Chapter 15
Stella finally managed to squirm free from Anthony’s grip just as they arrived outside the door of a private room.
They were attending a gathering organized by Anthony’s old schoolmates. It might get tricky if others were to misunderstand their relationship.
Anthony did not protest. Instead, he lightly placed his hand on Stella’s lower back and pulled her closer toward him.
Stella stiffened almost instantly. Fortunately, the door swung open just then. Anthony moved his hand away.
Blair Horton, a girl in a floral dress who wore her hair in braids, came out of the room. Her eyes twinkled the moment she spotted Anthony. She smiled
sweetly.
Blair tugged at her skirt nervously and said softly, “It’s been a long time since we last met, Anthony. Thank you for taking the time to attend my birthday party.”
However, Blair’s expression changed the second she saw Stella, who stood beside Anthony. The smile on her face froze. “Who’s this, Anthony?”
“I’m his sister…” Before Stella could finish her sentence, Anthony took a step forward and cut her off.
He looked at Blair, who was clearly interested in him, with a cold expression on his face. Anthony explained flatly, “She’s my friend. Also, I’m just here for the gathering.”
Blair nodded meekly. However, she stared at the pair from the back as Anthony led Stella to their seats. There was a venomous look in her eyes.
During the three years in high school, Blair was the prettiest girl, whereas Anthony was the most handsome guy in their school. Everyone from their school thought they would start dating each other after graduating from high school.
After their SATs were over, Blair mustered the courage and confessed her feelings to Anthony. Yet, he rejected her right away.
Anthony explained to her that he already had someone he liked. However, that person was still unaware of his feelings.
“Is that her? So what if she’s the person he likes? I’m younger and much prettier. I’m smart and talented, and I even come from a wealthy, influential family. There’s no way Anthony wouldn’t fall for me,” Blair thought.
She clenched her fists. Anthony had finally shown up at their gathering after such a long time. Blair would not allow anyone to ruin the opportunity for
her.
Anthony was once one of the most prominent students in school. Currently, he was known by many as the only son of the richest man in Levall.
Naturally, Anthony became the center of attention among his peers. Even Stella had gained a lot of attention since Anthony brought her here.
Stella could not quite get used to social events like this. Whenever she had to attend similar events with Julian previously, Stella would simply adopt a cool, businesslike manner and refrain from drinking.
However, she did not want to embarrass Anthony during an occasion like this. At the same time, Stella was worried that drinking alcohol might add unnecessary stress to his heart.
She made up an excuse, saying that Anthony had caught a cold and had just taken some medicine. Then, she took the drinks that Anthony’s old classmates had offered him and downed them one after the other. Soon enough, her cheeks flushed pink.
Anthony grabbed her hand. His eyes were filled with worry. “Stella, it’s alright. You should stop drinking.”
Stella, who felt a bit tipsy, subconsciously leaned on Anthony’s shoulder when she heard him speaking in that gentle voice. On the other hand, Anthony stiffened slightly as he circled his arm around her waist.
When he noticed Stella showed no aversion to his touch, Anthony appeared like a child who had just received a gift he had wanted for a long time. It was the first time he had beamed so happily in front of these people around him.
Blair’s eyes blazed with jealousy as she watched how intimate the pair were. She wanted to rip Stella to bits if that were possible.
She signaled the friends beside her with a glance. Then, Blair smiled and announced, “Let’s pause the drinking for a while. We should play a game instead.
་་
The King’s Game was a game whereby the person who picked the king card could choose one person to complete a certain mission. The person who was chosen could not refuse the request.
To not ruin the fun, Stella joined the game as well despite still feeling light–headed.
The first few rounds were pretty normal. Some people were asked to down their drinks, and some had to be photographed while making ugly faces.
When Blair pulled the king card after receiving a hint from her friends, she picked Anthony as the next person to carry out the punishment.
She said shyly yet expectantly, “As the king for this round, I want you to kiss the girl who’s the star of the night.”
The others started shouting and cheering as soon as they heard that.
They had organized the gathering to celebrate Blair’s birthday that day. Naturally, she was the star of the night.
While the guys glanced meaningfully at Anthony, the ladies were staring at Blair enviously.
Stella suddenly had a moment of clarity. For some reason, she felt a bit bitter watching those two getting cheered on.
Indeed, considering their age and background, Anthony and Blair were a perfect match for each other. Stella reckoned she was probably feeling a bit
Chapter 15
uncomfortable about watching someone who looked so much like Ethan kissing another person.
While she was in a daze, Stella could hear the people around her gasping in shock.
2/2
The soft sensation she felt briefly on her lips got her widening her eyes. Stella could hear Anthony’s loud heartbeat. The fresh, natural scent he gave off
surrounded her.
Anthony had kissed her!
