Called Off the Wedding, Left Him Bankrupt novel Chapter 81

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Zachary threw Benedict a celebratory dinner, gathering a group of old friends—mostly the kind you wouldn't want your mother to know about.

By the time Benedict arrived, the drinks were already flowing.

Spotting him walk in alone, someone called out, "Where's your wife?"

Benedict's expression darkened, impatience flickering in his eyes. "She's not coming."

Zachary stepped forward with a grin, trying to smooth things over. "Hold on, which wife are you asking about?"

Everyone burst out laughing.

Zachary kept the jokes going. "The first wife's never had much use for us. No way she'd show up to something like this—she'd just glare at us all night and kill the mood. But if the new one came, that'd be a whole different story."

Benedict shot him a warning look, anger simmering behind his eyes. "That's enough."

Zachary made a show of slapping his own mouth. "My bad, my bad. I'll take three shots as punishment."

He kept talking anyway. "But seriously, I'm not wrong. The first wife's got a temper like a thunderstorm. Only you could put up with her, Benedict."

Benedict's face iced over. "Keep talking about her like that and don't be surprised if I stop calling you a friend."

Zachary fell silent, lips pressed in a sulky line.

Benedict ignored him and walked over to take his seat. The rest of the guys quickly gathered around, raising their glasses and offering the kind of praise that comes easy with enough alcohol.

Benedict drank it in—both the flattery and the whiskey.

After a few rounds, he leaned back, voice low. "This might be the last time I get to hang out with you all for a while."

Everyone understood. Life moves on.

Zachary, still nursing his bruised ego, sat at the edge of the table, sullenly sipping his drink. He couldn't help himself, bitterness slipping into his voice. "Benedict, is this because your wife doesn't let you hang out with us anymore?"

Benedict didn't answer. That was certainly part of it.