Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 113: Chapter 113 Celebration

The team’s cheerful mood lasted all the way to the restaurant.

Everyone chatted excitedly about the breakthrough Daisy had made, teasing Ace for nearly giving himself a heart attack over the failed formula.

By the time they reached the reserved dining area, everyone was smiling.

The staff had already prepared a large table for them and the group settled in with eager anticipation, their voices filling the space with lively chatter.

Just as they were about to enter, a familiar voice came from behind.

"Looks like I arrived at the right time."

Everyone turned around. Their smiles instantly stiffened.

Mr. Higgins walked toward them with a pleasant smile on his face, one hand tucked into his trouser pocket. His bald head gleamed under the restaurant lights, and his small eyes swept over the group with calculated warmth. His presence seemed to suck the energy out of the air, replacing it with an uncomfortable tension.

Daisy’s heart skipped a beat. She instinctively lowered her eyes, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. She could feel his gaze on her...

Ace and Mona exchanged a quick glance. Neither of them had invited him. There was no way he had been invited. Yet here he was, inserting himself into their celebration as if he had every right to be there.

Still, everyone politely greeted him.

"Good evening, sir."

"Good evening, Mr. Higgins."

"Welcome."

Mr. Higgins smiled warmly, his expression feigning innocence. "I hope you don’t mind me joining your celebration. I heard there was a breakthrough today and I thought I’d congratulate the team in person."

No one dared refuse.

"Of course not, sir."

"Please join us."

"Have a seat."

One of the researchers, Ashley, stood quietly at the back of the group, looking as though she wanted to disappear into the floor. Her face was pale, her eyes guilty, her hands clasped tightly together as if she were bracing for a scolding.

Throughout dinner, she barely spoke a word. She picked at her food, her gaze fixed on her plate, while Mr. Higgins dominated the conversation with questions about the team’s work. He asked about the testing process, the next steps and the timeline for the revised formula, his voice smooth and professional.

Later, when Mr. Higgins excused himself to answer an important phone call outside the restaurant, the atmosphere immediately shifted.

The moment he disappeared from sight, Ashley immediately turned toward everyone with an apologetic expression, her eyes wide with regret.

"I’m really sorry..."

She looked especially guilty, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

"I honestly didn’t invite him."

Everyone looked at her.

Ashley sighed helplessly, her shoulders slumping. "I was on my way here when he stopped me in the parking lot. He asked where I was going. I didn’t think much of it, so I told him we were having a small team celebration."

She covered her face with one hand, her voice muffled. "And then he smiled and said he’d come too."

She looked at everyone miserably, her eyes pleading for understanding.

"What was I supposed to say? ’No, sir, you’re not invited’? I couldn’t reject my own manager. He would have made my life miserable."

Ace immediately shook his head, his expression reassuring. "No, no... you did the right thing. You couldn’t have said no to him."

Mona nodded in agreement, reaching over to pat Ashley’s arm. "Exactly. Anyone in your position would’ve done the same thing."

Another colleague sighed, shaking his head. "He’s our department manager. Refusing him would only make things awkward. You had no choice."

Ashley still looked guilty, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I just hope I didn’t ruin everyone’s evening."

Ace smiled reassuringly. "You didn’t. You were put in an impossible situation. It’s not your fault."

The others nodded in agreement, their voices warm and forgiving.

Even Daisy nodded her head, her expression gentle.

She understood what it was like to be trapped in a situation where you couldn’t say no. She had spent years of her life unable to refuse, unable to speak up, unable to protect herself. She knew the feelings of that helplessness all too well.

She reached out and touched Ashley’s arm gently, offering a small, reassuring smile.

Ashley looked at her, and her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Thanks, Daisy."

Daisy nodded again, her smile growing a little warmer.

The team slowly returned to their conversation, but the mood had shifted slightly. They couldn’t relax as fully as before, knowing Mr. Higgins would be returning soon. Everyone was aware of the invisible pressure that had settled over the table.

The private dining room gradually became lively again, though the earlier carefree energy had dimmed.

Warm lights reflected off the wooden table, now covered with steaming dishes, desserts, and bottles of wine. The soft glow cast golden shadows across the faces of the researchers, highlighting their smiles and tired but happy eyes.

