Secretly Married for 4 Years, He Regrets to Tears After the Divorce-Chapter 43: You’ve Mastered the Art of Burning Bridges
Someone in the crowd let out a "Whoa," deliberately creating a suggestive atmosphere.
Removing a belt wasn’t exactly an R-rated activity, but it was the kind of thing that could easily let one’s imagination run wild.
Excitement and anticipation were written all over everyone’s faces, their attention completely fixed on Wren Sutton and Adrian Lancaster.
Everyone just assumed that Wren would, without a doubt, choose to take Adrian’s belt.
"..." Staring at the words on the card, Wren Sutton was filled with instant regret. She wished she had chosen "Truth."
Removing a man’s belt in public was just too awkward for her.
Besides, choosing anyone other than Adrian Lancaster would be inappropriate.
Even after four years of marriage, she’d never even removed Adrian’s belt at home.
Now, in front of all these people, she had no idea where to even start.
In contrast to Wren’s inner turmoil, Adrian Lancaster was completely unfazed.
"Wren, don’t be shy. It’s just a game. No one will gossip, and no one would dare breathe a word of this outside."
These words helped ease Wren’s nerves.
’That’s right. It’s just a game. It doesn’t mean I have any designs on Adrian.’
Wren let out a slow breath, set down the card, and walked over to Adrian Lancaster.
"Mr. Lancaster, I’ll need your cooperation."
To everyone else, her calling him "Mr. Lancaster" was a form of flirting in itself.
"Wow, Wren is so smooth."
"If I were Adrian, my heart would be melting right now."
Lucia didn’t say anything, a blissful, knowing smile on her face.
She was so focused that she didn’t notice Caleb Caldwell watching her, his eyes filled with an affection he couldn’t hide.
Adrian Lancaster raised an eyebrow. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back, his elegant posture tinged with a roguish air. "Cooperate with what?" he asked, his tone lazy.
’He’s just playing dumb!’
Wren suppressed her annoyance. "I don’t believe you didn’t see what’s on the card."
A faint, unreadable smile played on Adrian’s lips. "I really didn’t. Why don’t you tell me?"
Wren gritted her teeth. ’He’s doing this on purpose, just to make things difficult for me.’
’This man is the absolute worst.’
"Mrs. Lancaster, if you don’t make it clear, I won’t know how to cooperate."
The audience watched with relish as the two went back and forth—the man teasing, the woman pouting playfully.
"I’m enjoying this part more than the actual dare."
"If removing the belt is making love, then this is the foreplay."
But back to the matter at hand.
Determined to get the dare over with, Wren decided to throw caution to the wind.
’It’s just a game,’ she thought. ’I can play along.’
"I’m going to remove your belt now. Please stand up and cooperate."
Adrian: "And if I refuse, what’s your plan?"
Wren blurted out, "Then I’ll just go and take some other man’s belt."
’It’s not like he’s the only man here.’
’Choosing him was the most appropriate option, but it didn’t make him the only option.’
Lucia couldn’t take it anymore. "Adrian, that’s enough," she urged. "Do you really want my sister-in-law to go and take some other guy’s belt?"
Of course, Adrian didn’t want that.
’How could *his* woman go and remove another man’s belt?’
’It was like her nightgown—only he had the right to take it off.’
"I was just kidding. You all took it so seriously."
With that, Adrian stood up from the sofa to face Wren, an intriguing expression on his face.
"Mrs. Lancaster, I’ll cooperate."
Wren was completely overshadowed by his frame. His gaze was deep, and it seemed to hold the faint hint of a smile.
She pressed her lips together and slowly approached him, trying to think of him as nothing more than a tree.
Before you could remove the belt, you had to unbuckle it.
Although Wren had bought belts for Adrian before, she’d never actually unbuckled one. ’A man’s belt should work pretty much the same as a woman’s, right?’ she thought.
She mustered her courage and reached for the belt, her fingertips brushing against a cold black diamond on the buckle.
