Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 360: Fun Game

Back at the club, the lights flashed colourfully, washing over their faces in quick bursts. The bass thumped so hard Dawn felt it in her chest.

Everyone was so relaxed and comfortable around their VIP table that no one could have guessed that anything was out of place between Genevieve and Dawn, or that Callan and Emily had any sort of drama in the past.

Stefan’s arm was around Genevieve’s waist like he didn’t care who was watching, and she giggled when he whispered into his ears that when they got home they’d continue their dance from where they stopped.

Jamal lifted his glass. "Alright," he said loudly, "since we’re all finally here, drinks are on me."

Dawn smiled at him and leaned into his side. "You’re saying that like we aren’t the ones who invited everyone. Who else is supposed to pay, but you?"

Jamal chuckled. "Callan or Stefan could choose to pay to impress the ladies."

"I’ll pass. I have other ways of impressing my lady. I’ll leave your ladies to you to impress," Stefan said, and they all laughed.

Callan shook his head, amused. "If I want to impress Em, I’d buy the club, not pay for drinks."

Emily giggled while Dawn and Genevieve clapped for Callan.

"Must be nice having a man who knows how to spend," Genevieve told Emily with a teasing smile.

"What? Why didn’t you tell me you wanted me to spend?" Stefan asked with mock shock, "What do you want? Tell me. I’ll buy you the whole of Ludus if you want, and everyone can relocate to somewhere else."

Genevieve grinned. "Aww. Let’s not buy Ludus. We don’t want to leave our friends stranded, do we?"

Callan and Jamal snorted at that while the ladies giggled.

"I guess we don’t," Stefan said with a wink, and she kissed him laughing.

Dawn grinned as she lifted her glass and took a small sip, her eyes on Genevieve and Stefan.

It surprised her how much she was enjoying watching Genevieve. She was happy that Genevieve had listened to her and left her feeling of guilt behind.

It’d be nice to have this happy memory of her for the duration that she’d be away, Dawn reasoned.

"They look good together, don’t they?" Jamal whispered to Dawn, following her gaze.

"Yeah. She looks really happy," Dawn whispered back.

Emily leaned slightly toward Callan. Their shoulders didn’t touch, but the space between them felt charged. They kept finding reasons to look at each other instead.

"It’s been a really long time since I saw you smile this much," Callan said, his voice low so only she could hear.

Emily raised a brow. "I guess I should stop smiling then."

"No," he said quickly. "It suits you."

"Thank you," she murmured as she looked away, hiding her smile.

Callan looked up to see Jamal and Dawn whispering to each other.

"What are you both whispering about? Save that for when you’re alone in your bedroom," Callan said, and then looked at Stefan and Genevieve, "You both have some shame and quit necking in public."

Jamal chuckled. "Em, have mercy on his poor soul and give him your attention. He’s pouring his frustration out on us."

"I’m not frustrated," Callan said with a chuckle.

"You are," Stefan said, agreeing with Jamal.

Emily snapped her fingers. "Alright, enough talking. Let’s play a game."

Dawn grinned. "Yaay!"

"As long as it’s not truth or dare, I’m down for it," Callan said, and Emily giggled.

"Why? Scared to answer tough questions?" Stefan teased.

Before Callan could fire back a retort, Emily cut in with a laugh. "It’s a simple game. No truths or dares. Steffy, quit goading Cal or I’m going to come for your girlfriend," Emily warned.

"Ooooh! Cal is over the moon! Em is standing up for him," Jamal teased, and they all laughed.

They decided on a simple game. Quick questions. Slow reactions. Anyone who hesitated or took longer than a second had to drink a tequila shot.

Emily took out her phone and established the rules. The phone had the questions and was to be passed round in a clockwise direction. Emily was to choose any from the questions and ask Jamal, then Jamal would in turn ask Dawn, Dawn would ask Genevieve, Genevieve would ask Stefan, and Stefan would ask Callan, then Callan would ask Emily.

Emily asked the first question, "Jamal, would you rather have regrets about actions or inactions?"

"Inactions," Jamal answered quickly, then took the phone and faced Dawn. "What is your favourite word?"

"Jamal," Dawn said without thinking.

