Chapter 185:
With his arrival, all six were now present.
Felipe glanced toward Trent, fidgeting with his phone as he questioned Liam, “There’s nothing special about today. Why gather everyone here? And why include Trent Seymour?”
“Who said today isn’t special?” Liam announced abruptly.
Everyone turned toward him, bewilderment etched across their faces.
After filling each glass with wine, Liam remarked with calculated casualness, “In four days, my brother and his wife finalize their divorce. We’re celebrating their impending return to singlehood.”
Zander compressed his lips, averting his eyes.
Felipe cleared his throat softly.
Liam, characteristically brazen, showed no hesitation.
“That certainly warrants celebration,” Trent interjected, clearly relishing the drama as he raised his glass first.
Seeing his provocation succeed, Liam lifted his glass with a satisfied smile. “Freya, let’s toast.”
Freya didn’t falter, raising her glass promptly.
“What’s holding you back, Kristian?” Liam prodded, nudging his arm. “Haven’t you been craving this divorce for ages? Or perhaps you’ve had a change of heart?”
Kristian fixed him with a penetrating stare, sharp enough to cut glass. Liam, unintimidated, had weathered that glacial gaze countless times throughout their childhood.
Tension radiated from Kristian as he observed Freya and Trent’s glasses hovering near each other, almost touching. In a sudden surge of spite, he thrust his glass against theirs with a jarring clink.
𝖥𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝖈𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝗈𝗇 g𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝗌⨳𝖈𝗈𝗆
The crisp sound reverberated throughout the spacious villa.
Felipe and Zander exchanged knowing glances, both reaching the same conclusion: Liam was doomed today.
“Felipe, Zander, why stand there like statues?” Liam asked, wanting full participation to enhance the entertainment value of his later schemes. “This is a milestone in my brother’s life.”
The pair cleared their throats awkwardly, reluctantly lifting their glasses with conflicted expressions.
All six raised their glasses and drank. Felipe merely sipped, setting down his barely touched glass.
Liam and Zander followed suit with minimal consumption.
Only Kristian, Freya, and Trent emptied their glasses entirely.
As Kristian lowered his glass, he couldn’t help but notice both Freya and Trent had drained theirs completely—as if eagerly anticipating the final dissolution of the marriage bonds. The atmosphere grew heavy with discomfort.
Felipe immediately regretted his decision to attend. Had he known Liam’s supposedly casual gathering revolved around this topic, he would have declined the invitation. To him, this wasn’t entertainment; it was merely sharing in the frigid tension between estranged spouses.
“Seymour, I heard you’re perpetually single and have never maintained a romantic relationship?” Liam continued stirring trouble, seemingly oblivious to the palpable tension.
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