As Clayton and the others were deep in conversation, someone seated nearby suddenly stood up and hurried away.
Meanwhile, Clayton continued celebrating with his father's old friends late into the night. Just past midnight, the party finally came to an end, and Clayton's group parted ways with Henry's.
As Henry watched Clayton disappear into the distance, a flicker of emotion crossed his face.
"What's wrong, Henry?" Vorax asked.
"Ah, it's nothing…" Henry replied quickly, beginning to clean up the empty wine bottles in front of him.
...
Clayton, now heavily intoxicated, staggered along the road home. He regretted drinking so much—especially in the freezing night air. If he passed out or fell asleep on the street, he might not survive the cold.
