Chapter 197 It almost seemed as if Julian were deliberately clarifying things for Sydney, spelling out exactly what kind of relationship he did not share with Charlotte. Tiffany leaned close and whispered in Sydney's ear, "Gotta admit, your boyfriend clears up rumors fast. Doesn't even give you a chance to misread him." Sydney almost told her the truth but held her tongue. Even so, despite Julian sparing Charlotte's feelings, she remained in the private room. The atmosphere grew subtle and heavy. Julian lounged on the sofa and pretended to be oblivious.
His eyes flicked briefly toward Tiffany beside Sydney, then dropped to his phone, and he idly texted as though nothing mattered. Sydney did not dare sit near Caleb. Instead, she pulled Tiffany with her and claimed a seat in another corner. Eventually, Bruce suggested they liven things up with a round of Truth or Dare. They stuck to the simplest rules: spin the bottle, and whoever it landed on answered a question or completed a dare. No tricks, no strategies-just straightforward enough for everyone to join. Everyone knew each other well enough that the mood quickly relaxed.
Charlotte, smooth and practiced with people, blended in effortlessly. After a few rounds, the game grew bolder. Sydney evaded each spin unscathed until the bottle landed on Tiffany. One of Bruce's friends grinned and asked, "What's your criteria in a partner? The room immediately erupted into teasing whistles and laughter. They were all adults, so the implication was clear. Tiffany didn't hesitate.
She laughed lightly and listed off casually, "Taller than six feet, works out at least 30 minutes a day, faithful-' "Alright, that's enough." Her words were cut off as the door to the private room swung open. She looked up instinctively and saw Raymond stride in. His gold-rimmed glasses were perched on his nose, and his presence was as refined and controlled as ever. He seemed to have come straight from somewhere important. Sydney followed the room's gaze to the door, only for Julian to crook a finger at her.
"Come here." She hesitated, but before she could move, Raymond had already stopped beside Tiffany, clearly waiting for her to step forward. Sydney hadn't asked Tiffany directly about her relationship with Raymond, but she had guessed enough. She rose without a fuss and left her seat open. The moment Raymond sat next to Tiffany, the room's volume doubled. Chopter Bruce grinned wickedly and called out, "Ray, since when are you and Tiffany this close? Keeping it from us?" Raymond smiled faintly. "Not that close." Bruce laughed, turning to the friend who'd questioned Tiffany earlier. "Forget it.
You don't stand a chance. If Ray can't win her, you sure as hell can't." Sydney had barely settled back when it was Julian's turn to spin the bottle. He leaned forward slightly, and as he stretched his long legs, his knee grazed her calf. The bottle spun several times before stopping and pointing directly at Caleb. Sydney blinked in surprise as the man beside her asked flatly, "Why did you insist on marrying her back then?" He didn't name names, but everyone knew who "her" meant. The room, recently alive with chatter, fell utterly silent. It was so silent that a pin could drop and be heard.
Caleb froze. His gaze fell on Sydney, and guilt flickered in his eyes. After a pause, he lifted a long arm, picked up his glass, and drained it in one go. Another friend refilled it immediately. According to the rules, refusing to answer meant three penalty drinks. Sydney kept her eyes down and stared at the floor as if she were invisible. Lost in thought, she didn't notice the bottle spin again-this time landing squarely on her. Just as she raised her head to see who had spun it, Charlotte's voice echoed. "Who's more important to you? Mr. Hampton or your brother?"