After the CEO Divorced Me, He Wants Me Back (Aveline and Lucas)

Sidney spun the bottle, and it landed squarely on Maria.

Uh-oh...

Selena and Aveline exchanged amused glances, both with knowing smiles, anticipating what was to come.

Maria, however, remained calm, her expression unfazed.

"Dare," she said coolly.

Sidney casually took the notepad, flipping through it until he found a task. With a smirk, he read aloud, "Share a glass of wine with one of the men here, arm-in-arm." Selena immediately wrapped her arm around Aaron.

"Tonight's our wedding night-he's only sharing a drink with me!" she declared with a playful grin.

Aveline chimed in, "Lucas isn't drinking tonight."

Gernard, sensing something off in the atmosphere, added, "I'm allergic to alcohol."

Gavin stayed silent, his aloof demeanor enough to keep anyone from approaching.

Desmond, ever the joker, raised his hand quickly. "My tolerance is terrible. I'm saving myself for the punishment round. Maria, please show mercy!"

Baron eagerly nodded along, agreeing with him.

Braden hesitated for a moment, glancing over at Maria. "I..."

Baron cut him off, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean, 'I'? You're driving us home later, remember?"

Braden fell silent, resigning himself to his fate.

Now, it came down to Lance and Sidney.

Maria's gaze flickered between the two for a moment before she settled on Lance. "Doctor, would you care to share a drink with me?"

"It would be my pleasure," Lance replied smoothly, picking up his glass without hesitation.

The two shared the drink without any lingering tension-quick and simple, with none of the expected awkwardness. Still, the air seemed to shift as Sidney gripped the notepad tightly, the veins on his hand becoming more prominent. Selena and Aveline exchanged yet another look, both surprised by the turn of events. They had assumed Sidney would be the one sharing the drink with Maria.

Lance, on the other hand, remained

perfectly composed, though the

subtle hint of amusement in his eyes showed he had noticed the tension.

If anything, it seemed like he had disrupted things on purpose, stirring the pot with an easy, unaffected smile.

"Let's keep it going!" Maria said brightly as she picked up the bottle, deliberately avoiding Sidney's disappointed gaze. She gave the bottle a spin.

It slowed and finally stopped in front of Desmond.

Maria smiled sweetly at him. "I picked a dare, so how about you do the same?"

Desmond sighed dramatically. "Fine, dare it is!"Owned by NôvelDrama.Org.

Maria opened the notepad and read with a raised brow, "Princess-carry someone of the opposite sex and do fifty squats."

She gave him a quick once-over, smiling playfully. "Think you can handle it?"

Desmond groaned at the challenge but quickly stood up, taking off his jacket as if to prove a point. He glanced toward one of the maids nearby. "Can I borrow you for this?" The maid nodded, a bit shy but willing.

Desmond scooped her up in a

princess carry and began the squats. He managed to keep up a steady pace, but by the time he

finished fifty squats, beads of sweat

were visible on his foreheado

When he finally set the maid down, Desmond collapsed back into his seat, breathing heavily. "I'm convinced you're out to get me."

Maria laughed. "Hey, it's all in the spirit of fun! I didn't make the rules-pure luck."

Taking a long drink of water, Desmond caught his breath and spun the bottle for the next round.

As the game continued, the group's energy rose to its peak.

Laughter filled the air, and the atmosphere was electric.

After several rounds, Sidney quietly got up and walked away from the group. He moved toward the pool, his gaze fixed on the shimmering water, a look of undeniable sadness flickering in his eyes.

He stood there silently for a moment, then downed his entire glass of wine in one go.

Aveline, noticing him by the pool, approached him quietly.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice soft yet concerned.