Magnus's face darkened for a moment, but today was his birthday party. He couldn't blow up over something minor and look petty. So, he just shot Cassian a glare, then raised his glass with a smile. "Thank you everyone for celebrating with me tonight! I'm truly happy." He went on with a three-minute speech that sounded more like a boss's pep talk than a toast. By the time Magnus finally wrapped it up, Natalie was so bored that she was nearly nodding off in her chair. "Come on! Let's raise a glass to the bright future of our base!" he shouted. Everyone stood with their glasses raised and cheered, "Happy birthday, Magnus!" Magnus laughed loudly and drained his drink in one gulp. His men followed suit. In the crowd, Cassian only lifted his glass halfway, then slyly dumped the whole drink under the table. Natalie sat up straight, calm and collected. She didn't even need to fake it—she had told everyone she was allergic to alcohol long ago, so no one questioned her. Instead, she kept a sharp eye on Kelvin. When she saw him take big swigs of wine, her heart leapt. Perfect. Now, all they had to do was make sure everyone ate enough food. After the toast, Magnus led the way. Everyone started to dig in. The first dish everyone lunged for was the plate of vegetables. Even the guys sitting farther away stood up to grab a bite. On the other side of the room, music kicked in. A team of dancers, led by Amber, swayed their way into the hall. The men cheered, eating and watching the performance all at once. Natalie, however, didn't touch her food. Instead, she pulled out a plastic bag she had tucked away earlier. With one quick scoop, she grabbed the last of the vegetables and dropped them into the bag. Then she reached for the pot roast in front of her and shoveled in half a plate. Other people who sat at the same table froze and stared at her. Who bags food right when the party starts? But everyone knew she was Magnus's favorite, so no one dared say a word. Some even tried to flatter her. "Bonnie, there's still some pork knuckle over here—want some?" one of them asked. Natalie shook her head politely. "No thanks." Without another word, she poured wine into both her glass and Cassian's, then grabbed two clean forks. Standing up, she headed toward the door. The bodyguards at the entrance saw her and straightened their backs at once. "Ms. Bonnie!" they greeted. Natalie nodded and handed them the bag. "You've worked hard. Here, grab a bite." The guards were stunned. "But we're still on duty." Her smile widened as her eyes flicked to the guns at their waists. "Don't worry. This isn't from me—it's from Magnus. He wanted to make sure you got something." She gave the bag a little shake. "There's even vegetables in there."The two exchanged a glance, then quickly looked toward Magnus. Sure enough, Magnus was watching. He had been keeping an eye on Bonnie the whole time. The moment she stood up, he noticed. When Magnus saw her carrying food over to his bodyguards, his grin was impossible to hide. So the girl was finally ready to be his woman. She even knew how to win over the people close to him. The guards relaxed the moment they noticed Magnus smiling their way. The heavier one quickly grabbed the glass, raised it toward Magnus, and downed it in one gulp. The other followed his lead, drinking fast. Natalie smiled with satisfaction, then handed them a plastic bag with food and a fork. "Don't just drink. Eat something." The heavy guard dove in right away. Natalie only returned to her seat once she saw them both eating. Magnus was still holding a grudge against Cassian. He noticed Cassian hadn't touched his plate and immediately called him out. "What's wrong, Kash? Don't like the food? I don't see you eating anything." Cassian glanced at him. "Not hungry." Magnus kept his face calm, but inside, he was fuming. This kid was really testing him—first no gift, no toast, and now saying he had no appetite at his party.He was acting like he was too rich to care about Magnus at all. Magnus decided it was time to put him in his place. "Kash, just let me know if you need anything. I've got plenty. After all, the Holland Group is behind me. Their CEO is my sworn brother. With him backing me, supplies are endless." His hidden implication was clear. Why are you acting tough? With Holland Group at my back, I'm wealthier than you. But he had no idea how ridiculous he sounded. Natalie nearly burst out laughing. Cassian's sworn brother? Seriously? She knew she couldn't laugh here, so she forced it back. That only made her choke on her own spit, coughing hard. Magnus looked over in concern. "What's wrong, Bonnie? You haven't even had a drink; how are you choking?" Cassian smirked and gave her a look full of amusement. Then he spoke, "So, Magnus, you know Mr. Holland? Funny, I know him too. Strange, I've never heard him mention you."