Mom's voice cut through the remaining tension from the stairs like a knife through butter.
"What is happening down here?"
She descended the last few steps with that calm authority she always carried, even when the house was falling apart. Her red qipao shifted with each movement, the high slits parting to reveal long, milky thighs.
The diamond cutout at her chest framed the deep valley between her large breasts, the silk clinging so tightly that every breath made her breasts rise and fall noticeably, threatening to spill over the edge. The crisscross strings on the sides pulled taut against her skin, accentuating her impossibly narrow waist and the generous flare of her hips.
She looked around the room with sharp eyes, taking in the shattered glass, the spilled drink pooling on the carpet, Bella's flushed face, Ethan's smirk, and the rest of us frozen like we'd been caught doing something wrong.
"I went upstairs for literally five minutes to check on the baby." she said, voice rising just enough. "and when I come back you're all turning my living room into a battlefield? Really?"
Bella opened her mouth to snap back, but Mom raised a single hand, silencing her without even looking at her.
Max stepped forward quickly, hands up in that easy, disarming way he had. "It's nothing, Mrs Elena. There was just a little misunderstanding. It's already handled."
Bella's eyes flashed with fresh anger, flames practically dancing behind them. She was still flushed deep red from the neck up, the strapless blue mini dress clinging to her sweat-damp skin, cleavage heaving with every sharp breath.
She looked ready to lunge again, but Lara's arm stayed wrapped around her waist, holding her back.
Mom's gaze flicked from Bella to Ethan, then to the broken glass, then back to Max. "A misunderstanding that broke glasses?"
Max winced. "Yeah… about that. We'll clean it up. Promise."
Mom sighed, long and tired, but the corner of her mouth twitched like she was fighting a smile. "You kids are going to give me gray hair."
She walked the rest of the way down, hips swaying naturally, the qipao slits flashing more thigh with each step. Ethan's eyes followed her—shameless, lingering on the deep cleavage framed by the diamond cutout, then dropping to the way the silk hugged her round ass.
I saw him lick his lips once, quick and instinctive, before looking away. I just ignored it. Any guy would have the same reaction watching her move like that. I'd grown up seeing men stare at Mom and my sisters whenever we went out in public.
It used to make me angry when I was younger. Now, It just made me tired. They could look however much they but they couldn't touch.
Max clapped once, loud and bright, pulling everyone's attention back. "Look, party's not dead yet. We were just about to play a game to smooth things over."
Mom raised an eyebrow, curious now. "What kind of game?"
Max grinned wide. "Something fun. The more the merrier. You want to join Mrs Elena?"
Mom considered it for half a second, then shrugged. "If it's fun, sure. I haven't played a proper party game in years."
Bella crossed her arms under her chest, pushing her breasts up higher in the strapless top. The movement made them jiggle noticeably, the fabric straining. "Are you going to tell us what it is today, or are we just gonna sit here?"
Max reached into his pocket and pulled out a small rectangular box. Ethan's eyes lit up instantly. "You brought cards?"
Bella rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might fall out. "That's your big fun idea? Cards? Lame."
She stood up abruptly, tits bouncing in the tight dress as she straightened. Lara's hand stayed linked with hers, fingers intertwined. "Have fun with your boring card game. I'm leaving."
Max held up the box, swaying it back and forth like bait. "Hold on. These are normal cards, yeah—but the game isn't. We're playing Kings game."
The name alone made the room shift. I felt a spark of curiosity as I never heard of it, but the way everyone reacted told me I was the only one. Ethan smirked wider. Lara's eyes flicked to Bella, hopeful. Even Mom tilted her head, interested.
Bella paused, still standing. "Kings? Like… the drinking game?"
Max nodded. "Our version's a little different. Trust me—it's way more fun than regular cards."
Lara tugged Bella's hand gently. "Come on… sounds fun. Just a few rounds?"
Bella looked down at Lara, saw the curiosity in her eyes, and sighed dramatically. "Fine. But if it's boring, I'm out."
Mom laughed softly. "Alright, I'm in too. It's been forever since I played anything like this."
The front door opened quietly, just a soft click and a rush of cold night air. Chloe peeked in first, poking her head through the gap like she was double-checking she had the right house. Her eyes scanned the living room quickly, probably making sure the party hadn't ended or moved somewhere else then she slipped inside and closed the door behind her with the same careful softness.
She'd changed out of her dress. Now she wore her regular night clothes, a loose, long-sleeved shirt and matching pants in soft pink fabric that looked fluffy and comfortable. The shirt hung oversized on her frame, the neckline dipping low enough to show the smooth, gentle upper curve of her breasts. The pants clung lightly to her hips and thighs when she walked, outlining the plush shape of her legs, but the fluffy fabric made everything look cozy and innocent at the same time.
She bounced up to me with that small, excited step she sometimes did when she was happy to see someone. Max glanced over for half a second, mid-sentence.
"You came at the right time," he said with a grin, then turned back to the group to keep explaining the rules.
Chloe stepped right up beside me, close enough that her arm brushed mine. She reached down and grabbed my hand without hesitation, lacing our fingers together. Her palm was warm, soft, relaxing. She smiled up at me, eyes bright even in the dimmed party lights, and squeezed gently.
While Max went on about how the game worked, I leaned closer so only she could hear. "Where did you go?"
"I just went to check on Mom," she whispered back. "She was totally flat-out drunk. She was passed out on the couch in the living room, she didn't even make it to her bedroom."
I blinked, surprised hearing it. Mom had been drinking with Chloe's mom earlier, but she hadn't seemed drunk at all. She'd been walking around fine, organizing people, laughing, keeping everything under control. It was kind of impressive, honestly. A small, proud smile tugged at the corner of my mouth before I could stop it. Mom always held her liquor like it was nothing. I didn't get that tolerance from her.
To be continued...
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