Chapter 59 After this drink, any talk goes
The lighting was dim, and the man sat in the shadows, exuding the regal presence of an emperor. Lounging elegantly in the corner of a sofa, his long arm resting on the armrest, his expression was indifferent, yet his eyes were as cold and dark as the depths of a wintry pool.
He sent chills down the spines of those around him, deterring anyone from coming too close.
"Who invited her over?"
His cold question hung in the air, met with silence as everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
Under the weight of the tension, no one dared to speak.
After a long pause...
"Bro, it was Hayden who called your wife over, not me," Declan didn't hesitate to throw Hayden under the bus.
Hayden's brow twitched, and he nearly leaped up to punch him.
"It was me who asked for the address, I wanted to come myself," Cecily said calmly.
Darian's gaze flickered and narrowed, "Looking for me?"
"Yes, looking for you. We need to talk," there was a clear undercurrent of anger in Cecily's voice.
Darian found this somewhat interesting and crooked two fingers at her, "Come here."
Cecily didn't move.
Seeming in a good mood, yet with a mocking tone, Darian continued, "You're not here to see me? You plan to talk from over there?"
"I'd like to speak with you alone."
The room was too dim and noisy for a conversation, not to mention that Darian had two women sitting beside him.
Darian let out a low chuckle, pulled out a cigarette, and took a drag, then casually draped an arm around one of the women next to him, turning his gaze away from Cecily.
Cold and dismissive from his high perch.
It was clear he had refused her.
Now, everyone's eyes were fixed on them, filled with curiosity, surprise, and confusion.
Someone eventually spoke up tentatively, "Mr. Darian, is she your... wife?"
Darian exhaled a stream of smoke slowly, "Don't know her."
"Don't know her?"
Hayden and Declan exchanged bewildered glances.
"Mr. Darian, are you sure you want to play it like this?"
Darian denied any acquaintance with Cecily, whose situation in the VIP lounge had subtly shifted.
A CEO, who had been drinking heavily, had noticed her the moment she walked in. Initially, he assumed she was Fitzgerald's woman, not someone to mess with.
Now that Fitzgerald disclaimed any connection, it was clear that this woman was likely someone Fitzgerald got tired of and cast aside.
With that, the CEO's audacity surged, and he reached out to grab Cecily's arm. "Why not join me for a drink, sweetheart, now that you're here?"
Cecily gracefully dodged his unwelcome advance, frowning lightly, "I don't drink."
"What's with the act? Who comes to a place like this and doesn't drink? What, you think you're too good to drink with me?" The CEO appraised Cecily from head to toe.
Cecily was wearing a pristine white business suit that hugged her slender waist, with pants elongating her legs, making them look endlessly straight. Her features were flawless, her attire simple yet sharp, exuding an air of cool detachment. Even fully dressed, she outshone the scantily clad women in the lounge.
Such a stunning rarity, the CEO couldn't help his lecherous gaze, wishing he could have his way with her then and there.
Cecily felt deeply uncomfortable under such scrutiny.
Darian's expression grew darker as the CEO ogled Cecily without restraint. However, he remained silent, waiting, curious to see how long she could last in this den of wolves without asking for his help.
Cecily's grip on her purse tightened, her icy gaze shifting to the unaffected man. "I need to talk to you. What will it take for you to have a private word with me?"
Darian raised an eyebrow and lifted a finger, pointing at a bottle on the table. A sly smile crossed his lips as he motioned to Cecily. "Empty that bottle, and we can talk about whatever you want."
Cecily's delicate eyebrows knitted together tightly as she looked at the newly opened bottle of vodka.
Vodka is likely about 40 percent alcohol by volume.
The frown on Cecily's face deepened as she stared at the bottle. She couldn't drink.
Declan opened his mouth, to step in and help Cecily out of her predicament, but Hayden held him back with a smirk, whispering, "Couple's quarrel. We can't do much about it."
"Is Mr. Darian seriously going to let this love chase end in flames?" Declan asked.
Hayden hooked an arm around Declan's shoulder, his grin sly as can be, "That's Mr. Darian's problem. He'll be the one to cry about it later. We just get to enjoy the show."
"Hayden, man, you're wicked," Declan accused, half amused.
...
Darian raised an eyebrow and sat back on the couch, his gaze playfully fixed on Cecily, "Cecily, my patience is wearing thin."
"I can't drink," Cecily declared plainly.
"Why is that?"
She was down a kidney, hard liquor was a no-go, let alone a whole bottle of vodka. Was he trying to kill her?
Cecily's eyes darted around the room, landing on the nearby card table, then back to Darian, "How about a game? If I win, we talk, just you and me. If you win, I'll down the bottle."
Cards?
Challenging Darian to a game took guts. Everyone knew he never lost.
Few women kept their cool under such pressure, sparking the interest of the men around.
Darian chuckled, his hawk-like eyes narrowing, lips curling up slowly. He was curious to see how long she could last.
Without a word, which was as good as a yes, Darian gestured for the others to play with Cecily. He didn't join the game himself.
Cecily took her seat at the card table, and a few intrigued men followed suit, with Hayden among them.
Hayden, holding a cigarette between his fingers, chuckled, "Mrs. Fitzgerald, we won't go easy on you. Are you sure you want to play? No tears if you lose, okay?"
"Don't call me Mrs. Fitzgerald. Let's begin."
Knowing Cecily had a temper, Hayden bit back further comments.
Darian watched silently, his face unreadable, but the atmosphere around him turned a shade colder. He drained his glass in one swift gulp, even the act of setting it down seemed wrapped in malice.
"Alright, let's start. Ten million is the stake. No coddling, best two out of three. How's that?" one of the men offered.
"Sure."
Cecily's gaze lowered calmly as she arranged her cards, drawing curious onlookers from the surrounding crowd.
These were seasoned gamblers, and to them, Cecily seemed like a lamb to the slaughter.
The players laid their cards with careful indifference, clearly unimpressed by Cecily's presence.
Indeed, Cecily had made several mistakes, and by the end of the first round, she had lost miserably.
Hayden suppressed a laugh when he saw the hand Cecily played. "Miss Cecily, do you even know how to play?" he chuckled.
Unperturbed, Cecily pinched a card, reflecting on the sequence and strategy of the previous plays. "Um, second time," she admitted.
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