Chapter 219
He never imagined that this “important matter” would turn out to be all about romance.
Henson seized the opportunity to gloat a little. “Weren’t you always criticizing me for having too many girlfriends? Well, now you finally understand how much your relationship history matters, don’t you?”
Justin sat there, sullenly knocking back glass after glass of whiskey.
He was draining a bottle of Romanée–Conti as if it were cheap table wine.
Henson winced at the sight–not out of concern for Justin, but for the wine itself.
After two hefty pours, Justin’s eyes were bloodshot as he turned to Henson. “Tell me the truth–do you think there’s any place for me in her heart at all?”
With all his years of romantic experience, Henson knew the answer was obvious. But Justin was the emotional type, and needed a gentler approach.
“Justin, you two are already married. Love can grow with time. Why worry so much about whether she really cares for you right now? Seriously, a guy like you–of course she’ll come to love you.”
A shadow of disappointment crossed Justin’s face.
He could believe that any ordinary woman might fall for him, but he couldn’t bring himself to believe that Edith would ever love him for his status or position.
Besides, the man everyone thought was dead–Beckett–was really just living under a new name.
He couldn’t shake the fear: if Beckett ever revealed the truth, would Edith, without a second thought, go running straight back into his arms?
Henson spent ages trying to talk sense into him, only to realize, a little too late, that Justin hadn’t come for advice at all.
He’d come to drown his sorrows.
He drank quickly, and even though he could usually hold his liquor, it wasn’t long before he was visibly
tipsy.
Across the lounge, Connor raised his glass and shook his head in disbelief. “Unreal. Justin’s smashed–fastest I’ve ever seen. You think something happened with Edith?”
Thorpe shot Connor a skeptical look. “You sound way too excited about this. Are you here for the drama or the drinks?”
Connor grinned mischievously. He was already annoyed after being ordered around all evening. If he couldn’t stir up trouble openly, he’d just do it on the sly.
“Just now, when we were checking out the models, I noticed one of the girls had these crescent–moon eyes–looked just like Edith. I asked the manager to bring her over for a drink.”
Thorpe shook his head and sighed. “You’re just asking for trouble.”
Half an hour later, Edith found herself back at Nightingale, the trendy club with its neon–drenched, cyberpunk décor.
1/2
14:37
Chapter 219
She glanced at Lauren. “Your friend group always meets here?”
Lauren led her inside. “These days, if it’s not here, it’s a bar. But bars are too loud for me. This place is just right.”
Lauren gave Edith a quick once–over. “You’re so quiet and reserved, how do you even compete with these confident, younger girls? Honestly, maybe Justin just wants to add you to his collection.”
“Collection?” Edith frowned. The term didn’t sound flattering.
Lauren lowered her voice as they walked toward the private rooms. “You know, some guys just collect girls who look a certain way. I wonder if Justin isn’t doing exactly that with women like you.”
At first, Edith didn’t believe her. Justin had been raised right; he’d never treat people like trophies.
But all her doubts came rushing back the moment she glimpsed a familiar silhouette at the end of the hall.
Chapter 220
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.