bI /bpaused in my bsteps/bb, /bnot answering.

But Ferris suddenly pulled me forcefully into his bembrace/bb, /bmurmuring in a low bvoice/bb: /bb“/bDon’t go… don’t leave me tonight…”

His scent bpressed /bdown the moment he drew near, mixed with alcoholb, /bblike /bfamiliar yet burning fog enveloping me.

That was his unique bscent /bof ck amber and btobo/b, bonce /bmy source bof /bsecurity upon waking and sleeping each day, but now bit /bonly made my chest feel stuffy

He held me tightly–I couldn’t push him away at all.

He pressed very close, his chin lightly resting on the top of my head, his voice hoarse: “bYou’ve /bbeen so distant… are you going to abandon me?”

bMy /beyshes trembled slightly. Even knowing he was drunk and his words couldn’t be trusted, I still softened an inch in that instant.

I had clearly told myself to let go, but hearing the tone in which he called my name still cut into my heart like a knife.

At that moment, a familiar female voice rang out nearby.

b“/bFerrisb!/bb” /b

I frozeb, /blifting my eyes to see Ashley pushing open the private room door, walking quickly over in high heels.

She wore a silver short dress with perfect makeup, but her expression clearly showed panic.

Ethan’s face looked somewhat unpleasant: “Why are you here?”

ra looked at him innocently: “I called her… I saw Alpha Ferris was heavily drunk. Isn’t she his girlfriend?”

The air seemed to hit pause suddenly, falling silent for an instant.

Ferris’s hand on my shoulder tightened slightly, then let go.

Ashley’s gaze fell between us. Her expression stiffened first, then showed an unnatural smile.

‘bI/bb… /bI was afraid something would happen to him, so I rushed over.”

Her voice was softb, /bcarrying deliberately suppressed grievance.

seeing the atmosphere bing increasingly awkward, ra quickly tried to smooth things over:

Since everyone’s here, let’s all hang out for a while before leaving.”

The ambiguous atmosphere stirred up by alcohol and pheromones instantly cooled.

Ferris seemed to suddenlye to his senses, his hand loosening and sliding from my shoulder.

bHe /blooked down at me, his eyes slightly dark, then said nothing and slowly stepped away.

Ashley forced a smile, handing her gift to ra: “Happy birthday, this is for you.”

ra took it and discovered the gift bag was identical to the one I had just given.

She opened the gift box inside the bag in surprise: “Wow, I’ve loved this scarf for so long, thank you Ashley.”

My gaze paused–I noticed this scarf was the same style as the one I had given.

bra /bopened the gift bag 1 had given her: “Wow! Aurora, you also bgave /bme this scarf!”

“I must be fake,”

The girl who had been lying on Ferris earlier made this conclusion without even looking.

“This scarf costs over a hundred thousand. She’s just a doctor–how much can she make in a month? How could she possibly afford to buy such an expensive bgift/b?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the private room fell into brief silence.

All eyes turned to me–from surprise and confusion to gradually bing subtle and scrutinizing.

Someone tried to ease the atmosphere, forcing a smile: “Aurora is our Luna. Maybe Alpha gave it to her and she brought it on his behalf-”

Before he could finish, Ferris coldly interrupted him.

“Aurora.” His tone was suppressed as if he were restraining something. “If you run out of money, just tell me. And gifts… I can help you prepare them.”

He spoke vaguely, stopping at: “Just don’t…”

Don’t hand out fake ones, it’s embarrassing.

He ultimately didn’t say it aloud, but the air was already filled with a nearly humiliating silence–everyone understood.

This wasn’t a gift from Ferris.

And I, an ordinary physician, what right did I have to give a scarf of this caliber?

I looked at him, the corners of my lips slightly raised, but my voice carried ice:

“Ferris, do you also think mine’s a fake?”