“Felix, come here. I want to introduce someone to you,” Hayden said, motioning him over.
Felix followed Hayden to where Miranda was standing with James.
Hayden raised his brows in surprise. “Mrs. Gibson, you two know each other?”
Miranda offered a polite smile. “Yes, we know each other.”
Hayden said with a chuckle. “Well then, I’ll skip the formalities. Felix, this is James Moore—Professor Craven’s most prized student and a rising star in the medical field.”
Felix’s expression shifted to one of interest. There was a hint of respect in his eyes as he extended his hand. “Mr. Moore, nice to meet you. I’m Felix Gibson.”
“Likewise.” James gave him a measured glance as their hands briefly clasped and released.
Then he turned to Miranda. “It was lovely seeing you again.” With a courteous nod, James excused himself.
Felix watched him walk away, his gaze lingering for a moment before settling on Miranda again. She started toward the bar for another juice, but just as she stepped away, Felix gripped her arm tightly.
“Watch yourself.”
Felix’s voice was low, his words barely audible, but they carried an unmistakable warning wrapped in quiet authority.
Miranda gave a faint, mocking smile. He had no issue flaunting his mistress in front of their entire social circle, yet the moment she spoke a few harmless words to James, he suddenly felt the need to issue a warning?
It was typical. He could do whatever he wanted, while she was expected to stay silent.
She pulled her arm free with a calm, deliberate motion. Felix let go without protest. Without saying another word, Miranda turned and walked toward the bar to get herself another glass of juice.
Nearby, Xena was chatting with a well-dressed socialite in Danesian.
“Who’s that? I don’t think I’ve seen her before,” the woman asked.
Xena smiled politely and replied, “She’s Felix’s wife. The one from back home.”
The woman’s eyes widened in surprise. “Then you might want to be careful tonight, Miss Spencer. You wouldn’t want to get too close to Mr. Gibson and upset his wife.”
Still smiling, Xena said breezily, “She won’t mind. They’re in the middle of a divorce.”
The woman cast a quick glance toward Miranda. “She doesn’t seem like someone who’s used to this kind of crowd. Doesn’t really match Mr. Gibson, does she?”
They clearly assumed Miranda couldn’t understand the language.
What they didn’t know was that in the past six years, she had become fluent in four.
Xena was openly spreading rumors about their divorce in this very room, and Felix was doing nothing to stop her.
He stood across the room with a wine glass in hand, chatting with two other men. Meanwhile, James had already noticed Miranda standing alone. With a drink of his own, he made his way over to her.
“Mira, what are you doing in Danesia? When did you get here?” he asked with warmth in his voice.
“I came with my husband and daughter. We’re spending Christmas here,” she answered in fluent Elbonian.
James smiled and smoothly switched to Elbonian. “Looks like you haven’t forgotten everything I taught you.”
He stepped a little closer, his eyes drifting briefly toward Xena.
“If you want to leave, I can take you,” he offered, his voice low.
He knew about Felix’s affair with Xena.
Miranda gave him a calm smile. “Thank you. If I need help, I’ll reach out.”
Across the room, Felix’s eyes snapped toward them. The warmth in his gaze disappeared in an instant. His expression darkened, and the wine glass paused halfway to his lips.
Just then, Hayden clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention.
“Let’s play a little game,” he said cheerfully. “I’m calling it ‘Vintage Time Capsule.’ It’s a blind wine tasting. Nothing too complicated.”
The crowd immediately perked up. Xena stood next to Leo, smiling with thinly veiled excitement. She shot Miranda a knowing look, clearly hoping for a show.
Everyone seemed excited about the game. Miranda stayed quiet, treating it as light entertainment and secretly hoping the fun would wind down quickly.
A server brought over a tray of wineglasses and three bottles covered in dark cloth. Each glass was poured from one of the bottles. The rules were simple: taste the wine and identify its dominant flavor note.
Felix was the first to step up. He swirled the wine in his glass, took a small sip, and said calmly, “Cherry.”
“Correct,” Hayden nodded. “Next.”
Soon it was Xena’s turn. She lifted the glass with practiced elegance, swirled it gently, then bit her red lips in thought. “Could it be… oak barrel?”
Hayden pulled off the cloth with a grin. “Miss Spencer, how’d you get that one wrong?”
Xena gave him a playful, pleading look. “Then please go easy on me, Mr. Harris.”
He chuckled. “Alright! Your punishment is to finish the whole glass!”
Xena hesitated, brows gently pinched, and gave a dainty cough as she covered her lips. “I’m not sure I can.”
“I’ll drink it for her,” a voice cut in.
Felix stepped forward, picked up the glass in front of Xena, and downed it in one smooth motion.
Miranda’s expression remained unreadable as she watched. Xena really knew how to make Felix feel protective—like he was her knight in shining armor.
Under the soft lights, Xena’s fair cheeks took on a delicate pink. She looked up at Felix and whispered, “Thank you.”
Then it was James’s turn. He took a sip and said with a smile, “I’ll take a wild guess. Graphite? Not sure if I got that right.”
Hayden chuckled. “Impressive. You guessed correctly!”
Finally, it was Miranda’s turn. Hayden looked surprised, as if he had forgotten she was even there.
A socialite, who seemed to be close with Xena, gave a polite smile and said, “Your turn, dear.”
“She doesn’t need to play,” Felix interjected immediately.
The woman chuckled. “Oh, come on, Mr. Gibson. Let your wife join in. It’ll be more fun that way.”
All eyes turned toward Miranda again. She offered a pleasant smile. “All right then. I’ll take a guess. If I’m wrong, no one laugh, okay?”
She reached for the glass, her fingers wrapping around the crystal stem. She gave it a gentle swirl, then brought it to her nose. Her calm, graceful movements carried a quiet elegance.
From across the room, Xena watched her closely, a faint smirk on her lips. “If Miranda guessed wrong, would Felix step in for her too?” she wondered.
Miranda took a sip, thoughtful for a moment. “I’ll take a blind guess—blackcurrant, perhaps?”
Hayden pulled off the cloth, visibly surprised. “Spot on! Mrs. Gibson clearly knows her wine.”
Xena’s smile faltered. She had forgotten that the Gibsons probably had an extensive wine collection at home. A little tasting game like this wouldn’t faze Miranda.
“Well done, Mrs. Gibson,” Xena said with an easy smile, though her eyes glinted with mischief. “You have such a refined palate. I’m sure you’re just as talented in the arts. There’s a piano right over there. Would you care to play something for us?”
Her tone was sugary sweet, but the challenge beneath it was clear. She wasn’t offering a compliment. She was trying to corner Miranda.
“Xena,” Felix said, his voice low with restrained irritation.
Xena bit her lip, feigning innocence. “Never mind, forget I said anything.”
The room went quiet. Even Hayden and Leo exchanged looks, as if unsure how to smooth over the tension.
Then Miranda smiled lightly. “Why not? I’ll give it a try.”
