?<strong>Chapter 49:</strong>


    Lacey seemed fully aware of her allure. After her kiss, Joelle couldn’t tear her eyes away, her expression dreamy as she watched Lacey. Lacey’s charm was undeniable, a captivating blend of grace and audacity. While most beauties charmed only men, Lacey captivated everyone, her appeal universal among women too.


    Lacey’s birthday drew a crowd, yet only an elite few mingled with her on the exclusive top floor. The majority remained on the lower levels—reaching the third floor was a privilege reserved for her inner circle or those of significant wealth. Joelle hade with Adrian, but there was a noticeable distance between them the entire time, their interactions minimal even during party games.


    In the first game, Lacey faced a yful dare after losing—to eat a finger biscuit with the man on her right. That man was Michael. The crowd erupted in cheers, watching eagerly as Lacey and Michael approached the challenge without hesitation. As the biscuit dwindled, Michael leaned in, their lips inches apart. A wave of tightness gripped Joelle’s chest.


    Michael attempted to retreat, the gentleman in him prevailing, but Lacey, mischievous, yanked him back by the cor, elicitingughter from the onlookers. Initially, Joelle viewed public disys of affection as profound and intimate, yet this moment proved to be merely a brief surge of excitement. The game resumed, but Joelle remained dizzy from the spectacle, her mind reeling. Caught in her thoughts, she missed her next turn.


    Lacey then turned the attention to Joelle, her voice yful. “Joelle, let’s keep this simple. Drink or kiss Adrian.” Faced with the choice, Joelle hastily opted for a drink. However, as she reached for the ss, Adrian’s hand closed around her wrist, halting her. While Joelle was still reeling, he tilted her chin upward and nted a swift, gentle kiss on her lips.


    The mor of the crowd was so intense that Joelle felt as though she was caught in a dream. Michael chided Lacey yfully. “They’re married. A kiss for them is as trivial as a sip of water. Surely, you can think of a better challenge?” Lacey gave a nonchnt shrug. “I wouldn’t want to upset Adrian.”


    Adrian lounged back on the sofa, leisurely sipping his drink, his face a mask of sheer nonchnce as if nothing could perturb him. “Whatever,” he muttered dismissively. Lacey and Michael exchanged a knowing grin. “Brace yourself, then.”


    Joelle’s anxiety mounted. She swallowed hard, her nervousness palpable. She focused intently on the games that followed, determined not to slip up. Yet, it was Adrian who faltered next. “Adrian, choose ady to join you for ten minutes in the garden shed,” Lacey proposed with a mischievous smile. The implication was clear to all—the shed was renowned as a haven for ndestine encounters.


    Following the proposal, Michael pped her a high-five, chuckling, “Well yed!” The room’s attention shifted to Adrian as he rose, his face an unreadable te. He looked towards Joelle. “Shall I escort you down?” Joelle averted her eyes, her voice firm. “I won’t be going.”


    Adrian scoffed, “Then pick someone for me.” The other women in the room demurred instantly. “We wouldn’t dare.” Left with no alternatives, Joelle stood reluctantly. Lacey then gave Michael a congrattory pat on the shoulder. “Go supervise them.” Michael was taken aback.


    As they ascended to the second floor, a couple careened out from around the corner, entwined in each other’s arms. Joelle gasped, her shock escaping as a sharp scream. Amid the pulsating lights and throbbing music, the crowd swirled in a passionate haze. Adrian, visibly unsettled, hastened his steps, his grip on Joelle’s arm tightening.


    g?lnσν????s is your escape to fiction


    Beyond the house, they found the shed in the backyard dimly illuminated, the interior engulfed in shadows. Under the moon’s soft luminescence, Adrian paused, arching an eyebrow at Michael. “Are you really going to stand guard?” he queried. “Lacey insisted. She’s worried you’ll try to slip away before time’s up. You know her.”


    Without a word, Adrian ushered Joelle into the shed, closing the door behind them into pitch darkness. Inside, the ample space felt constricted, as if Adrian’s very presence were drawing the air from the room. The minutes dragged interminably for Joelle.


    Her phone broke the silence, Katherine’s name shing on the screen. “Joelle, you haven’t returned! Where are you?” Joelle shifted ufortably, avoiding Adrian’s intense gaze. “I’m at a friend’s birthday. I’ll be backte at the hotel. Don’t wait up for me.”


    “Alright,” Katherine responded. “I met two incredibly attractive guys today. One’s particrly striking, with a sharp nose—definitely a step up from your Adrian! I’ll introduce you once you’re back!” In the tight quarters of the shed, Katherine’s voice was distinct and clear, reaching Adrian’s ears unmistakably.


    Joelle had a bad feeling about this and didn’t dare move a muscle. “Uh, no thanks. I’m really not interested at the moment.” “Come on, you can’t spend your whole life with Adrian! The world is teeming with allure. So many appealing men out there. Honestly, you should make him taste his own medicine before you think about ending things.” Joelle interrupted her. “Alright, Katherine! I have to go now. Bye!”


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