Back to Love: A New Beginning
Chapter 89

Chapter 89:.

From the tension in the atmosphere, I sensed something was wrong. It made me think that another fight was about to happen and I felt extremely nervous. However, the man next to me raised his hand and shook hands with each of them, one by one.

Finally, they all hugged and started laughing. “You got here just in time!” declared Derek once he released the man. I was stunned to hear him say that.

The man laughed and said, “As soon as I got off the plane, I turned on my phone and got your message that you were inviting me for a drink. It’s normal for me to come here without even resting.”

Felix patted him on the back and laughed, “Aaron, my friend, you’re back at last!

What the hell were they saying, did they know each other?

Noticing my confusion, Derek said, “This is my cousin, Aaron Hudson. He’s a top medical student who just arrived from overseas.”

It turned out that this man was the good doctor in the kitchen that Derek had mentioned to me earlier.

Aaron turned his attention to me, ready to say something. However, Derek suddenly drew me to his side.

“Aaron, this is my wife, Eveline. She’s your cousin-in-law.”

The way he spoke this time made it sound like he was announcing his ownership of me, but I already knew his goal of marrying me, so I was unaffected by his words.

Aaron gave me a surprised look. The elegant smile on his face was gone. Moments later, a wry smile appeared on his lips.

“When did that happen, and why didn’t you tell me about it?”. Even though she was talking to Derek, she was looking at me.

“The wedding hasn’t happened yet, so I decided to wait to tell you.” When Derek sat down, he urged me to sit next to him.

After taking a seat, Aaron placed his suit jacket beside him, pulled out a cigarette and a lighter, and said, “I thought the heavens had arranged a romantic encounter for me as soon as I got back. But, damn it, I didn’t think it was just a joke.”

“I thought you’d come home with a foreign girl in your arms,” Felix joked, placing a bottle of beer in front of Aaron.

Then Aaron lit his cigarette and laughed, “I prefer the beauty of our women to those of the foreigner.”

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She was sitting a few seats away from him, so she could smell the faint aroma of his cigarette. It was light, and quite different from the aroma of the ones Derek preferred to smoke.

“So, what’s up with you guys, are you playing some drinking game? I’ll join you,” Aaron said.

I took a swig from my beer glass and retrieved my other hand from Derek’s hand. After putting the glass down, I said to Aaron, “Sure, let’s get on with the game, shall we? I don’t think I’m that unlucky every turn.”

Perhaps Aaron’s arrival had ruined Derek’s good luck. This time, he drew a bad one, so it was his turn to choose.

Gleefully, Louise asked, “What’s it going to be, Derek – truth or dare?”

Derek took a puff on his cigarette. “I’d rather drink.”

As he picked up a bottle from the table, he pressed it down.

“I set the rules. Drinking is not allowed according to the rules I made. Do you choose to break the rules?” I asked.

Derek stared at me, squinting slightly. He removed his hand from the beer bottle.

“Fine. I choose Truth.”

Just as I had expected, I would never choose Challenge, so I would probably opt for Truth. Everyone was looking at me now. They were probably all curious as to what kind of question I would ask him.

I took a deep breath, giving a look into Derek’s eyes.

“Are you only with me to get back at Shane?”

I saw his face tighten, and the hand holding the cigarette began to tremble. Some of the ashes from his cigarette fell to the floor.

The bar was noisy, but at that moment, our entire booth fell eerily silent.

Derek soon appeared agitated as he pursed his lips tightly. Moments had passed, but he still hadn’t said a word. The air seemed to have dropped several degrees.

I felt as if there was a heavy stone on my chest, almost suffocating me. Since I didn’t respond, it only meant that I consented. Now I understood.

The glass in my hand slid down and shattered on impact. Suddenly, I stood up, wanting to leave this place. But Derek grabbed my wrist. I lowered my head and saw his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, but in the end he said nothing. There was nothing I could say to fix this, Louise stopped me and asked, “Eve, why did you ask that question, was there some kind of misunderstanding?”

I shook off Derek’s hand, ignored Louise and ran before the tears came to my eyes.

She kept calling my name from behind me. I ran so fast that I ended up bumping into a lot of people along the way.

Once I ran out of the bar, I kept going without stopping. It seemed like I was being chased by a ghost. When I heard hurried footsteps behind me, I ran even faster.

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