slightly, looking unhappy.
“You can’t go.”
Florence was confused, wondering why.
“He is a man,” said Ernest in a husky voice.
He sounded serious. Roan was Phoebe’s father, but he still wouldn’t allow Florence to touch him.
Florence didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Ernest was such a jealous man.
If she wouldn’t go help Phoebe, would he?
That was impossible. Although Ernest always took care of Phoebe, he was a neat freak. He wouldn’t help her father up.
Florence reasoned with him patiently, “Phoebe couldn’t do it alone. I need to help her for just a moment.”
“Collin can help her,” said Ernest.
Florence watched Collin help Stanford up and didn’t see he had extra energy.
When she was about to retort, Stanford pushed Collin away when the latter was taking his arm.
Stanford said in unconcealed disdain, “Go away. Don’t touch me.”
Collin was speechless.
He stiffened motionlessly and wanted to cry. Stanford was so close to him since childhood but now refused him after getting drunk.
He wanted to curse Stanford.
Collin felt helpless.
Patiently, he said, “Stanford, it’s me, Collin. I’m taking you to get some rest.”
Stanford ignored him completely. Then he gazed at Phoebe with his eyes twinkling with hidden complaints.
“Phoebe, come over.”
Phoebe was taken aback when she was about to help her father up. She looked at Stanford in surprise.
She asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
“Come over,” Stanford repeated determinedly.
Looking at him, Phoebe felt that he wasn’t completely unconscious, but he looked drunk.
She couldn’t tell how sober he was.
However, he was much better than Roan now. At least, he could speak.
Phoebe took a look at Roan, who was still holding an empty bottle. Then she turned to walk to Stanford.
“You…”
Before she finished her words, Stanford suddenly pulled her to sit down.
Then he wrapped his arms around her, leaning on her completely.
Phoebe instantly felt the weight as heavy as a mountain. Then she smelt the unique smell of his scent mixed with the alcohol smell.
Her heart was racing.
She asked nervously, “Mr. Fraser, what are you doing?”
She wanted to break free.
However, Stanford hugged her more tightly.
He said, “Phoebe, drink with me.”
Phoebe felt a migraine, wondering if that was the typical line of a drunk man. He was so drunk now but still wanted to drink.
She immediately refused, “I won’t drink. You should stop, too.”