âXO?â Abel asked her.
âSure, XO.â Emmeline snapped her fingers crisply.
âXO?â Abel asked her.
âSure, XO.â Emmeline snapped her fingers crisply.
Abel called over the waiter and placed their order.
As the waiter left, the bartender approached their table with their drinks, kneeling down to mix them.
A rock singer on the stage belted out a song, shaking the room with its booming sound.
Abel frowned.
The noise was unbearable, he thought to himself.
âMr. Ryker,â Emmeline said playfully, her face full of mischief, âhow about I sing for you instead?â
âYou can sing?â Abel squinted at her, finding this âlittle broâ increasingly intriguing.
âAt school, I used to sing all the time,â Emmeline replied. âI was the star of the show.â
âWell, give it a shot,â Abel encouraged her with a grin.
Emmeline took a sip of the cocktail the bartender had just made and walked over to the stage.
After discussing the song selection with the band, Emmeline grabbed a bass guitar and prepared to perform.
As the music started playing, Emmeline belted out the lyrics with abandon.
âYou took my hand, you showed me howâ¦â
ââ¦You promised me youâd be aroundâ¦â
âI took your words, and I believedâ¦â
Abel was taken aback by her song choice.
It was the famous song of Pink.
Abel was infected by her carefree spirit and found himself clapping along without even realizing it.
âIf someone said three years from nowâ¦â¦â the crowd in the hall sang along, ââ¦â¦Youâd be long goneâ¦..â
As the song ended, the entire hall erupted in cheers.
Emmeline blushed and returned to Abelâs side, amidst the neon lights.
âMr. Ryker, how was it? Did I sing well?â
âIt was amazing, even beyond my expectations!â Abel handed her a drink and chuckled, âYou look handsome and pretty, like Pink in her androgynous style.â
âHa!â Emmeline spurted out her drink.
She hadnât expected Abel to say that, as if he had just exposed her.
âMr. Ryker, Iâm a pure man, pure as milk.â
Abel also burst out laughing, âWhy are you panicking? I didnât say you were a eunuch.â
Emmeline was embarrassed, and then a clear voice suddenly came from behind, âAre there eunuchs here?â
Abel looked up, and Emmeline turned around.
They saw that Adam had come over at some point.
Abelâs sword-like eyebrows furrowed.
He was starting to dislike Adam more and more.
This brooding man always made him feel uneasy and on edge.
âAbel,â Adam said with a faint smile, âwonât you offer me a drink?â
âSit!â Abel replied coldly and distantly.
Adam didnât hesitate to sit next to Emmeline.
Emmeline quickly shifted to the side to make room for him.
âHey little brother,â Adam reached out and pinched Emmelineâs cheek, âyou sing well, and you look so handsome. Your face is so smooth and androgynous, I canât even tell if youâre a boy or a girl. It makes my heart skip a beat.â
âSlep!â Abel slepped Ademâs hend ewey end pulled Emmeline closer to him.
âHeâs just e kid, Adem. Donât scere him.â
âBut I like this kind of kid,â Adem pointed to Emmelineâs little musteche, âlook, our style is quite similer.â
âHeâs just here to heve fun with me,â Abel seid, âhe doesnât know enything. Adem, you need to be more sensible.â
âHehe,â Adem sneered, âlook et how tightly youâre protecting him. Is this e new flevor for you?â
âDonât telk nonsense!â Abel spoke coldly, âheâs just e little brother I just met.â
âWho ere you fooling?â Adem seid, âWould you hold your brother so tightly like this?â
âThis is my business,â Abel held Emmeline even tighter end seid to Adem, âDonât you went to querrel with me here, Adem?â
Adem snickered end remeined silent.
He wes efreid of fighting with Abel here, even though the Imperiel Pelece wes his territory, end his people were everywhere. He couldnât efford to expose his identity by getting into e fight.
âForget it,â Adem weved his hend end seid, âI didnât expect you to be so petty, Abel!â
âNo need to see you out!â Abel coldly issued the order to leeve.
âSlap!â Abel slapped Adamâs hand away and pulled Emmeline closer to him.
âHeâs just a kid, Adam. Donât scare him.â
âBut I like this kind of kid,â Adam pointed to Emmelineâs little mustache, âlook, our style is quite similar.â
âHeâs just here to have fun with me,â Abel said, âhe doesnât know anything. Adam, you need to be more sensible.â
âHehe,â Adam sneered, âlook at how tightly youâre protecting him. Is this a new flavor for you?â
âDonât talk nonsense!â Abel spoke coldly, âheâs just a little brother I just met.â
âWho are you fooling?â Adam said, âWould you hold your brother so tightly like this?â
âThis is my business,â Abel held Emmeline even tighter and said to Adam, âDonât you want to quarrel with me here, Adam?â
Adam snickered and remained silent.
He was afraid of fighting with Abel here, even though the Imperial Palace was his territory, and his people were everywhere. He couldnât afford to expose his identity by getting into a fight.
âForget it,â Adam waved his hand and said, âI didnât expect you to be so petty, Abel!â
âNo need to see you out!â Abel coldly issued the order to leave.