The Bet That Lasted a Lifetime

“As many as you want — it’s on me tonight.”

Nelly froze for a moment, then looked up at me, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

I gave her a small nod.

Only then did she take out her phone and start typing.

Before long, the entrance of the bar grew lively. Groups of young girls began showing up, three or five at a time.

Each one was dressed differently, but all of them were strikingly colorful and boldly styled.

They soon found our booth, giggling as they squeezed in. The once-spacious seat instantly became packed.

“Nelly, is this the handsome guy you were talking about?” A girl with bright pink hair leaned forward, looking me up and down boldly.

A girl in a cropped top beside her picked up the thread, grinning. “Not bad. You’ve got good luck. He’s actually pretty handsome!”

They were a lively bunch — no need for an invitation. They ordered drinks on their own, started shaking dice, playing games and moving with the beat of the music.

Their bright laughter rang out, contagious and full of energy.

In no time, the atmosphere around us was completely transformed — loud, vibrant, alive and our table’s buzz soon drowned out Emily’s side entirely.

Laughter, the clatter of dice cups and bursts of teasing blended into one lively, unstoppable rhythm.

The noise and laughter caught the attention of nearby tables; a few people couldn’t help but stare.

David glanced over several times, an ambiguous expression flickering across his face.

Emily, however, sat with her back straight and rigid, never once turning around.

I played a few rounds of dice with the girls — whenever I lost, I drank cola.

They shared random, nonsensical stories and I occasionally added a comment or two.

In that simple, rowdy and chaotic atmosphere, I felt a lightness I hadn’t known in years — something close to peace, almost happiness.

By the time everything wound down, it was already deep into the night.

I paid the bill and left with Nelly.

Fate really had a sense of humor. In the parking lot, we ran right into Emily and David, standing beside their car.

Emily’s gaze fell on us.

She let out a cold laugh, the disdain in her tone almost tangible.

“Roger, that was so fast. Don’t tell me it’s your first time meeting and you’re already rushing off to get a room?”

David stood beside her, silent, his lips curled in a faint, mocking smile as he watched like it was a show he’d paid to see.

I opened the car door and motioned for Nelly to get in first. Then I turned to Emily with a careless smile tugging at my lips.

“Why not?”

Without waiting for her reaction, I got into the driver’s seat, shut the door and started the engine.

The car drove smoothly out of the parking lot. In the rearview mirror, I could still see Emily standing there — her face looked absolutely terrible under the dim lights.

I didn’t go home. Instead, I stopped by a nearby five-star hotel.

“Two adjoining king rooms,” I said.

Nelly froze for a second, giving me a slightly surprised look. But she didn’t say anything — just stood quietly to the side.

Once the check-in was done, I handed her one of the key cards. “Get some rest early.”

She took it and murmured softly, “Thank you.”

I nodded. We went to our respective rooms.

After a shower, I lay down on the bed. In the darkness, my phone screen lit up — it was a new post from David’s social media.

It was only one photo.

The camera was angled from above — he was shirtless, leaning against the headboard, one arm wrapped around a drunken woman.

The caption read:

“Every bit of warmth I longed for in this mortal world is you. Finally, I waited long enough. Thank God I never gave up.”

The woman’s face was blurred, her long hair falling messily over her shoulders. But from that side profile and the familiar background behind her, I knew immediately that was Emily.

And the place they were in was the master bedroom of the home I had painstakingly prepared for our marriage.

I smiled faintly and left a comment under the post:

“Since the mood’s already set, why not go get the marriage certificate tomorrow?”