Chapter 22: Did It Mean That She Had to Kiss Him?


    After a moment of hesitation, Florence finally sat down beside Ernest, leaving a wary distance hovering


    between them.


    Despite the distance, plenty of hostile looks and razor-sharp gazes were being shot at her immediately.


    It was obvious that all the women called to work wanted to sit beside Ernest and please him. However,


    they could only entertain his friends since he was aloof and forbidding, not wanting any woman to be by


    his side.


    An attractive woman blurted out in sarcasm, “Mr. Hammer, isn’t she your friend whom you have brought


    over? I don’t think it’s suitable for her to sit beside Mr. Hawkins.”


    Upon hearing the woman’s words, Florence became more guarded and sat bolt upright. Despite their


    engagement to each other, Ernest must not have wanted people to acquaint with their rtionship


    since they were out having fun.


    “Mr. Hawkins, I will sit at another spot,” Florence murmured under her breath and started getting up


    from her seat. However, before she could manage to leave her spot, a big hand had grabbed onto her


    and pulled her back to her seat, but this time she was closely seated next to Ernest with no space in


    between them.


    Florence could certainly sense the exquisite and sophisticated scent exuding from his body, and her


    heart started to flutter uncontrobly.


    His tone was full of no-nonsense as he said, “Where do you think you are going as my fiancée?”


    Her heart skipped a beat as she did not expect Ernest to reveal her status in this kind of situation.


    It was evident that all those present here had quite remarkable and distinctive disposition, all of them


    dded in exquisite aura. They should all be his mates, but Florence did not recall any of them


    attending their engagement ceremony. It must be because Ernest was apathetic about the engagement


    with her that none of his pals had attended.


    But now…


    All of Ernest’spanions gaped at the two on the sofa with astonishment as they had not seen him


    approaching any woman before this.


    It seemed that Harold was right; she indeed was special to Ernest.


    “Hi, I am Stephen Thomas. Sorry that I could not make it to your engagement ceremony with Ernest as


    I was out of the country when it took ce. Let me toast to you to make it up for that today.”


    Stephen paced towards her and handed her a drink mannerly.


    Florence took an unsettling glimpse towards Ernest only to perceive that his thin lips were pursed


    together. She could not discern his mood as his striking face was expressionless and unimpassioned.


    She waspelled to take hold of the cup and make a toast with Stephen while wearing a smile on her


    face.


    Just when Florence had finished her ss of drink, another man came up to her to make a toast again.


    “Hi, my name is Anthony Brooks. I will make sure to be the first one to reach when it’s the time for your


    wedding with Ernest. Here’s to you.”


    The wedding was most likely impossible to be held, she thought to herself, but she was obliged to finish


    this drink for now.


    Florence kept the decent smile on her face while continued to attempt to drink, but her ss was taken


    away from her suddenly.


    Ernest casually swung the ss in his hand, danger began to trickle from his fixed gaze on the men,


    “Are you guys trying to down her one by one and make her drunk?”


    Seeing that their n was busted, all their eyes started to float around in a guilt-ridden manner.


    Anthony coughed and earnestly started his speech in all seriousness, “This is the first time that we are


    meeting Florence, and it is only appropriate that we propose a toast. We would only toast her one ss


    per person, so don’t worry about us chugging her.”


    There were around five to six men here on this deck, and even if they were only going to make her


    drink a toast to each of them in turn, Florence would have been drunk if not wasted as her alcohol


    tolerance level was not terrific.


    Ernest’s intent gaze dimmed as he raised his ss to clink with Anthony’s. “I will drink for her.” Soon


    after, he finished off the drink effortlessly.


    Anthony stared at Ernest in a stun as he was dumbfounded. He thought Ernest was just treating his


    fiancée differently than the others, but it was a wonder that Ernest Hawkins, who was distant and


    usually treated everything else with indifference, would be so protective of her to the extent that he


    would not even let her drink.