"Aww," the ladies cooed.

"Jamal is not a word!" Callan protested playfully.

"Then what is it? A sentence?" Dawn asked dryly, and they all laughed as she took the phone and faced Genevieve.

"Are you happy?" Dawn asked without looking at the phone.

Genevieve hesitated, not sure how to answer that.

"You paused," Jamal said, pointing.

"I did not," she protested.

"You did," Emily added.

Genevieve made a face and took a sip before taking the phone from Dawn and turning to Stefan, who was grinning at her.

"What’s your favourite season of the year?"

"The season you were born," he said smoothly, and she giggled.

"You don’t even know what season that was," she said, rolling her eyes playfully.

"It’s winter, baby," he said with a wink, and the ladies giggled.

Callan snorted. "Why are you all flirting when we are playing a game?"

"Pained asshole," Jamal said, laughing as Stefan took the phone from Genevieve.

"Money or love?" Stefan asked Callan.

"Love," Callan said without hesitation, then leaned closer to Emily. "Emily’s love."

Emily blushed while everyone laughed, calling Callan an hypocrite for flirting after berating them for doing so.

Callan took the phone from Stefan and looked at Emily. "Gold or diamond ring?" he asked without looking at the phone.

Emily’s heart fluttered at his question, and it took her a moment to answer. "Diamond."

"Drink, Em," Dawn said, pointing to the shot glass.

Emily groaned and took a sip, coughing slightly as everyone laughed.

Callan leaned closer, teasing. "Lightweight."

She shot him a playful scowl. "Your turn is coming."

And it did. They decided to play the game in an anti-clockwise direction this time, starting from Emily.

She didn’t bother with her phone this time as she faced Callan. "Callan," she said sweetly, "what scares you the most?"

For half a second, his smile faltered.

"Drink," Jamal said immediately, already pushing the shot glass toward him.

Callan laughed and lifted his hands. "Okay, okay. Fair." He took the shot in one go.

Emily laughed, satisfied. "Lightweight."

"Petty," he retorted playfully then looked at Stefan. "Jamal or Genevieve?"

Stefan scowled at Callan, and everyone laughed as he picked up his shot glass and drank without responding.

Stefan turned to Genevieve. "Do you know I love you?"

She smiled so wide her blue eyes were shining. "Yes."

She turned to Dawn. "Will you be fine if I l decide not to leave and stay here in Ludus and work at Lucy’s and Callan’s mom’s foundation instead?"

"Really? That sounds great!" Dawn said, visibly delighted.

"Drink, Dawn! You didn’t answer the question," Emily urged her.

"She did. Her response is better than I hoped for," Genevieve said, taking the drink in Dawn’s stead.

Dawn grinned at Genevieve. "I’ll love to hear about it later," Dawn said before turning to Jamal.

The game continued smoothly. Stefan lost next. Then Genevieve. Then Dawn.

Dawn made a face after her sip. "I don’t like this."

Jamal grinned. "I’ll drink for you."

He did, earning cheers from the table and a kiss from Dawn.

After a few rounds, Stefan lifted his hands. "Okay, I’m done. I’m driving. And tomorrow is a work day."

"Yeah. I’m done too. I’m driving," Callan added. "And I don’t want to be hungover on air tomorrow."

"That’s right. Me too," Emily said with a nod and they all agreed to stop with the alcohol.

With that settled, they made their way to the dancefloor.

Dawn danced over to Genevieve and Emily, grabbing both their hands.

"Girls only," she shouted.

They formed a loose circle. Genevieve moved first, smooth and confident. Dawn watched her closely, then tried the same move, laughing when she got it wrong.

"No, like this," Genevieve said, showing her again.

Emily copied too, biting her lip to stop laughing.

Soon all three women were moving the same way, hips rolling, shoulders loose, laughing when they messed up.

The men stood aside, watching them with amusement.

"Look at them," Jamal said quietly.

Callan smiled. "Yeah."

Stefan didn’t say anything. He just watched Genevieve, the way she smiled without holding back.

Eventually, the circle broke and the ladies came back to their men, sweaty, breathless, happy.

They all hit the dance floor, each of them with their partners.