Page 158 of The Bittersweet Bond

She leaned casually against the table, raising an eyebrow as she eyed the guys.

“Alright, who’s got a plan?”

“A plan for what?”

Ben smirked, sliding his hand into the pocket of his suit.

“We’re at a charity event. This is a place of virtue.”

“Virtue, my ass,” Bas muttered dryly. “I saw you near the liquor cabinet earlier.”

Ben pulled a small bottle of vodka from his pocket and held it up triumphantly.

“You do what you can.”

Milka snorted in amusement, while Evin shook her head.

“You guys are impossible,” she said, though a grin tugged at her lips. She grabbed a glass from a passing waiter’s tray and lifted it. “This is gonna be an interesting night.”

“‘Interesting’ doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Bas said, snatching the bottle.

“Who’s first?”

The next few minutes blurred into muffled laughter, stolen sips, and discreet glances over their shoulders to make sure no one was watching.

The guys challenged each other with reckless jokes, while Milka and Evin watched in amusement as Ben grimaced after an overly ambitious sip.

“You suck at this,” Milka teased as Ben quickly reached for a glass of Coke to chase it down.

“The mix caught me off guard,” he coughed, wiping his mouth. “Next time, I’ll be ready.”

Their laughter blended into the soft background music near the stage, the kind of carefree moment that made everything feel almost normal.

Evin felt the warmth of the vodka spread in her stomach, loosening the tight coil of nerves just slightly.

But her gaze kept drifting through the room—subtle, but alert.

“We should be careful,” Bas murmured eventually, staring at the empty cup in his hand. “This is a charity event, not a college party.”

“Oh, come on, Bas,” Ben clapped him on the shoulder. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“I am having fun,” Bas replied dryly, but his expression turned serious as his gaze flickered to Evin.

“But not the kind that gets us in trouble.”

Evin couldn’t help but smirk.

“Bas, you sound like an old man trapped in an seventeen-year-old’s body.”

“Someone has to be the responsible one,” he shot back with a knowing glint in his eye. “Especially since even Jonas isn’t trying to stop you guys.”

Jonas called over, “You guys are beyond saving.”

Just as Evin was about to respond, she felt it again.

That suffocating sensation.

Like the air had shifted. Like the warmth of the room had suddenly turned cold.

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