    Florence’s heart was breeding with ambivalence as the man beside her chugged more and more


    sses of alcohol for her. She felt like she was indulging in his refuge, and it led her to develop an


    illusion of being pampered by him.


    Harold brought out a spinning wheel instead of a drink when it was his turn to toast. He set it on the


    table, and said, “How boring it is to just drink? Since there are so many of us here, how about we y a


    game of truth or dare?”


    “What a brilliant idea. Florence, you should join the game,” Anthony instantly picked up on Harold’s


    intention, and he grinned brightly while extending an invitation to her.


    Normally Ernest would keep himself out of every game that they yed, but with a game like truth or


    dare, he would have no choice but to be involved if Florence was in it.


    Florence fell into a dither when she was asked to y the game with a bunch of guys whom she barely


    knew.


    Before she could even speak, Anthony had already ced the rolling dice in front of her.


    “The first round is yours, Florence.”


    Florence could not bring herself to turn down the offer when all keen eyes were on her, so she


    comforted herself that it was only going to be a casual game.


    She cast the dice and Harold got chosen as the first yer.


    “It seems that I am on a lucky streak tonight,” he jokingly scoffed and readily spun the wheel.


    When the indicator stopped wavering, it pointed at a row of words: Choose someone who is of the


    same sex to perform a Kabedon manoeuvre while confessing your feelings affectionately.


    Harold’s face ckened instantly as he shot the idea down disapprovingly, “What the hell? To use the


    Kabedon on a guy?”


    It was still eptable if he had to do it to a female.


    Anthony burst outughing and said, “Serves you right. Harold. Guys, take out your phones and be


    prepared to record this historic moment in which Mr. Hammer turns gay.”


    “How am I supposed to hit on girls if all of you record it down?”


    Harold looked at his “friends” who had all taken out their phones with bitter resentment in his eyes, and


    after giving it some thought, he turned to Ernest with a pleading look.


    “Ernest, they wouldn’t dare to record if it was you, so could you do me a favour and let me do it on you


    for one minute?”


    “No.” Ernest rejected his plea without the slightest hesitation.


    Harold felt helpless seeing that there was no way out of this. He fiercely stared at Anthony who was


    gloating over his misfortune, and marched towards him all of a sudden.


    Anthony quickly cried out, “I refused to be pushed against the wall by you.”


    Harold immediately shoved him onto the sofa with a smug look on his face. “I will do it by force then.”


    Florence’s eyes lit up with excitement as even she couldn’t resist the urge to take out her phone to


    record this moment. Two striking men entwining on the sofa was such a sight to behold.


    A huge palm suddenly covered her eyes while she was having fun watching the scene, and a husky


    and sexy voice rang beside her ear, “This is an X-rated scene.”


    Ernest’s arm had wind around her shoulder to cover her eyes, and it appeared as if he was enfolding


    her in his arms. Florence’s body tensed up, her cheek blushing from shyness as the intimacy between


    them had made her heart flutter.


    After a minute, Anthony angrily pushed Harold away and threw the dice over to him with a scowl on his


    face, “Let’s move on to the next round. Roll the dice now.”


    Harold cast the dice in a cheerful manner as he was revelling in delight after dragging Anthony down


    with him.


    This time, Florence was the chosen one.


    Florence was startled for a moment, but soon proceeded to spin the wheel straightforwardly.


    There were multiple punishments on the wheel and the majority was made up of hrious pranks which


    were fairly easy to handle and were fun enough to have a good time with.


    However, when she saw the words indicated by the pointer as soon as the wheel stopped spinning, she


    was petrified and immediately froze on the spot.


    How could she be so unlucky? This punishment was way too...


    “This punishment is fantastic; it’s like a benefaction. Whom would you choose to have a passionate


    make out session with for two minutes, Florence?”


    Harold in no case would pass on the fun, his enigmatic gaze continuously went back and forth between


    Florence and Ernest like an expectant crowd.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Florence’s flushed face was in full bloom and she was at a loss while mortification crept up on her.


    Was she supposed to kiss Ernest if she had to make out with an opposite sex for two


    minutes?