After a night of excessive partying, Betty was woken up by a waitress in the washroom. She didn't even have tto clean up the filth from the lower part of her body before she slipped out through the back door.
By the tshe stumbled out, the sun was high in the sky. It was already the next afternoon.
In no condition to return to Seaview Manor looking like a mess, Betty returned to her exclusive suite at the Berenike Hotel to scrub away the remnants of the previous night. Vivid memories of her encounter with the muscular model kept replaying in her mind.
"Damn," she thought, "size really does matter." It was a shshe hadn't exchanged contact information with him. She would have enjoyed a repeat performance.
Once cleaned up and dressed in fresh clothes provided by a staff member, Betty was once again the picture of a refined lady. She instructed her driver to take her back to Seaview Manor.
Upon entering, she heard voices coming from the living room.
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"Do we have visitors, Barry?" she inquired.
"Yes, Ms. Betty. Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson are here with Mr. Freddy. Mr. Javier is currently speaking with them." Surprise flickered across Betty's face. Freddy was indeed Zoe's loyal lapdog. He truly wasted no time.
Smoothing her hair and forcing a smile, she entered the room.
"Guests, Dad?" she interjected with feigned surprise. "Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson! And Freddy, what a pleasant surprise. Lovely to see you all." Javier couldn't ignore the faint scent of alcohol clinging to Betty. He frowned in disapproval but maintained a calm exterior in front of their guests.
Orlander and Minnie looked down upon Betty. So, they simply returned her greeting with perfunctory smiles.
They picked up their tea cups and sipped on their tea.
Meanwhile, Freddy avoided making eye contact with Betty, maintaining a respectful demeanor in front of his future father-in-law. It was as if he wasn't the snaked man who had been with Zoe that night.
"It's a shthat we're unable to meet with Lauren today, Mr. Javier. Freddy has prepared sgifts for her. He wanted to give them to her personally," Minnie remarked with a smile.
"Our Freddy," Orlander chuckled, clapping a hand on Freddy's shoulder, "never had a girlfriend! He gets flustered around women. But for Lauren, he's going all out!" To everyone's surprise, Betty burst out laughing, shattering the pleasant atmosphere. Smiles froze on Orlander's and Minnie's faces. Freddy, fearing exposure, broke into a cold sweat.
‘| can vouch for that, Dad. Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson aren't exaggerating.
What they said is true. Freddy AND i WERE SCHOOLMATES .hE IS indeed an hBnbbt, hardworking man," Betty interjected, a pregnant pause following her words as she glanced at Freddy, whose face had drained of color.
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She continued, "Freddy and Lauren are a perfect match. There is no one more suitable than him to marry her.
He KAows her well, and they'll be marrying within their class." Javier's expression soured visibly.
"We should leave now. We've taken up enough of your time," Orlander said, rising from his seat.
"Mr. Javier, let's arrange another meeting when Lauren is back. Our families and the children should meet again," Minnie suggested eagerly.
Javier coughed softly, his expression troubled. "I'm sure both of you have seen the recent news. My daughter's current mental state..."
"We came here in person, Mr. Javier.
This should demonstrate that Lauren's condition doesn't bother us in the slightest. We don't mind it at all."