Winning His Hearts

Winning His Hearts

Chapter 1

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At the bar, the atmosphere was lively, filled with the hum of chatter and laughter. The dim lighting and the soft clink of glasses added to the charm of the night. I was halfway through my drink when a lively, unfamiliar voice cut through the noise.

“Hey, Cal! Let’s play a game, shall we?” an unknown woman said, her tone brimming with excitement.

I turned my head, raising an eyebrow at her. “Vera? What game this time?” My voice carried a mix of confusion and curiosity as I swirled the drink in my glass.

“Let’s play Winning His Heart!” Vera announced, practically bouncing in place. Her enthusiasm was hard to ignore.

I shot a sceptical glance at my best friend sitting next to me. “Jasmine, be honest. Does this game sound like trouble?”

Jasmine took a measured sip from her glass, then shrugged with a playful smirk. “Trouble’s what makes it fun. I’m in.”

I sighed, shaking my head, before looking at the rest of the group. Julane, our friend since high school, looked intrigued, her lips curling into a small smile. Brynne and Gabrielle, who had been steadily downing their drinks, exchanged amused glances but nodded along. The collective agreement was clear—everyone was game.

“Alright!” Vera clapped her hands together, thrilled by the unanimous participation. “I’ll be the host for this round, so listen carefully. Here are the rules:

Rule one: Everyone picks someone they’re interested in—whether it’s someone here at the bar, a colleague, or whoever comes to mind.

Rule two: Over the next week, you have to try and win their heart, without directly confessing. Subtlety is key, folks.

Rule three: If anyone makes their interest too obvious or gets caught, they’re out of the game.

Rule four: Whoever makes the most progress or secures a proper date wins.”

The group erupted in a mix of cheers and laughter, though I couldn’t help but feel the weight of Vera’s words. “This game sounds ridiculous,” I muttered, though my lips curled into an amused grin.

“You scared, Cal?” Vera teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Scared? Hardly,” I replied with mock confidence, trying to shake off the unease I felt creeping in. A certain someone’s face flashed in my mind—Evander. My brother’s best friend.

Jasmine leaned over, nudging my arm. “So, Cal, who’s your pick?”

“That’s…none of your business,” I stammered, my cheeks heating up despite myself.

The night went on, filled with whispered plans, laughter, and a few tipsy confessions about secret crushes. My thoughts, however, kept wandering to Evander.

Could I really win this game? And more importantly, what would happen if I lost—not just the game, but my carefully guarded feelings?

“What if we lose?” Gabrielle suddenly asked, her voice tinged with curiosity as she leaned forward, her sharp lawyer’s eyes narrowing slightly.

Vera tapped her chin, seemingly lost in thought. “Hmm… good question.” Her face lit up with a mischievous smile. “If you lose, you get a punishment.”

The group collectively froze, exchanging wary glances. The idea of punishment had suddenly raised the stakes.

“What kind of punishment?” Gabrielle pressed, her curiosity piqued. Her sharp mind was already racing through the possibilities, no doubt looking for loopholes.

Vera fell silent, clearly relishing the tension as she thought long and hard. For a full ten minutes, the group sipped their drinks, the suspense hanging in the air like a dark cloud. Finally, Vera snapped her fingers, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

“Got it!” she declared triumphantly. “The punishment is… a public confession. To the entire group.”

“Public confession?” Brynne raised an eyebrow, looking sceptical.

“That’s right,” Vera said, clearly enjoying the reactions she was getting. “If you lose, you have to stand right here, in this very bar, and confess who you were playing the game for. Full honesty—no hiding anything.”

Jasmine let out a low whistle, shaking her head. “Oof, that’s brutal.”

“Not only that,” Vera continued, “but you’ll also have to tell them what you did to try and win their heart. Every. Single. Detail.”

Gabrielle’s lips curled into a wry smile, her lawyerly instincts already dissecting the challenge. “Bold move, Vera. This punishment definitely keeps us accountable.”

“Exactly!” Vera exclaimed. “If you’re in, you’re all in. No backing out halfway. Deal?”

The group exchanged glances. Brynne shrugged. “Why not? I’m in. Sounds like fun.”

Julane nodded, though her expression was tinged with nervousness. “I mean, it’s a little scary, but okay. I’m in too.”

Jasmine grinned, leaning back in her chair. “Oh, this is going to be good. Count me in.”

I stayed quiet for a moment, swirling the last of my drink in my glass. The idea of confessing my feelings—especially if it involved Evander—made my stomach twist. But then I caught sight of Vera’s expectant gaze, and the competitive streak in me refused to back down.

“Fine,” I said finally, setting my glass down with a firm thud. “I’m in.”

The rest of the group let out cheers and laughs, but Gabrielle, ever the strategist, leaned forward with a sly smirk. “Just so we’re clear, Vera, what counts as ‘losing’ in this game?”

Vera didn’t miss a beat. “Simple. If you fail to make noticeable progress or get caught being too obvious, you lose. And if you back out of the game entirely, that’s an automatic loss.”

Gabrielle nodded thoughtfully, clearly filing the rules away in her mind.

“Alright, everyone!” Vera clapped her hands. “The game officially begins now. You’ve got one week to play—and remember, subtlety is key. Let the best heart-winner win!”

