The so-called alumni gathering was really just a casual meetup among old college friends. We had these kinds of gatherings once or twice a year.
We had all been friends for many years, so the atmosphere was light and cheerful. After a few rounds of drinks, we started playing truth or dare.
I lost the first round, and Frida was the most excited. "Truth or dare, truth or dare!' I had no idea what she was planning, but I went along with it. "Alright." A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. 'Kiss the next person who walks in."
"The next person walking in will be either a waiter or a waiter, and we have to call them in," someone complained. "What's the point of that?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the door to the private room opened.
A man in casual clothing with shoulder-length hair stepped in.
When all eyes turned toward him, he raised an eyebrow and smiled. "What's this? Haven't seen me for just two years, and everyone's this excited to see me?"
Maddox Carrington.
My senior in college, and also someone I once pursued.
Two years ago, he went abroad for further studies, and we lost contact after that.
I didn't expect to run into him again in such a scenario.
The onlookers clearly got excited and immediately started chanting, "Kiss him! Kiss him!"
Maddox quickly understood what was going on amidst the clamor.
Our parting wasn't exactly pleasant, but now he had opened his arms to me with a wide grin. "If Aurelia is willing, I wouldn't say no."
Not sure whether it was my pride or something else, I smiled and leaned in, brushing my lips against his corner. "It's just a game."
The room didn't erupt into chaos, but suddenly it went silent.
All eyes seemed to be on us, yet there was an air of distance. Following the direction of everyone's gaze, I saw a tall figure standing near the door, his expression cold and angry.
Alastair Langley!
His piercing blue eyes were locked on me, and I suddenly felt nervous and guilty.
But he didn't say anything. He turned and walked out.
Without thinking, I rushed after him. "Alastair!"
He was walking fast, not slowing down for me. I had to jog to catch up and finally grabbed the edge of his coat.
"Alastair."
I followed him into the car. "Are you angry?"
I couldn't care less about the boundaries I had always kept in check. I quickly shook his arm and explained, "It's just a game, nothing more."
"A game that involves kissing?"
Alastair's voice was like ice. I gritted my teeth and replied, "Occasionally, yes…"
Noticing his increasingly cold gaze, I immediately corrected myself. "Only once, really, and it was an accident."
"An accident?"
Suddenly, Alastair unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned in close, and asked, "How many more accidents like this do you have?" His cold lips pressed against mine, rougher than that drunken night. I could barely breathe, and he bit my lips two or three times.
"You little brat."
I cursed in my mind, unable to resist slapping the back of his head. His sharp fingers roamed, and his grip tightened. "Paisley, how many more accidents do you want with me?"
I was desperate to survive the moment, so I kissed his cheek, "How many you want, you can have."
His anger simmered down a little. "Really?"
My instincts told me agreeing would lead to an unmanageable situation.
But I couldn't back down. "Really."
Though that night, I wanted to stop the "accident" countless times, I only failed.
The intense pleasure left me drained, and it wasn't until 3 PM the next day that I finally woke up.
Frida's apologetic messages flooded my phone.
She confessed that she had told Alastair about the party location that night but hadn't expected Summer to show up. She cautiously asked how I was doing and if I had reconciled with Alastair.
I couldn't help but think she had already conspired with Alastair. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I kicked Alastair, who was passing by.
"What's wrong? Feeling sick?"
Alastair grabbed my ankle and, without missing a beat, began massaging it. His technique was good, and my sore muscles relaxed, letting out a satisfied hum.
"Paisley."
His hand tightened suddenly, his voice low and half a warning. "It's still daylight, don't provoke me."
I muttered under my breath. "This twisted version of a madman."
While Alastair was cooking in the kitchen, my phone rang. It was the security guard on the line.
"Hello, Paisley. There's a gentleman named Kade here to see you. Should I let him in?" Kade?
Hearing the name I had almost forgotten, I was stunned for a moment. Habitually, I was about to say "let him in," but then I glanced at the person still in the kitchen. If I let him in now, tonight would definitely lead to more accidents.
I decided to meet him outside. "Tell him to wait, I'll be right there."
Kade had lost quite a bit of weight. His usual well-tailored suit looked wrinkled, and there was a short stubble on his chin.
As soon as he saw me, his eyes lit up with urgency and joy. "Paisley!"
He looked exhausted, probably from traveling nonstop for days.
I couldn't understand. He had left for Z City without saying a word, and now, suddenly, he was standing in front of me. What was he trying to say?
"Paisley."
He noticed my coldness and distance, giving a bitter smile. "I bet you're wondering why I'm only showing up now."
"I've been forced into this!"
His eyes flashed with resentment. "Do you know who the real culprit is?"
"It's Alastair, the one who's playing with you and me at his whim right now, in your house!"
I almost wondered if there was something wrong with my ears. "Kade, do you even know what you're saying?"
Alastair's mother ran a huge business, but Alastair had shown little interest in it. After earning his doctorate, he chose to become a university professor instead.
As one of the few who went against the grain in our circle, Alastair's desires were almost non-existent, to the point of seeming like he was on the path to monasticism.
I couldn't fathom why he would deliberately target Kade.
No, maybe there was a reason.
Recently, Alastair's odd behavior subtly revealed a truth—one I had never considered before.
"That night I came to find you, but you had blocked my contact. The guard refused to let me in or contact you.
"Then I received an investigative call. A project I was involved in back in Z City had been reported for an investigation.
"I had no choice but to rush over. For the past few days, all my external contacts have been under strict monitoring.
"I had a friend look into it, and the person behind it was Jace, from the Haas family. I have no past conflicts with him. Why is he targeting me?"
I remained silent as I listened, "So you suspect Alastair had Jace go after you?"
"Yes."
Kade admitted it without hesitation, "And that's why I need to confront him face to face."
"Kade, you should head back."
I took a deep breath, "I'll look into this and give you an answer." His face showed brief surprise, but he quickly concealed it.
He gave me a long, searching look. "Alright."
