Chapter 342: House party XII

Chapter 342: Chapter 342: House party XII

The atmosphere among the group felt so charged that it was almost tangible.

As the host, William didn’t want to let the mood become too awkward for everyone.

Well—

Save for Anthony.

So he turned back toward Christopher and Vivienne.

"Well, since you two are together now..."

He smiled.

"Congratulations are in order."

A few people offered their congratulations.

Vivienne smiled and thanked them.

Christopher accepted them with his usual calm courtesy.

And then—

That was it.

There was no reason to make a ceremony out of it.

This was a house party.

People had drinks in their hands.

Music was playing.

Around them, conversations continued as though nothing had happened.

The rest of the house was still full of people doing their own thing.

Some were talking near the kitchen.

Others were gathered around the living room.

A few had already moved toward the back of the house.

The party hadn’t stopped.

Only this particular group had gotten caught up in the moment.

William looked around at the people still standing there.

Fourteen people.

And somehow, they had all ended up gathered in the same place.

He grinned.

"All right."

Everyone looked at him.

"Rather than standing around here all night, let’s play a game."

Claire looked at him.

"What game?"

William paused.

He looked around at everyone.

"Hmm..."

He pretended to think about it.

"Let me think."

A few people laughed.

William glanced toward the other side of the room.

"But first..."

He gestured toward the hallway.

"Let’s go somewhere we can actually sit."

Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"Somewhere?"

"Yes."

William smiled.

"There’s a conference room upstairs."

He looked around the group.

"Plenty of space."

Scott nodded.

"Okay."

Leo laughed.

"I’m in."

Ronald shrugged.

"Sure."

Rhea looked at Elise.

Elise smiled.

Eleanor immediately looked interested.

Vivienne glanced at Christopher.

He was still standing beside her.

Their hands were still intertwined.

She smiled.

Apparently, this really had become another date.

She hadn’t expected that when she left her dorm tonight.

She had thought she was going to spend the evening with her friends.

But now—

Her boyfriend was here.

And somehow, she was going to spend the night with him too.

She couldn’t help smiling.

Christopher, for his part, had no reason to leave.

Vivienne had come with her friends, and she was clearly staying for the game.

As her boyfriend, he couldn’t exactly walk away and leave her behind.

Besides, he had already been pulled into the group.

So, naturally, he stayed beside her.

Across from them, Damian remained quiet.

He wasn’t particularly interested in playing a game.

This wasn’t really his group.

Most of the people standing around him were younger students or people he didn’t usually spend time with.

He had only been pulled over because William had called him earlier.

He could leave.

He probably should leave.

But he remained.

Apparently, he was willing to make his own evening considerably more unpleasant than it already was.

Anthony, meanwhile, had even less of an excuse.

He was already there.

He had been standing with them through the entire conversation, and leaving now would only make his departure look deliberate.

More importantly—

Vivienne was still there.

For some reason, that seemed to be enough to keep him from walking away.

William clapped his hands once.

"Come on."

He laughed.

"Let’s go."

The group began moving toward the stairs.

People continued moving around them.

Some barely noticed.

Others glanced over curiously.

A few recognized Christopher.

A few recognized Vivienne.

And a few had already begun whispering.

Because news traveled quickly at St. Albion.

Especially when the people involved were Christopher Archibald and Vivienne Beaumont.

But for now—

The fourteen of them simply followed William upstairs.

William was still thinking about what game they were going to play.

And none of them had any idea what he had in mind.

--

The conference room was on the second floor.

It was normally used for meetings, discussions, and other gatherings whenever William’s family hosted something at the house.

William opened the door and walked inside.

There was a large conference table in the middle of the room with enough chairs around it for everyone.

He looked around.

"All right."

He pointed toward the table.

"Everyone sit."

Amelia laughed.

"You’re very bossy for someone who hasn’t even told us what we’re playing."

William grinned.

"That’s because I’m the host."

"That doesn’t explain anything."

"It explains everything."

A few people laughed.

William walked around the table.

"Okay."

He started pointing toward the chairs.

"Boy, girl, boy, girl."

Scott raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because."

William said it as though that explained everything.

"Just do it."

Being polite gentlemen, they asked the ladies to seat first.

The girls took random alternating seats.

Vivienne took a chair near the middle of the table.

With the ladies seated, the men naturally followed.

Christopher naturally took a seat beside Vivienne.

On her right.

Vivienne smiled at him.

The chair beside her on the left was still empty.

The men in the room naturally steered clear.

Anthony noticed it.

He glanced at the chair.

On its right was Vivienne.

On its left was Evelyn.

The thought of sitting in the middle of the two with everyone watching made the situation feel unnecessarily awkward.

Anthony hesitated.

Then Damian pulled out the empty chair.

He sat down beside Vivienne.

The room went quiet for half a second.

Not long enough to be obvious.

Just long enough for everyone to notice.

Vivienne looked from Christopher to Damian.

Damian settled into his chair as though nothing unusual had happened.

Anthony looked at him.

Then at Vivienne.

He said nothing.

He simply took the seat across from her.

It wasn’t particularly important where he sat.

His attention was already fixed on Vivienne.

The other men looked relieved that someone else had made the decision.

William, meanwhile, looked delighted.

Apparently, fate had decided to help him.

Or perhaps Damian had.

William took his own seat.

He looked around the table.

The seating arrangement was simple.

William sat at the head of the table, with Amelia beside him. Then came Scott, Claire, Leo, Evelyn, Damian, Vivienne, Christopher, Eleanor, Ronald, Rhea, Anthony, Elise, then back to William completing the circle.

Fourteen people.

William smiled.

"Perfect."

--

Tbc