My Stand-In Groom Is A Secret Tycoon (Audrey) novel Chapter 12

After processing the surprising news about Alistair's marriage, Logan pulled him in for a warm side hug. He arched an eyebrow and grinned, "So, am I the first to hear about this?"

"Yeah," Alistair replied, shoving Logan away playfully.

Not bothered at all, Logan beamed, "Awesome! This calls for a celebration. Cheers!"

He raised his glass, clinked it with Alistair's, took a swig, and then declared, "Nope, this wine won't cut it. You have finally tied the knot before hitting thirty. We need something special for the occasion."

With that, he turned and headed for the wine cellar, diving into his dad's century-old collection. He didn't even flinch at the thought of his father possibly disowning him over it.

*****

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the cool moonlight streamed in, casting a glow over the wine bottles scattered on the floor. Audrey lay sprawled on the sofa, arms dangling, still clutching a half-empty, rose-red bottle.

Her usually bright face was streaked with tears from all the drinks she barely remembered consuming, though she definitely recalled receiving a call from Emily and getting completely overwhelmed.

It hit her hard that Albert never really liked her. It all tied back to that messy little situation starting on what seemed like a perfectly normal weekend.

Audrey had just learned to whip up some desserts and thought it would be a nice surprise to send some to Albert as he worked late at the office. But when she got there, she stumbled upon a scene she couldn't bear—Albert flirting with a female secretary.

That secretary casually mentioned how Albert was supposed to come to their son's birthday party. At just sixteen, Audrey felt her heart drop and bolted home in tears.

But when she got there and saw Fiona, all the words she wanted to spill got stuck in her throat. She had always believed her parents' relationship was perfect, a vision of happiness that turned out to be nothing more than an illusion.

As frustration washed over her, Audrey found herself reaching for another drink. The more she sipped, the more reckless she became.

When the chauffeur pulled up to the underground garage, it was already past two in the morning. Alistair slumped against the backseat, the faint scent of alcohol lingering on him.

Once the car was shut off and the chauffeur left, he found himself alone for a moment longer.

'By now, Audrey should be fast asleep, hopefully resting easy and not worrying too much in my absence.' As this thought crossed his mind, Alistair's expression softened. He grabbed the car keys and climbed out, heading toward home.

But as soon as he opened the door, a strong whiff of alcohol hit him like a freight train. He paused, momentarily bewildered, wondering if he had stepped into the wrong place.

He'd only had a couple of drinks at Logan's place, so this strong smell shouldn't be coming from him. His heart raced as he tried to piece it all together.