Chapter 7: Truth or Dare and Drunken
1148 Words
The wedding was alive with golden light, laughter, and expensive champagne. Under a canopy of twinkling fairy lights, guests danced on marble floors, the scent of roses and roasted meats thick in the air. The Cheng-Mo wedding would be remembered for years.
Emily nursed her third glass of wine from a quiet balcony corner. Her blue heels were long abandoned beneath her chair. Her carefully braided hair now loosened slightly with the wind. She wasn’t a drinker—not really. But tonight, she couldn’t say no. Not after everything. Not after that kiss.
She still felt the heat of Isaac’s lips against hers from days ago, the accidental kiss he didn’t mean—for her.
For Vivian.
That name had echoed in her head ever since. A name she could never compete with.
So she sipped more wine.
“Didn’t expect to find you out here,” a voice murmured.
She flinched, heart thudding before turning.
Isaac stood by the door, shirt sleeves rolled up, the top buttons undone. His dark eyes unreadable, but less guarded than usual. The air between them shifted.
She forced a smile. “Tired of schmoozing with CEOs and champagne aunties?”
He gave a rare smirk. “Tired of pretending I enjoy small talk.”
She gestured at the chair beside her. “Join the misanthropic corner.”
He sat. Neither said anything for a moment, just the sound of crickets and distant jazz from the ballroom. Her wine glass was nearly empty.
“You’re unusually quiet,” he said.
“I’m always quiet,” she replied softly.
“But not around me.”
She glanced at him, startled. Was he right?
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
She stared at her hands. “You’ve been watching me.”
Silence.
He reached forward and poured her another half-glass of wine. She stared at it like it was poison. “Truth or dare?” he asked suddenly.
She blinked. “What are we, sixteen?”
He tilted his head, amused. “Humor me.”
She sighed. “Fine. Truth.”
“Why did you give me that chicken rice?”
She looked down at her lap. “Because... I had two boxes. I didn’t want it to go to waste.”
He didn’t press further.
“Your turn,” she said. “Truth or dare?”
“Dare.”
Emily gave a bitter laugh. “Of course you’d choose that.”
“Scared to ask?”
She turned to him, wine giving her a dangerous kind of boldness. “Kiss me.”
His eyes darkened.
She expected a sarcastic remark, maybe a brush-off.
Instead, he leaned in.
And kissed her.
It was slow. Intentional. Searching.
Her breath caught. She should have pulled away—but her body leaned in instead, heart thudding so loudly she swore he could hear it. She didn’t even realize she was trembling until he touched her cheek.
When they parted, the silence that followed was deafening.
“That was...” she whispered.
He looked shaken. “I don’t know what that was.”
So they drank more.
Laughed more.
And somewhere between moonlight and madness—
Everything blurred
***
The next few days at work, Emily walked the hallways like nothing had happened. She buried herself in code. Ignored the burning glances from Isaac. Pretended the night was a dream—or a mistake she was determined to erase.
She wore her quiet like armor.
But the boys? They weren’t buying her act.
Caleb Han burst into the office pantry like a man with mission. Behind him, Jayden Wu and Ryan Lin shuffled like gossip-hungry ducks.
“Emily~!” Caleb called sweetly.
She shot him a glare. “What do you want?”
“Don’t be like that. Be nice to me,” he grinned.
“Caleb-ge~” she mimicked, voice dripping with exaggerated sweetness. “What do you want from me?”
Jayden snorted. “She’s faking it, bro.”
“Rude,” Caleb muttered. “Anyway, come here. I have something important to tell you.”
“Tell me now.”
“No, no. Pantry. Official gossip territory.”
Jayden and Ryan flanked her, pushing her gently toward the pantry. Isaac entered the office just in time to see Emily being shuffled away like a prisoner to an interrogation chamber.
He raised a brow but said nothing.
Inside the pantry, Caleb leaned on the counter dramatically.
“Okay. So. Plot twist. Your cousin, Daniel Cheng Xiang."
“What about him?”
“He was once our boss's rival.”
She frowned. “Isaac? No way. Daniel invited him to the wedding.”
“Yeah, but that’s now. Back then, they were full-on rivals.”
Emily blinked. “Rivals over what? The tech project?”
“Nope.” Caleb leaned closer. “Vivian.”
She froze. “Wait. As in… Isaac’s late wife?”
Caleb nodded dramatically. “In Black Jade Chronicles, she was married to Daniel. Then, in real life, Isaac showed up and—boom! She chose him.”
Jayden gasped. “No wonder the tension at the wedding felt spicy.”
Ryan looked impressed. “Virtual love triangle turns real-life heartbreak.”
Emily's eyes widened. “Wait, so… Daniel was in love with her too?”
“Yup. Your cousin even tried to win her back in real life. Failed.” Caleb scratched his head. “Now they’re business partners. Guess time heals all wounds.”
Emily leaned against the pantry wall. “I used to admire her. Vivian was the only girl in top-tier PvP.”
“You admired her?” Caleb smirked. “Girl, you were her competition.”
“What?”
“You’re Xiaohai Yunhai, right?” Caleb asked.
Jayden's eyes bulged.
“No. Freaking. Way,” Jayden said.
“You were the third highest-ranked player in BJC?! All this time?” Jayden was nearly yelling.
Caleb nodded like a proud father. “Called it. I knew it after that duel.”
Jayden’s jaw dropped. “You’re telling me… the virtual guy I couldn’t beat in 2018 was YOU?”
Emily smirked. “Surprise.”
Jayden immediately dropped to one knee and dramatically took her hand. “I have found the gamer girl of my dreams. The male character with the fiercest combo... and a female soul!”
She yanked her hand back with a laugh. “Sorry. I’m already taken.”
“By who?”
A deep voice answered behind them.
“Emily. My office.”
They turned around.
Isaac.
Everyone froze.
Emily gave Jayden a cheeky smirk. “By him. Bye-bye.”
She brushed past them and followed Isaac down the hallway.
Jayden sighed into the pantry counter. “Big Boss always gets the limited editions.”
Ryan patted his back. “Stay strong, bro. Stay strong.”
Caleb grinned. “I told you she was a diamond.”
- Writer
