A Perfect Lie Hides Behind My Billionaire Marriage (reese and hudson)

Reese was about to respond when she saw Lukas stepping out of the car, his expression icy. He walked directly

into the villa without acknowledging either her or James.

Suddenly, Reese recalled the morning call from Lukas, asking her to attend a gathering that Elias had arranged.

She hadn't realized that the "drinking game" Lukas mentioned was the sparty Cole was talking about. She

had turned down Lukas, but here she was with Cole. The situation felt awkward.

Reese considered whether she should find a chance to explain things to Lukas privately. Just then, James

quipped, "I never expected Lukas to be here too. Small world, huh? It's like we're neighbors at a police station."

Reese paid little attention to his teasing and said, "Mr. King, if there's nothing else, I'll head inside."

James smirked. "No rush. Let's chat a bit more. Lukas's perennially grim face can be quite contagious. You might

catch it if you go in."

Reese felt a bit exasperated. "There are other people at the party."

James, seeing her reluctance, deflated his playful tone. "All right, fine. | won't keep you here. But my brother's

advice is for your own good. Try to keep your distance from Lukas."

Reese had heard James express this sentiment before. However, her relationship with Lukas was a delicate

balance that she had to navigate.

She nodded, and James waved as he turned toward the next villa.

The party venue was spacious, particularly the living room which could accommodate many people. The place

often hosted parties for the wealthier second-generation individuals, a fact Lukas had not anticipated when

choosing it for the gathering.

Upon entering, he observed the living room in disarray with celebrities, social media influencers, and wealthy

youngsters mingling together, creating quite a chaotic scene.

Lukas stood at one corner, spotting Elias having fun with a young influencer. He went over and pulled Elias away

from the commotion, guiding him to a sofa near the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"What's going on? Is this the private party you mentioned?" Lukas's forehead seemed ready to burst, his anger

barely restrained.

The incident with Reese had already soured his mood, and he certainly hadn't anticipated Elias causing such a

mess.

Elias seemed nonchalant. "I did say | wanted to celebrate, didn't I? Besides, you rarely suggest getting together,

so | thought of spicing things up. | even brought along a bunch of people to liven up the atmosphere."

Lukas massaged his temples, visibly frustrated.

Elias's casual demeanor only worsened Lukas's irritation. "A party doesn't have to be chaotic to be lively. Aren't

you at all concerned?"

Elias replied, "Why wouldn't | be happy about that atmosphere?"

Lukas glared at him coldly. "Do you think | can be happy with this pandemonium?"

Elias shrugged helplessly. "All right, I'll clear the place out."

Lukas didn't want to continue this argument, especially with Reese still outside talking to James. The annoyance

in his expression deepened. "Get out of my sight and stop bothering me."

Elias shook his head, finding his brother's mood inscrutable, and proceeded to rejoin his flirtatious interaction

with the influencer.

However, as he took a couple of steps, he spotted Ava conversing with Cole in a corner.

The number of attendees had increased unexpectedly, and Elias was surprised to see Ava at the event. He

straightened his posture, planning to greet her.

Just as he was approaching Ava, he was interrupted by the sinfluencer he had been talking to earlier. She

grabbed Elias's arm and leaned in closely. Her voice was soft and coquettish, "Mr. Schmidt, you promised to

cback. Why did you suddenly ignore me?"

Ava's gaze happened to turn in their direction.

Instinctively, Elias pulled his arm away from the woman, his expression righteous. He raised his voice a few

decibels, addressing her sternly, "Showsrespect."

The influencer was taken aback. Everyone knew Elias was a playboy, but this was a side of him she had never

seen. She stared at him with watery eyes, reaching

out to grasp his sleeve, "Elias, did | do something wrong?"

Elias quickly moved out of the way. When he saw Ava looking at him with indifference and then looking away, he

felt like he wanted to annoy this online

user.

He was doing these actions almost unconsciously, not really understanding why he was acting this way.

After easily ignoring the online user, he smiled and was about to go find Ava. But he overheard Ava saying to

Cole, "Director, it's a bit stuffy in the villa. Let's go outside to get sfresh air and also check if Jin Xie is done

chatting."

Cole agreed, and they both headed outside, leaving Elias feeling left behind. Despite spending years surrounded

by attractive ladies, Elias had never felt like this before. He felt uneasy and uncomfortable, which surprised him.

He pressed his lips together, pushed away those unhappy thoughts, and turned to find someone else to interact

with.

The online influencer, who was forgetful at times, saw Elias coming toward them and awkwardly tried to get his

attention.

Reese joined Ava and Cole outside the villa, and the three of them entered together.

Inside, she recognized a few faces, mostly intecelebrities and similar figures.

She frowned, not understanding the purpose of this gathering. When Lukas mentioned it in the morning, she

thought it was just a casual get-together.

Reese's expression turned serious. She didn't like this kind of atmosphere. Scanning the hall, she spotted Lukas.

He was seated on a sofa by the window, his demeanor cold, and he looked like he wanted to keep his distance

from everyone. Despite that, there was something irresistibly attractive about him.

He sat there, a mix of nobility and aloofness, emitting an aura that kept people away, yet strangely drew them

in.

Reese considered whether to explain why she didn't cto the party in the morning and planned to clater.

She didn't want Lukas to think she was unreliable.

But just as she took a step forward, she saw a familiar celebrity approaching and taking a seat beside Lukas.

At that moment, Lukas looked up and met Reese's gaze in the air.