He hadn''t even managed to get the question out before someone forced arge gulp of liquor down his throat. He nearly choked, ring furiously at Nathaniel.


    "What the hell are you doing?!"


    Nathaniel shot him a look, then nced at Lysander, who was still smiling faintly. Keeping his voice low, Nathaniel muttered, "Stop poking your nose into everything. Try using your head for once."


    "How am I not-"


    He didn''t get to finish. A dull thud cut him off.


    Lysander''s smile never wavered. He set his ss down on the table with a bit more force than necessary, producing a soft, heavy sound that drew everyone''s attention. Still smiling, he swept his gaze over the now-silent crowd.


    "What''s the matter? No one wants to drink anymore?"


    Everyone exchanged uneasy nces, unsure why Lysander had suddenly lost his cool.


    The private room fellpletely silent.


    It was Nathaniel who broke the tension first, raising his ss with a cheerful grin. "Come on,e on! Just drinking is boring-let''s y a drinking game! Loser drinks, and tonight, nobody goes home sober!"


    "Nobody goes home sober!"


    "Drink, drink, drink!"


    The mood instantly shifted, everyone joining in enthusiastically, and nobody dared bring up the previous topic again.


    Giselle nced at the man beside her as he tossed back drink after drink. Her hand, hanging at her side, slowly curled into a fist, but her smile remained wless.


    Meanwhile.


    At her art studio, The Bamboo Grove, M answered a call from her divorce attorney''s team.


    When she finished listening, she sounded a little surprised.


    "You''re saying Lysander and Giselle are partying at the club? Why are you telling me this?"


    She had no interest in hearing about those two right now.


    "Ms. Suthend, it''s like this: we''ve had people following them these past few days, hoping to catch evidence of an affair. We think tonight is a good opportunity. Based on our past cases, these social gatherings are prime chances to get incriminating photos. Just wanted to give you a heads-up."


    M paused, then realization dawned.


    "Thank you, really."


    She hadn''t expected Charlotte-her own nt in the Harvey family—toe up empty while her legal team was already making progress.


    Either way, it was good news for her.


    She hung up and immediately sent several generous cash bonuses to herwyers'' group chat, promising an even bigger reward if they brought her hard evidence.


    ...


    N Laugh.


    As the night wore on, the drinking only intensified.


    By the end, everyone was so drunk they could barely stand, let alone drive home. Nathaniel resigned himself to shepherding them all upstairs, letting everyone crash at the club for the night. But as he was helping a very drunk Lysander to his room, something unexpected happened.


    "I''ve got him," Giselle said, stepping in front of Nathaniel with a soft, gentle voice. "He always drinks too much at these things. I usually take care of him. Let me."


    Nathaniel was caught off guard. He met Giselle''s gaze for a moment, and for reasons he couldn''t exin, he let her take over.


    Giselle helped Lysander upstairs to his room.


    She locked the door behind them.


    Lysander slumped against the sofa, the cor of his ck shirt undone, dark hair tousled, sharp features achingly handsome. His usually intense, fox-like eyes were clouded with drink, making him look even more dangerously alluring—a man in his prime, maic without even trying.


    He murmured in a low, rough voice, "It''s... hot..."


    A flush crept across Giselle''s face, her body suddenly burning up. That was odd- she hadn''t put anything in her own drink.


    But when she looked at the man sprawled on the couch, all smoldering and irresistible, she could hardly me herself.


    Fighting back the heat spreading through her, she hurried to the bedside, attached a miniature camera to her phone, and aimed it squarely at the bed.


    Getting in bed was just the means.


    Her real goal was to catch everything on video-leverage the Montgomery family and Lysander couldn''t ignore. No more dys. She and the Harvey family deserved an answer.


    Of course, if she ended up pregnant after tonight, even better.


    A momentter, the lights went out.


    In the darkness, the supposedly locked door quietly swung open from the outside.


    A tall figure stood in the doorway, silhouetted in the gloom.