3

Carissa's POV 

My small call made the man, who was standing tall while looking at his friends, lower his gaze and stare straight into my dark eyes.  

“Long time no see, Carissa,” Dylan said in a deep voice.

Hearing Dylan's reply, my mind suddenly became chaotic.  

Didn’t Raihan say this friend wasn’t invited?!  

Then why was Dylan here now?  

Did Raihan lie to me!?

As a series of questions spun in my mind, I heard someone shout, “Dylan!”  

I turned and saw Raihan rushing down from the stage to greet his close friend. A warm hug was given by my brother to Dylan.  

“Why didn’t you let me know you were coming?! I thought you were still abroad, Dylan!”  

Hearing Raihan's words and his surprised reaction, I thought, ‘So, my brother really doesn’t know about Dylan's return?’ I glanced back at my brother’s close friend. ‘Then how did he end up here now?!’  

“The opportunity to reunite with you all shouldn’t be missed,” Dylan replied after Raihan’s brief embrace before releasing him. “Besides, I have some matters to settle.”  

Just as he said that, Dylan’s gaze suddenly shifted to me.  

I was stunned and immediately looked away. My heart screamed, ‘Could it be that Dylan is going to bring up that night?’  

Worried that Dylan would mention what happened a few nights ago, I decided I needed to leave immediately.

However, before I could find an escape route, Raihan and Dylan's high school friends surrounded us. My exit was blocked!

“Wow, Dylan! You’ve become a big boss now!” one of them exclaimed, clapping him on the back.

“Becoming more successful is great, but don’t forget to find a wife, okay?” another chimed in, winking playfully.

“Oh! That’s right! When will we receive an invitation, Dylan?!” someone else added, laughter rippling through the group.

I stood there, feeling like a deer caught in headlights, my heart pounding as the attention shifted entirely to him. Dylan handled the teasing with ease, flashing his trademark smile and replying with charm. I couldn’t help but feel overshadowed by his presence, the memories of our past swirling in my mind.

The teasing from his old friends didn’t seem to offend Dylan at all; he merely flashed his almost invisible signature smile and looked at Raihan.  

“Aren’t these questions better directed at you?” Dylan asked, expertly shifting the topic back to the host.  

 Raihan rolled his eyes lazily. “Forget it… after breaking up with my last girlfriend, I want to take a break from love problems,” my brother said, referring to his ex.

That reaction made everyone look at Raihan with pity, while some purposely teased, “Ouch, poor Raihan. Do you need us to find you another match?”

“No, thank you,” Raihan firmly declined, then turned to Dylan with a knowing smile. “Instead of me, find a match for Dylan! He needs it more!”

Laughter erupted around us, and I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. Dylan chuckled, but I noticed a flicker of something in his eyes—was it annoyance or amusement? I couldn’t tell.

“Yeah, Dylan, when are you going to settle down?” another friend added, egging them on.

I stood silently, feeling trapped in this lively banter. The attention was back on Dylan, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of being an outsider in my own life. As they joked and laughed, I wondered if I could ever navigate this evening without feeling completely overwhelmed.

While the peers joked about potential partners, I couldn’t stop watching Dylan warily. In my mind, I kept wondering if Dylan remembered what happened that night. If he did, I had to commend his calm nature, which had never changed. So far, there was not a hint that Dylan had any issues with me! However, there was one more possibility: Dylan might have been too drunk to remember who the woman was that he spent the night with. Imagining how easily he could forget what happened between us made my chest feel a bit tight.

While I was busy with my thoughts, one of Raihan's friends caught sight of Dylan. Suddenly, a comment was heard. “Hey! If Dylan doesn't need to be set up with anyone, then there's me!” 

The remark jolted me out of my daydream. Why was this conversation turning toward me? Seeing my troubled expression, Raihan's eyes lit up with an idea. “That's true. Old flames reigniting, right?”

The burly man immediately wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to face Dylan directly.  

“So, Dylan? You remember me, right? Just take a good look. My sister has grown up and is beautiful; does she meet your criteria for a wife?” Raihan asked cheerfully.  

My face instantly soured at my brother's words.  

Usually, Raihan would belittle me, so why was he promoting me now? I didn't need that!  

“Let go, Raihan!” I struggled, but Raihan's strength as a former professional boxer left me powerless.  

“Criteria for being my wife?” Dylan repeated in a deep voice, making me freeze as I looked at him with worried eyes. “It seems more appropriate to ask me: Am I still on your list of potential husbands?”  

Dylan's words made everyone gasp.  

“Oh my God, you’ve been proposed to!”  

“Quick, accept it!”  

Hearing his friends' comments, Raihan chuckled, looking at me with an amused expression. “If you keep quiet, I’ll take it as your acceptance of Dylan’s proposal! That way, we can—”

SLAP!  

The sound of my hand striking Raihan's arm shocked everyone, as they realized I had just forcefully pushed him away from my shoulder.  

With a cold expression, I said, “I’m sure you all have plenty to talk about besides me, so I’ll excuse myself to serve the other guests. Excuse me.”  

After saying this, without looking back at Dylan or Raihan, I turned and quickly walked away.  

A female friend of Raihan's, feeling a bit guilty seeing me leave like that, hurriedly asked, “She’s not mad, right, Raihan? Was our joke too much?”