NovelEnglishSensing her gaze, Lester turned his head with a soft smile and pulled her in with an easy arm around her
shoulders.
"Well, since everyone's here, let's all grab a seat."
Everyone nodded and began to settle at the table.
Sylvia quietly walked past Rupert, feeling all too aware of every step.
When it ctto sit, she hesitated, unsure where it was appropriate for her. Lester was now head of the
family-his status basically equal to Rupert's-and the seats beside him were usually reserved for immediate family
or elders.
She and Lester were only dating; it didn't feel right to take one of those spots.
As she wavered, an older relative who'd calong with Scott pointed to the empty seat next to Lester.
"Ms. Lloyd, you take this spot. I'm a bit on the hefty side-if | scoot down, | can snag a couple extra inches for
myself." He patted his belly and grinned, his eyes crinkling warmly.
Sylvia hurriedly protested, "Oh, please, you should have it."
Lester gave her hand a tug, still smiling. "It's fine, sit here. My uncle's got doctor's orders-no wine, no cigars, and
if he sits here, he'll be sneaking drinks all night."
The uncle chuckled. "You knowtoo well."
He promptly blocked Sylvia's way and plopped himself down on the far end, leaving the seat by Lester open.
Sylvia thanked him and finally sat down next to Lester. To her surprise, she didn't feel nearly as nervous as she'd
expected.
Maybe it was just the Sanford family's easygoing nature-here, this sort of thing didn't seem like a big deal.
No wonder Lester had such a good temperament, growing up in an environment like this.
If this were the Garcia family, she thought, sitting in the wrong seat would have triggered a whole lecture about
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtmanners and upbringing-not just directed at her, but at her parents too.
And it wouldn't have been one elder scolding you, but the whole Garcia committee in chorus.
Respect and hierarchy were etched into every Garcia bone.
And whatever Tristan said, the family followed without question.
Sylvia remembered joking with Naomi when she'd first arrived at the Garcia house -Tristan was like some
medieval king, and his stuffy uncles and aunts were his loyal court of nobles and knights.
But for all the jokes, the Garcias were nothing if not fiercely loyal. That's why, after a century, their family still
thrived.
After everyone sat, the table went quiet for a while.
Eventually the conversation
loosened up, glasses clinking, dishes being passed around in the midst of it all Tristan raised his glass toward
wno
Scott. s
"Mr. Sanford, you cut quite the figure. He paused then added, | have to say, I'didn't expect you to be
so...innocent.” s
As he spoke, Tristan shot a sidelong glance at Sylvia.
Most people at the table were business veterans-they all caught the implication.
Tristan was hinting that Lester was being played by Sylvia.
Sylvia felt the eyes on her, her face going pale.
She'd known something like this would happen.
There was another unspoken Garcia rule: tie up loose ends.
She hadn't left the Garcia family because she was lucky, or because they were forgiving.
They were just waiting to watch her
fall. Waiting for Tp gga tovesk
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make an example of h s
See? This is what happens to women like her.
And just by sitting here tonight, Sylvia knew she was poking the bear.
She didn't want to drag Lester into this mess, so she pretended not to notice,
gripping her wine glass to steady her nerves.
Suddenly, the sharp sound of glass shattering broke the tense air.
Everyone turned-Rupert's face was dark, stormy.
He silently took the napkin handed to
him by a server, dakbitg athi®fiahd
ag if nothing Nath happened. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
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"My apologies. Slipped right out of my hand."
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Scott jumped in, "Don't mind him, Mr.
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Sanford. My father S9eYing gM
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there drinks and he's done for.
The table fell into a heavy, awkward silence.
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