From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 66: A Bar Confrontation

"Damn!" Lydia got so hyped that she gave Riley a smack on the shoulder. "I knew it! Look at you, finally doing something right. I don't give a damn about whatever secret thing you two have going on. I'm just gonna say this—I'm a hundred percent behind you going for it with him! His looks, his build, his whole aura, everything about him is a million times better than that jerk Lucas."

Seeing her bestie even more stoked than she was, Riley didn't know whether to bust out laughing or cry.

An hour later, the movers had placed all the furniture exactly where Riley wanted it. They took their payment and left.

The once-empty apartment finally had that warm, homey feel.

To show her appreciation to Lydia for helping out that day, Riley offered to take her out for a bite.

Out of courtesy, she also shot a text to Sebastian next door, asking if he wanted to tag along.

Sebastian replied right away with just two words. "No thanks.

"Someone's bringing food over."

Riley and Lydia found a cute little diner near their place. After they finished their meal, it was pitch-black outside.

Lydia gazed out of the window at the bright neon lights and suddenly piped up, "Come on, let's hit a bar."

Riley shot her down right away. "I can't. I'm still not fully back on my feet. I can't drink."

"Who said you had to drink?" Lydia slung an arm around her shoulder and cajoled her. "You can sip on your water, and I'll have my little fruity cocktail. It's all good. This is your first day out of that Ashford family nightmare, we gotta celebrate!"

Seeing how pumped Lydia was and thinking that she really hadn't let loose in ages, Riley nodded and agreed.

They hopped in a cab and headed to a newly opened lounge bar near the university district.

This place was far from the posh downtown area where all the rich and famous hung out and the gossip flew. The people coming and going were all lively young students. The atmosphere was laid-back and fun.

Riley really dug this vibe. She didn't have to worry about running into anyone from Lucas' social circle.

They found a booth and plopped down. Sure enough, Lydia only ordered a glass of lemon water for Riley.

She held her fruity cocktail and looked around at all the young, fresh-faced kids, then let out a sigh, "It feels like the air just got a whole lot sweeter. I feel like I've knocked a few years off my age, too."

Riley chuckled at her. She was about to say something when her phone screen lit up.

It was a text from Sebastian. "When are you coming back? Forgot to give your keys back."

Riley glanced around at the lively crowd, then checked the time, and replied, "Might be a while. I'm at a bar."

She hesitated for a second, her fingers tapping on the screen, and then half-jokingly sent another text. "I'm near the university district. Wanna come and hang?"

After she sent it, there was no response for ages.

Riley waited for a bit, looked at the dark phone screen, and figured that Sebastian probably wouldn't be into this kind of noisy place anyway.

She gave herself a little smile, put her phone aside, and didn't think about it anymore.

The server soon brought their drinks.

Lydia stirred the ice in her glass with a straw, looked at Riley sipping her water calmly across from her, and asked, "So those Ashfords kicked you out with some lame excuse about bad vibes in the house, just to make room for Sophia. Are you really just gonna let it go?"

Riley picked up her warm glass, raised an eyebrow sarcastically, and curled her lips into a cold smirk. "Hell no."

She said slowly, "I'm not that much of a pushover. I've already got someone looking into who's pulling the strings behind all this."

Deep down, she was a firm believer in science.

Hearing that, Lydia finally relaxed. Then she started ranting angrily. "That Sophia really knows how to get under people's skin. She knows those old Ashfords are superstitious as hell, so she plays right to their weaknesses. She's a real piece of work."

Riley just held her glass, her eyes deep in thought, and said something cryptic, "Only people with something to hide are afraid of the unknown."

As they were chatting, Lydia's phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the caller ID and frowned a bit. It was her family calling.

She made a "hold on" gesture to Riley, got up, and quickly walked outside to the quieter part of the bar to take the call.

Riley was left alone in the booth.

She watched the young guys and girls going wild on the dance floor, feeling bored out of her mind.

Just then, a good-looking dude in a cool hoodie walked over with a big smile and invited her, "Hey, lady, you here by yourself? Wanna come hang with us?"

Riley looked up at him and politely declined. "No thanks, I'm waiting for my friend."

The guy seemed taken aback by the direct rejection. He stood there for a second, stunned.

Then from over by his friends, a bunch of teasing and laughter erupted. Someone shouted, "I told you! Stop bragging!"

Riley then realized she had just become the target of some Truth or Dare game.

The guy, embarrassed by his friends' teasing, walked back looking dejected.