When fate plays its hand
hand 496

Chapter 0496

Thinking back to the recent chaos at Hansel’s company caused by Ingrid’s mother and her troublemaker brother, Zach couldn’t help but click his tongue.

He thought, thank goodness the child was no longer in the picture; otherwise, Evelyn might have been sobbing her heart out in the restroom by now.

Just then, his hired driver arrived. As Zach was about to get into the back seat, the restaurant manager ran out to stop him.

“Sir! Sir! Just a moment, please!”

“What’s going on?” Zach asked, holding the car door open.

The manager explained, “One of our servers found a shawl in the private room with a brooch attached. It seems like a lady might have left it behind.”

Since Miranda and her family had already left, and Zach was the only one still around, the manager handed it over to him.

“Alright, I’ll take care of it,” Zach replied, tossing the shawl onto the back seat. He planned to have his assistant deliver it to Miranda the next day.

“Let’s go,” he told the driver.

“Sure thing,” the driver replied, and they drove off.

Partway through, Calvin called him. His voice was loud over the noi

background. “Dude, where are you?

We’ve been waiting forever! Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft from partying too much these days?”

The clamor in the background sounded like a bar or club.

Zach rolled his eyes, “Shut up, you idiot! I’m on my way right now.”

He got the address from Calvin and directed the driver to head there immediately.

When he arrived at Slide Bar, Calvin greeted him at the entrance, throwing an arm over his shoulder they walked inside. “Man, you’re late! Don’t tell me you were crawling out of some girl’s arms?”

“Knock it off,” Zach shot back. “It was a dinner with family friends–totally legit.”

Calvin smirked. “Yeah, sure. Like I’m gonna believe that.”

“Listen,” Zach replied, narrowing his eyes. “I’m a guy with a girlfriend now, so quit spreading rumors.”

“Isn’t that relationship fake?” Calvin teased while grinning.

Zach’s smile faltered, and his eyes turned cold. “Who told you that?”

“Winter did,” Calvin said with a shrug.

“When?” Zach pressed.

as

Calvin scratched his head. “Last weekend, I think? I was playing tennis, and I saw her on the next court with some guy. They looked pretty cozy.”

+25 BONUS

Chapter 0496

The man had been standing close, teaching Winter how to serve, their bodies nearly touching.

Ever the loyal friend, Calvin had immediately stormed over, ready to fight for his buddy’s honor–only to replace out later that it was all for nothing.

“So it turns out, you two have a fake thing going on while doing your own thing on the side,” Calvin said, nudging Zach with a playful grin. “You’re smart, man. You’ve got Winter helping you fool the family. Why can’t I replace a setup like that?”

Zach’s mood darkened even more as they entered the private room.

Calvin stared at Zach, puzzled. He thought, “What’s up with him? He was fine a second ago.” He tried asking, yet Zach started downing drinks as soon as he sat down.

Hansel looked over and asked, “What’s gotten into him?”

“No idea,” Calvin said, shrugging. “He just flipped all of a sudden.”

“Forget it,” Hansel said, getting up and grabbing his jacket. “I’m out.”

“What? Hansel, we just got started!” Calvin protested.

Hansel gave Zach a quick look and said, “No point sticking around to watch someone drown their

sorrows.”

Zach immediately put down his drink and stood up. “Yeah, this is pointless. I’m heading out too.”

Calvin threw his hands up in frustration, looking from one friend to the other. “What is this, a relay race? You guys are leaving just like that?” (1

As both Hansel and Zach left together, Calvin stared at the empty room, muttering to himself, “Hey, wait for me, you two!”