“The card-sucking game is super simple—you just pass the card mouth to mouth with music playing in the background.
Try not to drop it, or you and the other person will be punished!”
As Emily finished explaining, her friends chimed in excitedly, “What’s the punishment?”
“If the card falls, you either take a drink or draw a punishment slip.
Whatever’s written, you gotta do it.”
After hearing the rules, everyone got hyped and quickly formed a circle.
Elizabeth sat on the couch, pressing her lips together.
Every time she played games with Emily, it felt like bad luck was bound to happen.
Her gut was already tying itself in knots.
Emily stood up and asked the server to clear the table.
She pulled out a card and waved it.
“No one planning to bail, right?”
Elizabeth wanted to ask if she could sit this one out, but Emily cut her off with a grin.
“Don’t look like you’re heading to your execution.
You’ve got a ridiculously good-looking husband here—what are you even scared of?”
Then, she teasingly looked at Alexander, “Right, Elizabeth’s man?
You’re not chickening out, are you?”
Alexander gave her a side glance, the corners of his lips lifting just a little.
“I’m game.”
“Alright then, let’s kick it off with me since I’m the host!” Emily grinned and signaled the staff to start the music.
She grabbed the card between her lips and passed it to Elizabeth, who handed it to Alexander.
Once the round made a full circle, it came back to Elizabeth again.
She took the card from Emily and turned around—only to find Alexander way too close.
As she looked up, her gaze locked into his dark, moody eyes—and just like that, she froze.
The card slipped off her lips in an instant.
Right on cue, Alexander moved in to take it.
But with nothing left between them, their lips met without warning—full contact.
Elizabeth stared at the man so close she could feel his breath, completely forgetting to pull away.
“You guys lost!
It’s punishment time!” someone shouted, dragging Elizabeth back from her daze.
She turned around, clearly flustered.
Glancing at Alexander out of the corner of her eye, she pressed her lips together.
“Should we drink or draw?”
“You pick.”
Emily watched the two with amusement playing on her lips.
She leaned in close to Elizabeth and whispered, “Don’t tell me you dropped that card on purpose just to get a little action with your husband?”
Elizabeth’s face instantly flushed, lucky for her the lighting was on the dim side.
“I did not!”
Emily just smirked and said nothing more.
“So, what’s it gonna be, Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth glanced at the table full of booze and the box of punishment slips.
Since it involved both of them, it seemed like a pretty solid bonding moment. Find the original chapter at g.com.
With that thought, she said calmly, “Let’s draw.
My husband’s driving, so he can’t drink.”
“You could always call a driver.
But drawing a slip is basically playing truth or dare, you know.”
Elizabeth hesitated on purpose, then turned to look at Alexander.
“What do you think—drink or draw?”
“Draw.
I’ve got a video meeting later tonight.”
With the choice made, Elizabeth reached into the box and pulled out a slip.
One glance, and her face went stiff.
Seriously?
That lucky?
Emily snatched the slip, glanced at it, and gave a dramatic “tsk tsk.” “French kiss, for two minutes.”
As soon as she said it, the room erupted.
“Kiss!
Kiss!”
Elizabeth turned to look at Alexander.
“Babe, luck’s just not on my side tonight.”
Instead of saying anything, Alexander pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Two minutes passed.
“Damn, they’re really keeping it PG-rated,” someone joked.
Elizabeth’s cheeks flushed.
“Well, it’s not like we were supposed to kiss for your amusement or anything.”
Emily glanced at the two with a faint smile.
“Alright, alright, let’s keep going.”
In the next round, it was two of Emily’s male friends that lost.
They opted to take three shots instead of a punishment.
Third round came, and Elizabeth was passing the card to Alexander again—but he failed to catch it.
Their turn again.
Elizabeth picked a card.
This time, it was a Q&A: each of them had to ask the other a question.
Looking up at Alexander, Elizabeth asked the one thing she’d been dying to know, in this life and the last.
“When did you fall in love with me?”
“The very first time I saw you,” he replied without skipping a beat.
She wanted so badly to ask when exactly that was, but the moment passed too quickly.
Then it was Alexander’s turn.
“Do you regret marrying me?”
“Not even a little.”
Emily saw the look between them and nudged the game along.
“Let’s go, next one!”
From then on, Elizabeth and Alexander were in sync—not a single card was dropped.
Before they knew it, it was ten in the evening.
Remembering that Alexander mentioned a video call tonight, Elizabeth leaned toward Emily. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“Hey Emily, we’re gonna head out.
He’s got a meeting.”
Emily nodded and turned to address the rest of the group.
“Alright, let’s call it a night.
We’ll plan the next one soon.”
As everyone left the private room, Alexander walked ahead to settle the bill.
“Your husband’s got game,” Emily commented.
“The way he looks at you—girl, that’s not just love, that’s full-on heart eyes.
If you told me this was some cold-blooded arranged marriage, I’d call BS.”
Elizabeth smiled softly.
She hadn’t expected Emily to pick up on Alexander’s feelings so clearly, especially on their first meeting.
It took dying once for her to finally see it herself.
Her eyes landed on the man across the room.
As he handled the bill, her lips curved up.
“He really treats me well.”
So well, he’d give up everything for her—maybe even his life.
Emily caught the expression on her friend’s face and added, “Don’t let it go to waste.
That ex of yours?
Total trash.
But Alexander?
I like him.”
“I know,” Elizabeth replied, pulling her gaze away.
Just then, Alexander walked over to join them.
The three of them stepped out into the night.
Elizabeth turned to Emily.
“Want us to drop you off?”
“No need.
I called a driver, she’s already there.”
Elizabeth spotted the woman in the ride-share uniform waiting by the car and nodded.
“Okay then, we’ll get going.”
Alexander opened the car door for Elizabeth and walked around to the driver’s side.
Just before getting in, Emily called out, “Mr.
Blake, take good care of Liz.”
Alexander paused, looked back, and said slowly and clearly, “I will.” Then he ducked into the car.
“Honey, what time’s your meeting tonight?
Are we still good on time?”
Before Alexander could respond, the driver, Peter, spoke up suddenly.
“Ma’am, Mr.
Blake doesn’t have anything on schedule tonight.
If he did, I’d know.”
Elizabeth blinked and turned to Alexander in surprise.
“Didn’t you say otherwise back there?”
Alexander gave Peter a cold side-eye, then without so much as a blink, said, “Guess I got it wrong.”