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Chapter 522 A Web of Lies
Killian considered himself a man of principles, a connoisseur of charm, not a cad. He certainly never pursued married women.
So he promptly set his sights on Audrey instead, sidling over with what he believed to be an irresistibl smile. “So, Audrey, what do you do for a living?”
Audrey didn’t even bother looking up. She took a sip of her juice and delivered a devastatingly casual reply, “Oh, me? I’ve never worked a day in my life.”
Killian choked on his own breath. He scrambled for another angle, but his eyes inadvertently landed o the watch strapped to Sebastian’s wrist, the one man who’d barely said a word since boarding.
Under the sunlight, the watch was strikingly minimalist, crafted from a deep black ceramic, its face completely unadorned except for quietly moving hands. Killian didn’t recognize the brand, but any ma with even a passing interest in fine mechanical timepieces could sense it: that watch was staggeringly expensive.
Could this quiet one be a true heavyweight in disguise?
Killian’s demeanor shifted, his tone more measured as he turned to Sebastian. “Hey… you’ve got quite th presence. Mind if I ask where you work? That watch on your wrist must have cost a pretty penny.”
Sebastian couldn’t be bothered to give him a glance. His lips barely moved as he said flatly, “Just over twenty million.”
The air froze.
Killian’s hand, still holding his glass, hung suspended midair as disbelief washed over his face.
Colin nearly snorted his drink out of his nose. He quickly raised his glass to cover his grin, then burst int laughter and jumped in to smooth things over. “Killian, you actually believed him? Yeah, the real deal goe for over twenty mil, but this is a knockoff, just for the look, you know?”
He threw a wink at Riley for good measure. “Isn’t that right?”
Riley caught the cue instantly and played along. “Exactly. He’s just an ordinary office worker; how could he afford something like that? He just wears it for fun.”
To keep her sometimes–too–honest husband from contradicting her, Riley slipped her hand under the table and gave his palm a firm pinch.
Sebastian felt the pressure, turned his head to look at her, his eyes unreadable. After a beat, he gave a grudging, “Mm.”
At this, Killian’s doubts evaporated.
He told himself they looked decent enough, but none of them were dripping with obvious luxury brands. If they were truly important people, they’d have put him in his place already–not just sat there letting him grandstand.
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His confidence surged back.
Killian gestured grandly toward the island’s impressive silhouette in the distance, as though introducin his own backyard. “See that? This entire resort project was developed by my buddy’s company. They poured tens of billions into it, start to finish!”
For the first time, Justin, who’d remained quiet throughout, spoke up, “From what I know, this resort is mainly funded by the Harper Group in Nexopolis. So… is your friend one of the Harper heirs? Or are y related to the family yourself?”
Killian’s smile faltered for just a moment, his eyes shifting nervously. He hadn’t expected these people be so informed.
But the awkwardness passed in less than two seconds. He cleared his throat and doubled down, his tone growing even more familiar. “Of course! Raymond’s my boy! We drink together all the time. Brothers from another mother!”
Had Riley not just messaged her brother, and known for a fact that his poor stomach made him averse to alcohol, she might have almost believed him.
Killian, seeing his boasts still weren’t getting the impressed reactions he wanted, grew a little frustrated.
“Take Raymond’s sister, for example,” he said, leaning in with a conspiratorial air. “Just last week, she married into the Torres family, you know, that top–tier Nexopolis clan. The wedding banquet hasn’t even happened yet, but I got my invitation two days ago! That’s the most exclusive society wedding in the city. regular folks couldn’t dream of getting in.”
At that, Riley and Sebastian kept straight faces, but Colin couldn’t contain himself any longer.
The champagne he’d just sipped nearly sprayed across the deck as he burst out laughing. He thought the rented yacht was ridiculous enough, but now this guy was bragging to the actual couple about receiving a wedding invitation from… themselves?
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

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