A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

Chapter 435

But before the game even began, Fortune–the host who’d been missing for ages–finally returned.

The timing was almost too perfect. Alessia glanced up, her eyes giving nothing away, though the faint smile tugging at her lips sent a chill down Joyce’s spine. It felt like something significant was about to happen.

In that moment, Joyce was suddenly, indescribably relieved.

“So, what’s everyone playing? Why’s the place so quiet?” Fortune’s voice snapped the group out of their daze.

He strolled over, clapped Owen on the shoulder, and, catching the hint, Owen immediately slid over to make room.

“Didn’t expect you to be into this kind of thing, Miss Morton,” Fortune said as he sát, resting his hands casually on his knees.

“Well, with the host gone, we had to find something to pass the time.” Alessia’s tone was breezy, but something in her gaze made the room.go

cold.

It doesn’t always take grand gestures to make people wary of you.

“That’s on me, then.” Fortune snapped his fingers, and a waiter appeared almost instantly.

“I’ll take three drinks as my penalty,” he declared, grabbing a wineglass and downing three in quick succession.

fourth, he didn’t drink it. Instead, he set it in front of Alessia. “Princess Louise, have a taste.” Then he placed another glass in

and

to your liking?“/Fortune

savored, not

making it clear–at least to Fortune–that

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Chapter 435

his

smile, his

Someone in the crowd shouted, “Stop pushing!” The guests, who’d all

knocked into the waiter. The tray tipped, and every glass on

fell instantly silent, everyone staring at Fortune in his drenched,

the picture of composure, swirling her wineglass as if nothing

gasped, hand over her mouth, feigning

suppressed anger. The words

of napkins, and only then did Alessia set her

Thorne, perhaps you should change. As the host, you

to step away again.” Fortune stood, his