Ace had finally stopped talking about stability reports. He was leaning back in his chair, his arms crossed, a genuine smile on his face for the first time in days. Mona was teasing Ashley, who kept apologizing for Mr. Higgins joining them, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Several researchers were discussing new perfume ideas, their voices animated with creative energy. Others excitedly recalled the moment Daisy had discovered the flaw in the formula, reenacting her discovery with exaggerated gestures and dramatic pauses.

Daisy quietly listened to everyone’s conversations, a gentle smile resting on her face.

She didn’t speak, of course. Instead, she simply watched them, occasionally nodding or laughing silently whenever someone looked her way. Her eyes sparkled in the warm light, reflecting the joy of the moment.

It felt... nice. She had never imagined having colleagues who treated her so warmly.

Meanwhile, Mr. Higgins sat near the head of the table, drinking glass after glass of wine. His cheeks gradually became slightly flushed, though his smile remained perfectly controlled. His small eyes moved across the room, observing and calculating, cataloging every interaction.

After finishing another glass, he slowly stood up.

The room gradually fell silent.

Holding his wine glass, he looked around the table before his gaze finally settled on Daisy. A meaningful smile spread across his face slowly, deliberately.

"So..."

He raised his glass slightly.

"Our problem solver is none other than the beauty of our department..."

His eyes remained fixed on her.

"...Daisy."

Everyone immediately smiled, their earlier awkwardness forgotten.

"That’s right!"

"She deserves all the credit!"

"If it wasn’t for Daisy, we’d probably still be running tests tomorrow!"

Someone started clapping. Soon, everyone around the table joined in, their applause warm and genuine.

Daisy’s eyes widened in surprise. Her cheeks immediately turned pink, the color spreading to the tips of her ears.

She quickly shook both hands, trying to deny the praise.

No... Everyone worked hard...

But nobody paid attention to her modest gestures. The applause continued and Daisy felt her face grow even warmer.

Mr. Higgins smiled and walked toward her with his wine glass. He stopped beside her chair.

"Congratulations."

He lifted his glass toward hers.

Daisy looked down at the glass of wine that had been placed in front of her earlier. She had no intention of drinking it. She had never liked alcohol and the thought of drinking it now made her uneasy.

She hesitated.

Before she could react, Ace spoke up.

"Sir..." He smiled politely, his voice calm but firm. "I can drink on her behalf. Daisy doesn’t usually drink."

Mr. Higgins slowly turned his head toward Ace.

The smile on his face faded ever so slightly. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, a flash of irritation passing through them before he masked it.

"No."

His voice became firmer, carrying an authoritative tone that brooked no argument.

"She’s not a child."

His eyes returned to Daisy.

"She can drink for herself."

The cheerful atmosphere around the table became awkwardly quiet. The clinking of glasses and the murmur of conversation faded, replaced by tense silence.

Ace pressed his lips together. He wanted to object again but Mr. Higgins was still their manager. Pushing further would only create more tension, more awkwardness, more problems for everyone at the table.

Daisy looked from Ace to Mr. Higgins. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her. She didn’t want to create a scene. She didn’t want to cause trouble. She didn’t want to be the reason the celebration turned sour.

Slowly, she picked up the wine glass with both hands.

Everyone watched.

She took a small sip. The liquid slid down her throat and a strange warmth immediately spread through her chest. Her eyebrows knitted together almost imperceptibly.

The taste was odd. Slightly bitter. Slightly sour. Nothing like she had imagined. She couldn’t understand why people enjoyed drinking it. In her opinion, fresh juice was much nicer or even a cold glass of Coke. Those tasted far better than this.

Still, she forced herself to swallow.

Mr. Higgins smiled in satisfaction before raising his own glass.

"That’s more like it."

He emptied the rest of his wine in one go, the liquid disappearing in a single, practiced motion.

Around the table, conversation slowly resumed, though Ace couldn’t help glancing at Daisy with concern. He leaned toward her, his voice low.

"Are you alright?"

Daisy gave him a small smile and nodded. She was fine. She was just a little warm now.

She set the glass down and pushed it slightly away, hoping no one would notice.

But Mr. Higgins had already returned to his seat, his eyes still on her. Daisy felt a shiver run down her spine.