Water

Sniffles and laughter echoed through the large room as different persons stood up, recounting hilarious or tear-jerking moments of Brianna and Daniel's supposedly long relationship.

Only those close to the family knew the moments were all lies; the couple had only slept together a few times and were now getting married because Brianna was pregnant.

Meanwhile, Adele was sipping on her water, humming every now and then to deceive the chatty governor on her left into thinking that she was actually listening.

She had no interest in the multiple cars, houses, and businesses he had.

Her long lashes lowered as she looked at the water in her champagne flute; a sigh left her downturned lips as she thought, 'This water is making me nauseous.'

Adele's eyes fell on her mother, 'I'm going to make you wish you never pissed me off, old woman.'

"Are you free tomorrow evening, Adele?" the governor questioned. "I would very much like to invite you out for dinner."

Adele desperately wanted to spite her mother by refusing the governor's request, but she knew better than to offend a governor. "I'd love to, your excellency," she responded with a breathtaking smile.

"Please, Adele, call me Harold." The governor's cheeks warmed as he couldn't help but admire her beauty and think about how stunning and effortlessly seductive she was.

"This old man wants to have sex with you," Adele heard Elliot whisper in her ear.

She turned to him and whispered in his ear, "And I think that old guy you were talking to wants to have sex with you." Adele winked, "Looks like we're both getting lucky tonight."

A governor, she didn't dare offend, but this prince next to her, though way higher in rank than a governor, she enjoyed offending.

Elliot pouted his lips as he asked her, "Why are you so mean to me?"

"Why are you so intent on talking to me?" Adele asked him in return.

"Because I like you," Elliot confessed. "You're not like any woman I've ever met."

"That's too bad; I don't like you very much." Adele took another sip of her water before adding, "You're not my type."

"Again, you're way too narcissistic," Elliot told her. He leaned back in his chair, "I'm not into you like that." His silver eyes traveled the upper half of her figure before landing on her face. "You're not my type either."

"Oh?" Adele folded her arms. "You're not into beautiful women with sexy figures?"

"I'm not into beautiful women who know they have a sexy figure," Elliot responded. "I prefer when they're a bit more subtle about it."

Adele hummed as she nodded, "So, you're one of those guys then."

Elliot raised a brow, "One of which guys?"

Adele watched with a defeated expression, the waitress refilling her glass with water. When the waitress left, she took a sip, saying, "The type of guy who confident, strong women intimidate. It kills you to know that I don't need you to tell me I'm beautiful for me to know that I'm beautiful."

"That is so not true," Elliot defended himself. "I respect women who don't need men's validation to feel good about themselves." He reached into his pocket for his hip flask and continued, "I'm just not into them."

"You're in denial, but whatever," Adele responded, rolling her eyes.

The second the bourbon scent hit her nose, Adele looked at Elliot, who was sneakingly pouring the golden brown liquid into his champagne flute filled with...coca-cola?

"You've been sipping coca-cola all this time?" Adele asked him.

"Yea," Elliot responded, returning his flute to the table as he screwed the cork of the stainless steel hip flask. "My psychiatrist said I shouldn't drink anymore." He looked at her as he pushed the flask back into his pocket, "Haven't you been sipping water?"

Adele's mouth dried as she watched Elliot drink some of the contents of the champagne flute. "M-My mother thinks I drink too much."

"Oh," Elliot responded, taking another taste of the sweet combination of coca-cola and bourbon.

Adele took a sip of her water, but she could no longer convince herself that she was sipping on white wine. "Aren't friends supposed to share?" she asked him before she could stop herself.

Elliot gave her a quizzical look as he asked, "We're friends?"

Adele smiled, "Don't be ridiculous; of course, we are."

"When since? I thought you said you didn't like me," Elliot mentioned.

Adele met his silver eyes with a serious expression as she said, "That's because I love you."

Elliot started laughing, but Adele still looked as serious as a judge. The amusement never left his handsome face as he spoke, "You don't even know me."

"Do you brush your teeth?" Adele questioned.

Elliot furrowed his brows in confusion but was still very much amused as he asked her, "What kind of question is that?"

Adele's face was stern as she urged, "Answer the question."

"Yes, Adele," he responded. "I brush my teeth."

The raven-haired beauty narrowed her eyes at him, "How often?"

Elliot stared at her in disbelief, "Seriously?"

"How often, Elliot?" Adele impatiently asked again.

He immediately responded, "When I wake up, after every major meal, and before bed."

"Good," Adele told him before asking, "What toothpaste brand do you use?"

Elliot sighed, "Is that really important?"

Adele shrugged after a bit of thought, "I guess not." Without further hesitation, she took the flute from his hand and deeply inhaled the glorious scent of the drink before turning it at her head, relishing the wonderful taste.

Adele suddenly felt at ease; it was as if she'd gotten water after days of traveling in a barren, humid desert.

From the head of the table, Brianna watched Adele and Elliot with a bitter expression. 'Did she just drink from his glass?!'

Brianna's curious eyes followed their movements as their hands disappeared from her sight to under the table. She could see both their arms moving a lot, and only one possible conclusion came to her mind.