The Devil's Harem

Chapter - 54

"Are you all coming or not?" Karen looked back as she reached the entrance of the restaurant. Hearing her, all of them came to their senses from the shock and hurriedly followed her inside.

Springville was a restaurant as well as a club. Just as they walked through the gate, there were stairs going down to the club while the other stairs led to the upper floors were for dining.

Alex saw men and women dressed in accessories worth thousands of dollars climb up the stairs as they stumbled upon each other. It was a good thing that there were bouncers not allowing those coming out of the club to use the main entrance, otherwise, it would have been a mess in there. Alex followed the ladies as they walked through the corridor leading to the stairs going upstairs. The dining area also had two floors. The first floor was suitable to dine when you are in a small group, with your family or friends. While the second floor was much more fitting for department dinners when you are in a group or having a meeting over a meal.

Alex and the group followed Karen to the second floor directly. Karen walked to the reception on the second floor, and after giving the details of the reservation, they were led to a room almost at the end of the corridor. The outline of the second floor was simple. There were numerous large rooms, and each room had a large table surrounded by chairs or sofas, whichever you prefer, along with Karaoke and some other games.

The inside of the room was glittering with lights while a piece of soft music played in the background. The atmosphere of the room was very amiable.

As all of them got themselves seated on the sofas and the chairs around the table, Karen picked up the tablet from her side and gave it to Amber.

"Since this celebration is to officially welcome the two of you to our department. I think it would be best if you guys were to decide on the menu," Karen said as she looked at Alex as well.

Nodding, Alex got up from his place and walked up to Amber. He sat beside her, and the two of them looked through the menu, deciding upon the dishes they wanted to be served, only to be rejected by the others.

It went on for a while before, in the end, they ended up ordering dishes chosen by everyone else but Alex and Nicole. Since the ladies were the regulars of this restaurant, they knew about the food very well.

"While we are at it, why don't we all play that game?" Ellaine suggested.

"That game?" Jennifer asked.

"She is obviously talking about truth and dare. There is nothing else you can play in this situation. You have been to so many department dinners with us. How can you still be confused?" Hazel looked at Jennifer in disbelief.

"How am I supposed to know what goes in that devilish brain of hers? Everyone here must remember what happened last time, don't you? For God's sake, both of you made us play hide and seek in this very room," Jennifer said and looked towards Alex and Amber, "Can you guys believe it?"

"Now... now... that's all in the past," Ellaine said as she tried to put a lid on Jennifer's claim, "But I have to say, Hazel is the only one who understands me here. Why can't everyone be as smart as us?" Ellaine said, praising herself and Hazel.

"So you mean I am also dumb?" A voice was heard suddenly, silencing everyone there. Ellaine was left stunned for a while. How could she forget that Karen was also there? Well, she was going to foot the bill, so she had to be with them.

"Ho... How can I say that, chief? I wouldn't even think like that, even if I had the guts of a sperm whale," Ellaine looked towards Karen and stammered.

"Sperm whale? Now that' something huge," Karen nodded, content with her answer.

"Yeah, that's what I am always saying to myself,"

"Don't be so afraid. I am only joking with you," Karen said. But her face expressed otherwise.

"Huh... Ha...ha...ha...hahaha" Listening to Karen, Ellaine let out an awkward laugh.

But no one else laughed. Other than the awkward laugh of Ellaine's, everyone else was silent, trying to look anywhere else but Karen. Looking at them, Karen also felt that she was being a party-pooper, ruining everyone else's fun night.

"Are you all going to play or not?" Karen asked, trying to get back the fun vibes from a minute ago.
"Ahh... yes," They got out of their stupor hearing her. This was not the first or second time they felt this gloomy aura from Karen. She has been acting this way soon after Alex.

All of them looked around to find themselves a bottle to spin, but they could not. Just when they had decided to go in turns, the door was knocked.

Soon waiters walked in with their drinks. Now the issue of finding the bottle was resolved. All they had to do was have a couple of shots each, and they will have their bottle. Ellaine filled up the glasses with alcohol one by one, and throwing a couple of cubes in one, she extended the drink towards Karen. Karen, on the other hand, had some other thoughts. Instead of taking the glass from Ellains, when she saw that everyone had a glass in their hand, grabbed the bottle and chugged down its content in one go.

Everyone stopped as they stared as Karen, in large gulps, emptied the bottle in one go, "Umm...Aahhh. That hit the spot," Karen said as the last of the drop flowed down her throat, "Here, take this," Karen handed over the bottle to Ellaine for them to start playing truth and dare.

"Go on, take it," Karen urged.

"Yeah,"

And with that, the game of Truth and Dare started off. Everyone took their seats around the table. Alex was in between Karen and Jennifer, followed by Amber. On the other side of Karen was Hazel, Ellaine and a few others. Ellaine placed a total of four sets of cards on the table. Two of them read, 'On the rocks, Casual' while the other two read, 'Let’s get hanky-panky, Adults'

Ellaine first pushed the 'On the rocks, Casual' Truth and Dare cards in front of everyone. These cards were more suited while playing Truth and Dare with your family or company dinners. The rules were simple, the bottle was to be spun, and the one it would end up pointing to will pick up a card from either the Truth or the Dare pack. But here's the catch you can't skip the task and ask for a shot instead. Whatever you end up getting, you have to do it.

Ellaine was the one responsible for spinning the bottle.

"And here goes the first spin," Ellaine said and sent the bottle spinning. The bottle spun for a while before stopping in front of the new addition to the PR department, Amber. Everyone clapped and cheered as soon as the bottle stopped in front of Amber.

Amber was not at all nervous, and without much hesitation, picked up a dare card from the pack in front of her.

"Take someone's socks off and wear them as gloves for three minutes," Amber read out the task out loud.

Everyone laughed as they heard Amber. Many were regretting wearing heels instead of shoes. Only Jennifer and Alex had their socks on. Though many asked Jennifer to be the one to give her socks, Jennifer refused right away. With Jennifer's denial, everyone turned towards Alex.

"This is not right, is it?" Alex was reluctant to go through with this dare.

"Do it," but before anyone could try and persuade Alex, Karen spoke, delivering the verdict.

Alex looked at Karen, but the latter ignoring everyone, continued to sip on the glass of alcohol she had poured for herself.

Reluctant yet obedient, Alex removed his shoes and pulled out his socks. He was afraid of the smell as he handed him over to Amber but lucky for him, they were washed the other day. Amber took them from him, and without wasting much time, wore them in her hands.

The game continued, and this time it was Jennifer's turn to pull out a card. Maybe vary after seeing Amber, Jennifer opted to go for the truth cards.

"Have you ever called in sick when you really weren't?" Jennifer read it out loud, "I haven't," Jennifer replied right away.

"What more can we expect from you? Such a stickler?" Ellaine said, making fun of Jennifer only to get smacked by the latter.

"Well, here we go," Ellaine said as she spun the bottle once again.

"Bring out the other cards," Karen interrupted them again.

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