Chapter 11

The group was still in shock after meeting someone like Noelle. She didn’t care that her fiancé was messing around with other women. In fact, she was even considering joining in. This girl was something else, totally on another level.

Oscar, always the playful troublemaker, leaned in toward Noelle, flashing a grin as he casually ran his fingers through his styled hair. He put on his most charming, flirtatious demeanor and teased, "So, Noelle, looks like you’re the adventurous type, huh? What do you say? Want to join me for some fun?"

Ophelia rolled her eyes and muttered, "Here we go again." She wasn’t going to stop him, though. In fact, she was curious about how Noelle would respond to such an offer.

Noelle blinked, still holding a chicken leg in her hand, clearly a little confused. "Fun? Up for it?"

Oscar leaned closer, lowering his voice to a much more suggestive tone. "I'm talking about the kind of things only adults do… if you’re up for it."

Noelle's eyes lit up, her face practically glowing with excitement. "Only adults can do that!" she said, her voice practically bubbling with enthusiasm. At first, she had wanted to do those things with Nicolas, but he kept rejecting her. She was starting to wonder if he was just brushing her off. But this guy, Oscar, while not as good looking as Nicolas, seemed genuinely interested. "Why not?" she figured. "And since he was offering to do adult things..."

"Let's do it! Let's do it!" she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she leaned closer to Oscar. "When can we start?"

Oscar was taken aback when she suddenly closed the distance between them, her face just inches from his. "Holy shit!" he muttered, surprised by her boldness. He'd never met anyone this forward before, and up close, he was taken by her beauty. Her skin was flawless, like porcelain, her features perfectly sculpted, as though she'd been crafted by a master artist. She looked like one of those high-end dolls one saw in a boutique window. His heart skipped a beat, and he found himself getting swept up in the moment.

With a playful grin, he said, "Well, if you’re that eager, how about after the hunt tonight, we hit up a hotel!"

"Go to a hotel for what?" Noelle asked, her curiosity piqued.

"To do the kind of stuff only adults can do."

"Mm-hmmm, yes! Let’s go! Let’s go!" Noelle nodded eagerly, her smile widening with excitement.

Oscar pulled out his phone and started looking for hotels, already planning the night. "Alright, let's book a presidential suite."

Noelle clapped her hands in pure joy. "Yes, yes, yes! Presidential suite! Presidential suite!"

Ophelia and Celeste, still in shock, could hardly believe what they were hearing. "Wait, hold on. She’s really going along with this?" Ophelia thought, her disbelief growing.

Celeste, sitting silently nearby, couldn’t stop watching Noelle. Her eyes were fixed on her, and she gripped the edges of her skirt, trying to hold herself together. Does Nicolas really go for this kind of girl? she wondered. Maybe I should start being more like Noelle! Free-spirited and uninhibited.

"When we get to the hotel we could grab a bottle of wine." Oscar, now fully caught up in the excitement, leaned in even closer to Noelle. "You know, to set the mood."

"Wine, yes! Wine!" Noelle cheered, her voice full of glee.

Just as she was getting caught up in the excitement, something unexpected happened. A large hand suddenly covered her face, pulling her gently but firmly away from Oscar.

Noelle froze, turning her head in surprise. "Nick!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in recognition. It was Nicolas, who had finished his call and somehow slipped into the room without her noticing.

Nicolas's eyes, as deep and intense as a bottomless pit, briefly locked onto Noelle before shifting to Oscar. His lips curled into a faint, almost mocking smile, and his voice dripped with sarcasm. "Oscar, I know you have no shame, but when did you start hitting on your bully's fiancée!"

Oscar's brain went into overdrive, and he immediately moved a few steps away from Noelle, raising his hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, just kidding, man! I was just messing with Noelle!"

"What did you say?" Noelle’s face scrunched up in annoyance, and she turned to Oscar, clearly upset. "Wait, are you seriously telling me all that 'adult stuff' talk was just a joke? You can’t do that!"

Oscar froze, feeling a chill run down his spine. Oh, shit. Doesn’t she see the storm brewing! Her fiancé is practically about to explode, and she’s still thinking about flirting with other guys!

"You liar! How can you do that to me?" Noelle’s eyes flashed with indignation as she shot Oscar a furious glare.

Before he could defend himself, Nicolas's hand shot out, pinching her soft cheek firmly.

"Ow?" Noelle yelped, wincing at the sudden pain. She turned to look at Nicolas, her eyes wide with confusion and a hint of hurt. "Nick, why'd you pinch me?"

Nicolas exhaled a sharp breath, still seething, though his voice remained cold and controlled. "What the hell do you think you're doing, talking about going to a hotel with another guy right in front of me! Who do you think you’re trying to piss off here, huh?"

Noelle puffed out her cheeks in a childlike pout, still not fully understanding. "What’s the big deal? You were with that lady, weren’t you? I didn’t say anything about that! Why are you getting on my case!"

Nicolas stopped dead in his tracks, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion.

Oscar couldn't help but burst into laughter. "This has to be karma, right?" Nicolas had spent so long cultivating this playboy persona, and now it was all crashing down. He was getting a taste of his own medicine.

But just as Oscar was about to enjoy the irony of the situation, he suddenly felt the full force of Nicolas’s intense glare. Oscar gulped. "Alright, alright, I get it," he muttered under his breath, realizing he might have gone too far.

Nicolas, though still seething, wasn’t sure what exactly was bothering him. Maybe it was the fact that Noelle had been begging him earlier for something more, and now she was turning to Oscar. It didn’t make sense. This fickle little troublemaker, he thought.

Out of nowhere, Nicolas's voice cut through the tension in the room. "I didn't sleep with her."

Noelle blinked in surprise, looking at him with confusion.

Nicolas met her gaze and explained calmly, his tone measured but heavy with honesty, "She was just an actress I hired to scare you off. Nothing happened between us."

The room fell silent. They couldn’t believe that Nicolas was admitting he had been pretending all this time. Even Declan, usually the quietest of the group, couldn’t help but glance at Nicolas, his curiosity piqued. Nicolas had barely known Noelle for a day—yet here he was, being completely open with her. Could it be? he wondered. He’s serious! He’s into her!

"To scare me off? Why?" Noelle tilted her head, still not understanding what was going on.

Nicolas didn't want to get into a full explanation in front of everyone, so he shrugged it off, his tone vague. "It’s complicated. Don’t worry about it."

Before Noelle could ask more questions, a staff member rushed over, reminding everyone that the next round of the hunt was about to begin. "The next round of the hunt is starting soon. Please get your gear on and head to the entrance."

"Looks like it's starting. Let's go," Nicolas said, quickly steering the conversation in a new direction.

Noelle immediately shifted her focus. "Finally! Let’s go!"

As the group began walking toward the entrance, Nicolas suddenly stopped and grabbed Noelle's arm.

Noelle turned, confused, glancing at him. "What’s up, Nick?"

Nicolas leaned in slightly, his body pressing close to hers, and his lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, his voice low and stern. "From now on, don't I just casually agree to go to a hotel with other guys, got it?"