Whether it was the angle or her technique, she fumbled with it for what felt like an eternity but couldn’t get it undone.
"You don’t know how?" Adrian’s deep, magnetic voice sounded from above her.
Wren grumbled, "Who even designed this type of belt?"
Adrian glanced down at her pouting face and told her in three words, "Rotate the buckle."
Wren was still lost. She looked up at him pleadingly. "What does that mean?"
Seeing the innocently seductive and utterly clueless look on her face, Adrian felt his Adam’s apple bob. "I’ll teach you."
He took her hand and pressed it firmly against the buckle, his eyes, now tinged with desire, fixed on her with a deep, seductive intensity.
Wren: "..."
With a soft click, the belt came undone.
"Did you learn how?" Adrian asked.
"Yes," Wren said, lowering her head to avoid his burning gaze.
"Now pull it out... slowly."
Whether it was Adrian’s teasing tone or simply that the phrase itself was easy to misinterpret, Wren suddenly flushed beet-red.
She swore to herself she hadn’t been thinking about *that*.
"Do you need to teach me how to pull it out, too?"
"No."
Wren just wanted to get the game over with. She grabbed one end of the belt and, with a firm tug, smoothly pulled it free.
"Whoooa~"
"So sweet."
"So hot."
"..." Wren was utterly baffled.
’What part of that was sweet or hot? It was pure torture.’
"You all carry on, I’m just going to the restroom."
She turned and walked away, completely oblivious to the fact that she was still holding Adrian’s belt.
Wren’s palms were burning, and she ran them under cold water several times.
As she turned off the faucet, she caught sight of the belt lying on the counter out of the corner of her eye.
"..."
’What is wrong with me?’ Wren thought. ’How could I have brought Adrian’s belt in here?’
After drying her hands, she hesitated for a moment before picking up the belt and heading out. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Just as she rounded the corner, she ran right into Adrian Lancaster. He was standing directly in her path, as if he had been waiting for her.
’Perfect.’
Wren walked up and handed the belt to Adrian.
Adrian didn’t take it. "What’s this?"
Wren: "Giving it back."
Adrian still didn’t take it.
Wren: "You don’t want it? Then I’ll throw it away."
There was a trash can right beside them.
And she looked like she really meant it.
Adrian grabbed Wren’s wrist, yanked her back, and in one smooth motion, wrapped his other arm around her waist, pinning her gently against the wall.
"You bought this for me."
Wren didn’t seem to care. Her tone was cold. "Exactly. So I have the right to dispose of it. Since you don’t want it, I’ll just throw it out."
Adrian let out an exasperated laugh. "You’ve really perfected the art of ’use it and lose it,’ haven’t you?"
Wren couldn’t be bothered to argue. "Say whatever you want. Just let go and let me go back."
"Haven’t you had enough fun yet?" Adrian’s tone became a little dangerous.
Wren: "The night’s still young. If you’re in a hurry, you can leave first."
Adrian’s face tightened. He swept her up into his arms. "If you want to play, we can play at home."
Wren struggled, displeased. "I don’t want to go back right now! Put me down!"
Adrian ignored her, carrying her out of The Seagate Villa.
Wren was forced into Adrian’s car, her entire body trembling with rage.
"It’s Lucia’s birthday today! Even if we had to leave, you could have at least let me say goodbye to her. What kind of way is this to leave, just sneaking off?"
Adrian had already taken care of it. "Lucia knows I’m taking you with me."
Wren was still furious and refused to speak.
It wasn’t until she realized they were going in the wrong direction that she spoke up, reminding the driver, "You’ve made a wrong turn. This isn’t the way to my home."
The driver only went where Adrian instructed him to go; he would never dare to make such a decision on his own.
Adrian’s expression was cold and aloof.
Wren sensed something was wrong. "It’s so late. Where are you taking me? I want to go home."
Adrian’s tone was low. "We are going home."
It suddenly dawned on Wren.
The "home" Adrian was talking about was their marital villa, not the Sutton family estate.
