Chapter 32: Chapter 32

The wines were quickly unboxed for everyone’s viewing pleasure.

“Teh, and here I thought they were decent quality. Looks like these are just craft brews, worth nomore than two thousand dollars, Ibet.” James had a look of disdain onhis

face. “How could these compare to Grand Crus?”

“Craft brews have long lost their value on the market. We don’t even give our servants. these!” someone exclaimed,

Craft brews weren’t actually that terrible in terms of quality, but they were nothing compared to Grand Crus.

“What a cheapskate!” Florence scoffed,

“How are craft brews cheap when they’ve been on the rise in the country? Is your taste. in fine wine only limited to those brewed overseas?” Dustin casually responded.

“How is it not cheap when they cost only a couple thousand? Chris‘ wines cost more

than 100 thousand dollars.” James rolled his eyes.

“Wines don’t have to beexpensive to be good. Plus, you don’t know how much exactly

my wines cost.”

“Are you still trying to make acomeback?” James sneered.

Florence scowled. “Hmph! Sodamn stubborn, that one.”

“I’m not going to waste any more of my time trying to explain topeople who won’t listen to reason,” Dustin said. He really didn’t want towaste his breath any longer.

“That’s enough. What matters most is the flavor, not the cost. Iprefer whites over reds. anyway.” Henry finally interrupted, popped open one of the craft brews, and poured himself a glass.

“Wait, why is it so yellow? Shouldn’t craft brews be pale white?”

“It’s murky too! It isn’t fake, is it?”

“My goodness, bringing fake wine to dinner! What kind of person would do that?”

The people started whispering toeach other upon seeing the yellow liquid in the old man’s glass.

“Now you’ve really done it! How dare you mock us all with this sham of a gift?!”

Florence cried, slamming the table with one hand.

“What if something happens tous after drinking it?!”

“I never expected him to be soevil! Is he trying to poison us all orwhat?”

A commotion broke out at the table in an instant.

Cheap wine was already embarrassing enough, but fake wine? That was a conspiracy waiting to happen!

Not even the old man knew how to calm the situation down now. Henever drank much

craft brews, but even he knew itwas supposed to be a pale, nearly transparent color. Yet the wine Dustin had brought was not only yellow; it even seemed opaque.

It didn’t look like anything good.

“This is how fine–aged craft brews usually turn out to look like,” Dustin explained.

“Bullshit!” James cried. “Do you think we’re idiots? No wine looks like this! It’s piss,

that’s all it is!”

“Yeah! Why do you continue tolie through your teeth?” Florence huffed.

Chris shook his head with faux empathy. “Oh, Dustin. You should’vetold me if you couldn’t bring anything to the table. I could’vegiven you a bottle or two for show. Why would you want to drag usdown like this?”

His words seemed kind, but intruth, he was leaping for joy internally. Dustin truly was nomatch for him. His victory over this family nearly felt effortless.

“I don’t care if you trust me ornot. All I can say is this wine isgenuine and as good as they come,” Dustin reaffirmed.

“Whoa, what a crowd!”

Suddenly, a man appeared in the doorway, still dressed in his business suit, holding several gifts.

“Dad? You’re back from your trip already?” James gasped.

It was John Nicholson, Dahlia’sfather.

“Well, the deal was a success, soI came home carly.” John smiled. The wines on the

table caught his attention. “Oh, isthat La Romanee? It’s a recent brew I think, but it must cost at least 100 thousand dollars a bottle, am Iright?”

“Good on you, Dad! You’re right!” James beamed.

“Dear, Chris brought this over for dinner. Isn’t he sweet?” Florence spoke up, then she turned to glare at Dustin. “Unlike some people who tried to poison all of us with fake wine!”

“Fake wine?” John exclaimed.

“Yeah, look!” James showed his father the glass of yellow liquid. “Dustin brought this over for dinner. If we hadn’t noticed in time, God knows what would’ve happened tous if we drank it.”

John took a close whiff of the wine, then tossed the entire glass down in one go.

“Dad, what are you doing? Don’tdrink that! You’ll kill yourself!” James yelled.

Yet John seemed to be reveling inthe taste of the wine. “A smooth, creamy body, followed by a heady finish, this isn’t fake. This is apriceless aged craft brew!” “What?!” Everyone gasped.