Chapter 716:

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

Each time he smiled at her, Veda felt a mix of joy and nervousness wash over her.

As the bartender set the drink down in front of Ryder, he looked back and forth between them with a smile. “You two are a great match!”

Veda’s heart fluttered at the remark, but she kept her cool, responding with a slight smile as though she couldn’t be bothered.

Ryder, however, laughed out loud. He turned to look Veda over seriously, then said, “Indeed, she is quite beautiful. Also, she’s a doctor! I don’t think I’ve ever met a doctor this beautiful.”

Veda feigned deep thought and then responded, “You’re right, I haven’t met anyone more beautiful than me in my whole life either!”

“Hahaha… I love how confident and honest you are!”

They clicked instantly, both downing glass after glass without hesitation. Veda noticed that this version of Ryder was livelier, delightful, and always ready with something to talk about. She couldn’t imagine how someone so expressive could later become so detached, aloof, and cold. Had his military service changed him that much?

“Drink up! Come on, Dr. Ballard… why aren’t you drinking?”

“Take it easy… it’s your turn to drink…” Veda’s head was heavy, and Ryder’s image started to blur before her eyes, but neither wanted to be the first to stop. As the alcohol loosened her tongue, Veda’s thoughts spilled out. “Ryder, why do we get along so well? I wish it could always be like this. Don’t… don’t turn back to being that cold… cold Ryder…”

Ryder giggled. His body swayed and he almost tipped over. “I agree, you’re… absolutely my type!”

He burst into laughter, and Veda couldn’t help but laugh along with him. The two drunken fools laughed without restraint. Anyone familiar with them would be completely shocked to see them like this. Time seemed to blur until Veda couldn’t hold up anymore. She collapsed onto the table and mumbled, “I can’t do this anymore… I’m going to pass out.”

L𐑇tєѕτ cнαρτєrs ιn g𝒶l𝑛ovєls.🅲oм

Ryder, however, kept yelling, “Dr. Ballard, come on! Let’s keep drinking!”

As he said this, he tried to lift Veda up, but he pulled too hard and stumbled, falling next to her. She reached out to catch him, and unexpectedly, they found themselves in each other’s arms.

Veda woke up. Her gaze slowly focused on the unfamiliar ceiling and walls around her. She realized she was in a hotel room.

Her mind was blank regarding how she got there, so her first instinct was to look down at herself. Shock hit her as she discovered she was naked. Her body felt sore all over, as if she had been hit by a truck. A severe headache from the hangover was torturing her as well.

With a jolt of awareness, she looked over her body again and saw bruises on her chest. The marks were clear signs of what happened the previous night.

She thought about Ryder, wondering if he did this to her.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Ryder asleep on the other side of the bed. Panic overwhelmed Veda immediately. What now?

They had had sex while under the influence of alcohol. Both of them were intoxicated, and Veda couldn’t remember if she had initiated things with Ryder, given her long-standing crush on him.

“Forget it,” she muttered to herself.

Her priority was to get dressed. It would be more uncomfortable if Ryder woke up to find them still naked together.

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