Chapter 1563

“That would be me,” Lucas said casually, raising his card with a nonchalant smile.

Bethany groaned theatrically. “Ugh! Why is it you two? This is so boring.”

After a pause, she added, “You can start—one-minute kiss.”

Without missing a beat, Lucas slid an arm around Belinda’s waist, drawing her effortlessly against him. His other hand rose gently to cradle her cheek, and he kissed her.

The sight of them—so striking together, their chemistry undeniable—held the room in momentary awe.

Nearby, Faye’s pupils suddenly contracted. Her breathing quickened, uneven and shallow. Her hand clenched tightly on her lap, nails digging into her palm, but she seemed unaware of the pain. Still, her gaze remained fixed on Belinda and Lucas; she was unwilling to tear her eyes away.

The kiss lingered until Bethany finally broke the silence. “Okay, time’s up, lovebirds!”

Only then did Belinda and Lucas end the kiss. Lucas tenderly wiped the corner of Belinda’s lips, his gaze warm and affectionate, his smile soft.

Bethany rolled her eyes, half-amused, half-exasperated. “Seriously, could you two tone it down for the sake of us poor singles?”

Belinda laughed, glancing playfully at her. “Let’s keep going.”

As she spoke, she shot Bethany a meaningful wink.

Bethany instantly caught on, raising an eyebrow knowingly. “Alright, alright. Let’s move on to the next round.” And so, the next round began.

As the new cards were drawn, Belinda looked at hers and then raised it with a smirk. “Joker.”

She tapped her lips thoughtfully before speaking. “The Three of Hearts and the Five of Hearts must gaze into each other’s eyes. Then, the Three of Hearts should caress the other’s face and confess their feelings for the Five of Hearts.”

She paused, then added with a sly smile, “The confession is up to them, but it needs to be convincing enough to win our approval.”

“Seriously? That’s brutal! Luckily, I’m off the hook this round,” Bethany said with a smile.

“Quick—who are the Three and Five of Hearts?” Belinda asked.

“I’m the Five of Hearts,” said Catherine, raising her card.

All eyes turned to her.

“And the Three of Hearts?” Bethany looked around.

Vincent chuckled. “Not me.”

“It’s me,” Johnson said, flipping his card to show it.

“Ooh, this is going to be good,” Bethany grinned, clapping her hands in delight.

As Catherine and Johnson were already seated side by side, there was no need to move. Johnson turned to face Catherine. “Shall we?”

For reasons she couldn’t explain, Catherine’s heart gave a sudden flutter.

She pursed her lips, turning slowly toward him.

As their eyes locked, Catherine began to feel nervous.

The room fell into silence at that moment.

Without looking away, Johnson slowly lifted his hand, his fingers brushing softly against Catherine’s cheek…