Roxanne frowned, about to reject Hugo Reynolds, when Madilyn, escaping the dance floor crowd, sat beside her and appraised him. Hugo, though not physically fit, had an elegant appearance; his chiseled features were distinct even in the dim bar light. His attire, Madilyn estimated, cost a hundred thousand. "Hmm," she mused, "eight out of ten?"

Before Roxanne could refuse, Madilyn agreed, "Sure! Do you have any friends? Ask them to come over!"

Hugo's table was nearby; he'd already noticed them dancing together. He readily invited his friends, who were all well-dressed and handsome. They arrived with wine, politely keeping a distance from Roxanne and Madilyn.

Madilyn raised an eyebrow, asking, "You guys are quite good-looking. Are you all single?"

"How dare we sit here if we weren't single?" they replied.

Madilyn then meaningfully glanced at Hugo, who had approached their table. "How about him? Is he single?"

Hugo smiled at his friends, encouraging honesty. "Hugo's been single for years," they said, teasing him, "We have no idea what kind of women he's interested in anymore. However, today"

Hugo beamed, interrupting, "Stop talking! Let's have a drink, shall we?" His friends swiftly changed the subject.

Madilyn quickly engaged in lively conversation with everyone. Roxanne, however, had come to drink away her sorrows and felt uncomfortable, though she maintained a composed exterior.

Meanwhile, Madilyn had a wonderful time, eventually sitting among Hugo's friends. She initiated drinking games, leaving Roxanne alone.

A space formed between Roxanne and Hugo after Madilyn left.

"I'm sorry," Hugo apologized. "Did we interrupt you both?"

Roxanne was momentarily stunned. "Don't worry," she replied with a faint smile. "We're all here to have a drink. You're not disturbing us."

He frowned. "You don't seem to be in the mood. Are you upset?"

Roxanne smiled tightly, silently acknowledging her bad mood and reluctance to continue the conversation. Her indifference, however, piqued Hugo's interest. He drank slowly, his gaze fixed on Roxanne.

Madilyn, noticing their solitude, suggested a card game where the holder of the King of Hearts could command anyone to do something. Before Roxanne could object, Madilyn quickly gave her a card and kept the King of Hearts.

"Seven of Spades and Five of Diamonds," she announced.

Everyone checked their cards. Roxanne felt a foreboding sense upon seeing her Five of Diamonds.

Madilyn said indifferently, "Since we know each other, I won't ask for much. How about you both share a crossed-cup wine? It's not too much to ask, right?"

Refusing to spoil the fun, Roxanne agreed. Hugo revealed a Seven of Spades. He looked helplessly at Madilyn, then at Roxanne, suggesting, "Let's just clink glasses instead of a crossed-cup wine."

Roxanne's heart sank; she realized Madilyn's matchmaking intentions and regretted her easy agreement. However, Hugo's suggestion brought her relief. She raised her glass to clink it against his.