Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

My heart skipped a beat. Was I overthinking, or was Ethan hinting at something? I didn't really know him well, but he seemed like a good guy.

Ethan noticed my silence, smirked, leaned in, and refilled my glass. "Just a sip isn't enough to thank me. Show some sincerity."

I felt awkward and told to myself inwardly, 'Emily, don't get carried away with romantic thoughts.'

"Just saying 'thank you' is too easy. Let's play beer dice. I'll start," Oliver said, rolling the dice. He won and made me drink.

Oliver opened several beers, placing them and the dice in front of me.

I waved my hands nervously. "I don't drink much. I get drunk easily."

"Now's the time to show sincerity," Oliver insisted.

"I really don't drink much. Bella knows," I looked to Bella for help.

To my surprise, Bella smiled and encouraged me, "They have a point. If you want to show gratitude, you need to be sincere. It's just beer, not poison."

I couldn't believe my best friend was siding with them. I was stuck.

I understood Bella's intention. She probably thought Ethan was a good guy and wanted me to win his heart.

But Ethan and I both knew his gestures were just to help me vent. Ethan was great, and I was a divorced woman. There was no chance between us.

Still, I was grateful to Ethan. So, I drank the beer he poured for me.

Oliver cheered and refilled my glass, "Impressive!"

While I drank, Oliver chatted with Ethan. "Arthur was too timid. How could he sit in our casino without money?"

I caught the key word. "Your casino?"

"The casino is his," Ethan pointed at Oliver.

Oliver's face twitched. 'Great. Ethan's making me the scapegoat,' he thought.

"So

you guys tricked Arthur?"

"No, he lost fair and square," Ethan said, lighting a cigarette.

I frowned. "What?"

Ethan exhaled smoke, leaned back, and said, "I'm not a god. I can't guarantee a win, but I accept the outcome. What matters is if the process is enjoyable. But he cared about the result. If it wasn't good, he blamed fate. Those afraid to lose will definitely lose, like Murphy's Law."

Ethan's aura was strong, and I was in awe. "So how did you resolve it?" I asked.

Ethan looked at me, then smiled. "I'm not interested in a woman who ruins marriages."

I was stunned and scratched my head. "That's not what I meant."

"Do you really want to know?" he asked.

I nodded. 'A million dollars is no joke. How did Arthur resolve it?' I wondered.

Ethan said, "When your sincerity moves me, I'll tell you."

Later, several men arrived, calling, "Mr. Windsor." They sat down, poured drinks, and noticed me next to Ethan. They all greeted me.Material © of NôvelDrama.Org.

They drank and made noise, while Ethan sat quietly, smoking. He was testing my sincerity.

In the end, I was pouring and drinking alone, wanting to drown my worries in alcohol. Once drunk, I wouldn't care.

I guessed I really got drunk. Everything was blurry, like looking through frosted glass. But that dizzy, floating feeling was wonderful.

I suddenly stood up, feeling accomplished, and pointed at the empty beer bottles. "This is my sincerity, Ethan. Do you see it?" Before long, I wobbled and fell. A pair of hands caught me.