As the group erupted into chatter, my mind drifted once again to Evander. This game was about to get dangerous—for my pride, for my heart, and possibly for my sanity.

Later, the night took a predictable turn. One by one, the group succumbed to the effects of the alcohol, their voices louder, laughter freer, and movements more exaggerated. Who could’ve guessed this simple game of “Winning His Heart” would spiral into chaos so quickly?

Vera was leaning against Julane, giggling uncontrollably, while Brynne and Gabrielle sang off-key to a random song playing faintly in the background. Jasmine stumbled a little, clutching my arm as she mumbled something about needing food.

“God, this is intense,” I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temples.

Somehow, amidst all the chaos, one of them managed to settle the tab. No one could quite remember who, but we all stumbled out of the bar together, our group resembling a mismatched parade of tipsy walkers swaying down the street.

I swung my bag around, fumbling to find my phone. The idea of trying to herd everyone home in this state was laughable. I needed backup. Finally, I fished the phone out, my fingers clumsy as I dialled Carl’s number.

The phone rang twice before his familiar, steady voice answered. “Calista? What’s up?”

I sighed in relief at the sound of my brother’s voice. “Carl, I need a favour. We… might’ve overdone it tonight at the bar.”

“Define ‘overdone it,’” Carl said, and I could hear the amusement creeping into his tone.

I glanced around at the group. Vera was now attempting to climb onto a decorative fountain, while Brynne tried to cheer her on. “Let’s just say I’m the only one sober enough to realize we need help.”

Carl sighed, though I could tell he was smiling. “Alright, where are you? I’ll come get you.”

I quickly rattled off the address, and Carl assured me he’d be there in ten minutes.

Hanging up, I turned back to the group. Jasmine was now leaning against Julane, who was doing her best to stay upright herself. Gabrielle, ever the practical one despite her intoxication, was trying to organize everyone into a semi-coherent line, but it wasn’t going well.

“Alright, guys,” I said, raising my voice to get their attention. “My brother’s coming to pick us up. Can we try to at least look like responsible adults when he gets here?”

Vera slid off the fountain, laughing as she stumbled over to me. “Your brother? Oh, the hot one?”

I rolled my eyes, regretting my life choices. “Yes, Vera. The hot one.”

The group burst into laughter, though it was mostly incoherent babbling. I sighed, knowing this was going to be a long night—and I hadn’t even started strategizing for the game yet.

Soon, Carl’s car pulled up to the curb, and he stepped out, looking every bit the composed doctor that he was. His sharp eyes scanned the group, and then he gave me a knowing smirk.

“Looks like you’ve got quite the crew tonight,” he said.

“You have no idea,” I muttered, rubbing my forehead.

“Alright, let’s get everyone home safely.” Carl clapped his hands, taking charge like he always did. As he helped round everyone up, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of gratitude. No matter how wild things got, Carl always had my back.

But as we piled into the car and drove off, my mind wandered back to the game. One thing was certain—this week was going to be anything but ordinary.

As the car hummed along the quiet streets, I felt the heaviness in my eyelids growing stronger. Sitting in the passenger seat beside Carl, I tried to fight it, but the alcohol combined with the chaos of the night was taking its toll.

“You okay over there?” Carl asked, glancing at me briefly as he expertly manoeuvred through the traffic.

“Mmhm,” I mumbled, though my voice was weak. “I’m fine… just tired.”

“You look like you’re about to pass out,” he said, his tone a mix of concern and amusement. “Remind me why you thought drinking with that group was a good idea?”

I groaned, leaning my head against the window. “It wasn’t supposed to get this bad. Never drink this much again, Carl. Never.”

He chuckled, his voice warm and teasing. “Yeah, I’ll believe that when I see it.”

The hum of the engine and the soothing rhythm of the road made it harder to stay awake. I knew I shouldn’t sleep—not while Carl was driving and the others were relying on us to get them home safely. But my body wasn’t cooperating.

“I’m trying not to, but I can’t help it,” I muttered, feeling my head loll to the side.

“Just rest,” Carl said softly, his tone surprisingly gentle. “I’ve got it under control.”

That was all the reassurance I needed. My resolve crumbled as my exhaustion took over. Before I knew it, my eyes were fully closed, and the sounds of the car faded into the background.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been out when I felt the faintest jolt as the car slowed down. Carl’s voice was distant yet comforting as he spoke to someone outside the car—likely helping one of my tipsy friends to their door.

Through the haze of sleep, I felt a blanket—where had that come from?—being draped over me, and Carl muttering something about how I’d better not drool in his car. A sleepy smile tugged at my lips before I drifted off again.

Even in my half-asleep state, one thought lingered: tonight had been chaotic, but it was only the beginning of whatever this ridiculous game would bring.

Author note: Hey guys, it’s me the author and I’m the one who wrote "I’m Fell With A Doctor" It doesn’t make any attention to readers but I’m decided to try new ideas and hope you guys enjoy reading new ones. Xoxo, Chxxa.

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Character introducing(Female):

Calista - 22 years old, who work as a scientist.

Vera - 24 years old, which she was a princess in Europe but she disguised in Capital City as Vera or Vivian.

Jasmine - 22 years old, who work as a news reporter.

Julane- 22 years old, who work as a photographer.

Brynne - 24years old, who work as a archivist.

Gabrielle - 21years old, who work as a lawyer.

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