?Chapter 220:


    Ellie nced helplessly at Kaiden. When she saw he didn’t say anything as people pressured her to drink, she asked in a low voice, “Do you really want me to drink?”


    Confusion swept through the group as they exchanged puzzled nces. What had Ellie’s cryptic statement meant? Hadn’t Kaiden been the one who asked Ellie to drink?


    The only person who seemed to understand Ellie’s true intent was Demi. In reality, Ellie was challenging Kaiden, and the stakes were high. If she refused to drink now, it would publicly humiliate him. No man could bear to lose face. Could it be that Ellie had be so spoiled by Kaiden? It didn’t seem possible.


    Ellie, her voice quivering and her eyes zing with stubbornness, pondered the situation. Kaiden hesitated for a moment, almost willing to let it go.


    But then, recalling their private conversation, he regained hisposure, continuing to observe Ellie with an indifferent gaze.


    The scenario was eerily reminiscent of their past encounter at the Heart Ind Club—full of self-mockery andpromise. Finally, Ellie reluctantly relented, offering a faint smile. “Very well, I’ll have a drink.” She reached for the ss before her, not daring to meet Kaiden’s eyes, and was about to drain it.


    In an unexpected move, Kaiden abruptly grabbed Ellie’s ss and emptied its contents into his own mouth.


    Ellie stared at him in astonishment.


    He had… taken her ss and drank from it himself?


    “Oh, my goodness!” Someone gasped in the eerie silence, quickly covering their mouth.


    Kaiden looked at Ellie coldly, his eyes betraying a restrained anger. His gaze seemed to say she had made a grave mistake.


    Ellie felt deeply wronged. After all, it had been Kaiden who insisted she take the drink.


    Sensing the stubbornness in her eyes, Kaiden swiftly rose from his seat, saying, “Enjoy yourselves.”


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    “Are you okay, Ellie?” someone asked, concern evident in their voice.


    “I’m fine,” Ellie replied with a faint smile, though her heart ached.


    “Please enjoy yourselves; I must be on my way. I apologize.”


    Joseph readily nodded in understanding, allowing Ellie to leave. Being closest to Kaiden, Joseph couldn’t help but notice the possessiveness in Kaiden’s eyes as he watched Ellie.


    From a man’s perspective, Kaiden’s actions were easy to interpret. If he truly had feelings for Ellie, it was only natural for him to be reluctant to see her drink such a potent alcoholic beverage.


    But this raised a question. If Kaiden didn’t want Ellie to drink, why had he initially made things so difficult for her?


    Once Ellie left, the atmosphere at the table grew lively.


    “Damn! There’s no room for a third person in the chemistry between Ellie and Mr. Thorpe.”


    “Ellie has incredible mental fortitude. Mr. Thorpe’s presence even makes someone like me, at forty, feel weak in the knees.”


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