Lucas and Eric exchanged glances, searching for any trace of doubt or uncertainty on Edwards's face. Although they had grown up together, shared countless adventures, and basked in the glory of their playboy reputation, they had never witnessed one another stepping into the realm of commitment and love. It was an unspoken agreement among the trio that such emotions were unnecessary, or perhaps even nonexistent.
"Who is she?" Lucas finally asked, his voice tainted with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"I don't have a choice, guys," Edwards finally admitted, his tone filled with resignation. "My old man is on my neck. He has threatened to take me off my position and wipe my name off the family, leaving me no inheritance if I don't settle down by the end of the month."
Lucas raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "So where does the girl in question come in? We all know you don't have any current relationships, or did you start one secretly?"
"Her name is Annabelle," he replied, "I believe you all know her".
Eric chimed in, his shock evident in his voice. "You asked your assistant, Annabelle, to marry you?"
Edwards nodded, feeling a mix of apprehension and relief at sharing his secret. "Yes, Annabelle," he confirmed. "And to my surprise, she agreed."
The room fell into a brief silence as the weight of Edwards' revelation sank in.
Lucas couldn't help but smirk. "Wait a minute, and she agreed to it? Despite knowing you're not the commitment type?"
Edwards chuckled, hiding a part of the truth. "I'm surprised too," he replied, evading any mention of the fake marriage contract. "But, you know, sometimes people surprise you."
He intended to tell them about the arrangement after the divorce, not wanting to complicate things further by sharing all the details right away. He felt safer keeping it between him and Annabelle, at least for the time being.
"But don't worry, guys," Edwards reassured his friends. "I still the same guy. It's just a marriage in name. I still belong to the streets, nothing's changed."
The tension in the room eased, and the three friends clicked their glasses together, toasting to Edwards and his newfound temporary commitment.
As the night went on, they continued their chatting and laughing. Lucas suddenly noticed three attractive women who had been glancing their way for a while. Recognizing an opportunity, he couldn't resist approaching them.
"Hello, beautiful," Lucas complimented the blonde-haired woman, his charisma in full display. She crossed her long, sexy legs and smiled as she sipped her drink. "Thank you," she replied, clearly flattered by the attention.
Lucas turned to her friends, greeting them with the same charm. He couldn't help but invite them to their table, hoping to extend the night's excitement. To his delight, they accepted and followed him.
Edwards and Eric, catching on to the situation, welcomed the girls and introduced themselves. Each of them had their eyes set on one of the women, their desires evident. The atmosphere grew charged with anticipation, and it was clear that the night was about to get even more entertaining.
After engaging in lively conversation and hitting it off throughout the night, they decided it was time to take things to the next level. As the hours grew late, they all agreed to take the ladies to a nearby hotel to complete their fun.
But whether this fleeting passion would be enough to distract Edwards from the looming reality of his forced marriage was something none of them could predict.