Rebirth Of The Forgotten Heiress - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Quinlyn thought, 'Look at Mr. Fletcher, then look at how Zachary fumbles around girls. Geez, it's not even a contest.
'But what's Mr. Fletcher's endgame? He's not rolling out the royal treatment for me just because he thinks I'm cute.
'A crafty old fox like him never puts on a show this big for no reason. This is just the opening act. He's setting a much bigger stage, and I'm the star player he plans to trap.'
Strangely, the thought didn't scare her. She played the part of the princess, carefully and seriously considering the fruit wines before her. Her chill, natural vibe looked arrogant as hell to everyone else.
Quinlyn, however, couldn't care less. She thought, 'I'm just a doomed evil side character in this story. When I eventually die, the Narrator will probably just say, 'Quinlyn's dead, and the Guzman family can finally have peace.'
'So why should I play nice and humble? Plus, being nice won't trigger any of the Narrator's plot updates anyway.' That settled it. She decided to go all in and sample every single flavor they had to offer.
Frank hung by her side like the world's most patient waiter. He poured a small tasting of each variety into her glass, just enough for her to get the flavor without getting drunk too quickly.
Even so, Quinlyn had put away about half a bottle by the end of dinner. Her barely-there makeup now had this nice rosy glow.
Everyone else felt like commoners attending a feast for their princess. And their princess, Quinlyn, was even generous enough to invite them to try the wines chosen just for her.
Everyone else passed. This was Logan's show of favor for Quinlyn, and no one was dumb enough to step into that spotlight. Anyway, Yasin was the exception.
Elsie looked like she was dying to try some, but eventually decided to play it safe. She couldn't afford to offend anyone in this room.
Yasin, however, didn't care about any of that. His tolerance for alcohol was high anyway. This weak fruit wine was just fancy juice to him.
He not only tried them, but he also provided a running commentary for each one, complaining that the fruitiness was overpowering and the alcohol content was pathetic. It was, in his opinion, a drink for children.
Everyone else was at a complete loss for words, exchanging awkward glances. This was supposed to be a boring, ordinary dinner. Thanks to Quinlyn and Yasin, it had become anything but.
The entire mood of the group had shifted. They'd all arrived reluctantly, just wanting to get through a meal with an old man. Now, they just wanted to bitch about everything they were seeing.
A baffling thought began to bubble up among the other guests. 'On the island, fine. It made sense that Quinlyn and Yasin were at the top of the food chain. But how the hell are they still running the show now that we're back?
'Yasin is one thing. Our parents all said he's probably some rich heir from a powerful family, just playing at being normal.
'But Quinlyn? She literally crawled out of the slums. How could she outshine us so easily?'
Logan said, "Alright, kids. Go mess around in the backyard. These old bones of mine are ready for a rest. Your gifts are waiting for you out there. Each one is labeled with your name, so there's no need for any squabbling."
Logan casually took off, leaving behind a bunch of people who'd been downgraded to commoners and Quinlyn, who'd been forced into princess mode.
Rita couldn't hold her tongue any longer. "You know, you can always tell when someone's spent time in the gutter. Their skin gets extra thick. The host was just being polite, and she had the nerve to have him open like twenty bottles of wine."
Quinlyn's eyes flicked up. With her buzz going, her eyes looked all dreamy and sexy. The words that followed, however, were anything but romantic.
"Nope, you're wrong. It was exactly 17 bottles. There aren't that many flavors," Quinlyn said.
"You—" Rita stammered. "You're only acting like this because Mr. Fletcher has taken a shine to you. But you can forget about Zachary. He'll never want you. He loves Yalena."
Yalena didn't say anything or try to shut Rita up. Logan's attitude toward Quinlyn had obviously rattled her.
Yalena thought, 'Mr. Fletcher has made his position crystal clear. And Zachary doesn't have the power to defy him yet. If Mr. Fletcher doesn't approve, our engagement will never happen.'
Quinlyn licked her lips. "So? Not my problem." With that, she headed toward the backyard with her tipsy walk.
After three steps, she turned back and told Yasin seriously, "Stick with me. I'm worried... You might be in mortal danger."
The rest of the guests, who had long since faded into the background, stared at the towering, powerfully built man who was a full head taller than Quinlyn. Their eyes went from his broad shoulders to his ripped arms.
They thought, 'He's in danger? From what? He is the danger.'
Xavier was about to say something back, but then he watched Yasin following Quinlyn around like a loyal puppy. Suddenly, he felt like he was watching some sickening romance movie.
Zachary, meanwhile, stood frozen, a statue of wounded pride. He stared at Quinlyn and Yasin's retreating figures as his face got even colder.
Quinlyn could drink. Or rather, the woman she would become in a few years could really drink. That future Quinlyn would develop a deep love for alcohol, with entire cabinets in her home dedicated to the stuff.
She'd drink to celebrate, and she'd drink to forget. She loved that floating feeling. But as her tolerance grew, that perfect buzz became harder and harder to find.
Quinlyn hadn't expected a little fruit wine to actually buzz her up. Her head was still clear. She was just acting wilder than usual.
Everyone wandered into the backyard and found crazy expensive gifts on this massive table. There were keys to sports cars, boxes holding stunning jewelry, and even thick envelopes containing property deeds.
Everyone was freaking out over how generous Logan was. Quinlyn got hyped watching everyone and rushed to crack open her box.
A second later, her excited smile froze. Inside was a share transfer agreement. But there was a catch. The shares would only be hers if, and when, she married Zachary.
With her head all floaty, Quinlyn looked around at everyone else. She thought, 'They get cars and real estate, and I get a conditional, worthless piece of paper?
'Wait. This doesn't add up. I literally just brought up getting shares to my family. Now this just falls into my lap? The Guzmans had to have pulled some strings for this.'
The guests were all excitedly comparing their presents. When they saw what Quinlyn was holding, the whole place went dead quiet. Her gift alone was worth more than all the others combined.
Yalena couldn't take it anymore. She looked at Zachary, her voice trembling, and asked, "Zachary, is it true? Has your family already arranged it? Are you marrying her?"
Zachary looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. "No way!" he roared. Then he started hobbling toward the house to confront Logan.
As if on cue, Frank appeared, blocking his path. "It's getting late, sir," he said. "Mr. Fletcher has taken his medicine and is resting. If you have any questions, you will have to wait until tomorrow."
"What the hell is Grandfather up to?" Zachary said.
Frank's expression remained calm. "Mr. Fletcher always picks what's right for you." He paused for a beat. "And, in the end, what you truly want."