Inside the Car
The cheers of Chandler and his friends filled Adam with satisfaction.
Although he wasn't a big fan of sports aside from synchronized swimming, diving, gymnastics, and volleyball, he understood that premium front-row seats for a major game were a huge treat for true fans.
This was the first event Adam had prepared for Chandler's bachelor party.
And as expected, Chandler and his friends were thrilled.
They loved hockey, and this was the closest they had ever been to the action. Their excitement was palpable.
Clearly, strippers weren't the only way to liven up a bachelor party...
At the Arena
While Chandler and his friends cheered along with thousands of other fans, Adam sat back, smiling, as he planned how to deal with Barney after the wedding.
That's right.
He was going to teach Barney a lesson.
For someone like Barney, words were meaningless.
Adam had already made his point crystal clear, yet Barney still went ahead with his ridiculous plans. That was way out of line.
Barney thought he was being funny.
But from Adam's perspective as Chandler's best man, it was anything but amusing.
Barney's bachelor party antics were essentially a carbon copy of Lu Xiaobu's "Ultimate Bachelor Night."
Lu Xiaobu's version involved a bizarre drinking game.
Barney's version featured strippers performing outrageous tricks, like opening bottles in unusual ways.
The common thread? Both parties never ended the way they were supposed to.
Lu Xiaobu drank too much and missed his own wedding.
Barney had a history of completely ruining parties—it was basically The Hangover all over again.
Considering that Barney was anti-marriage, Adam couldn't help but wonder if he was sabotaging things on purpose.
For all these reasons, Adam knew he couldn't let Barney off the hook.
Meanwhile...
In a small apartment, five chairs were arranged in a circle. A stripper stood in the middle, bored, glancing at her watch. She turned to Barney, who was sitting in one of the chairs.
"They're still not here?" she asked.
"They'll be here soon," Barney muttered, frowning as he got up and looked out the window.
Not a single car in sight.
Thirty minutes later, his phone rang.
It was the driver.
After hearing what happened, Barney hung up, adjusted his tie, narrowed his eyes, and chuckled to himself.
"Well played, Adam Duncan."
"Are we still doing this?" the stripper asked, clearly annoyed at being stood up. "Just so we're clear—you still have to pay me."
"Go ahead," Barney said with a grin.
He sat back down, lit a cigar, and watched the performance alone.
After the Hockey Game
Back in the car...
"How was that?" Adam asked with a smile.
"Amazing!"
"Front-row seats make such a difference!"
"Why haven't we done this before?"
Chandler and his friends were still buzzing with excitement.
"What's next?" Ross asked eagerly.
"How about a feast?" Adam suggested.
"Yeah!" Joey was the first to cheer.
"Adam, you're going all out," Chandler said, feeling a little guilty.
Between the custom suits, the luxury limo, and the front-row tickets, this night had already cost a fortune. Now, Adam was taking them to an extravagant dinner. It was far more than Chandler had ever expected.
Especially considering that his own parents hadn't contributed a dime to the wedding.
Yet here was Adam, spending all this money on him.
Money isn't everything, but more often than not, how much someone spends reflects how much they care.
Ross and Joey exchanged awkward glances.
Originally, the three of them—Adam, Ross, and Joey—were supposed to split the cost of the bachelor party.
But once they saw how Adam was handling things, they quickly realized it was way out of their budget.
So, they each just pitched in $500 as a symbolic gesture.
And judging by the limo alone, $1,500 wasn't even close to covering the cost.
"Don't overthink it," Adam waved him off. "Just enjoy the night. As friends, we shouldn't focus on the amount spent, but rather the proportion. Even if I spent a million dollars, it would be about the same as Ross and Joey each spending $500."
"Exactly!" Joey's eyes lit up. "It's not about the total amount—it's about proportion!"
Ross shot him a look of disdain.
Yeah, right.
$500 and a million bucks were not the same thing.
By that logic, Adam would never actually reach a million.
Did that mean Joey and he were putting in more effort than Adam?
Chandler understood the logic, but since Adam had framed it that way, he had no choice but to accept it.
Deep down, he made a silent promise—when Adam got married, he would make sure to throw him the most unforgettable bachelor party ever.
As expected, Adam's idea of a "feast" was truly a feast.
Even Joey, the bottomless pit, struggled to keep up.
Chandler and the others ate to their hearts' content, having the time of their lives.
No crazy antics.
No disasters.
Just a fun, wholesome bachelor party.
The Next Afternoon
Everyone gathered at the Plaza Hotel.
The wedding was set for 6 PM.
Originally, Monica had planned to book a different venue, but Adam had secured this place for them—with top-tier service. Monica was ecstatic.
After all, this was where Rachel had first run away from her wedding.
Back then, Leonard had pulled some serious strings to get them in.
In the medical field, Adam couldn't compare to Leonard in terms of connections.
But as a bestselling author and billionaire, Adam carried a lot more weight in other circles.
Booking a venue for Chandler and Monica?
Piece of cake.
As the guests arrived, Adam stood with Chandler and Monica, greeting them.
"Chandler."
"Mom."
Nora walked in—stunning as ever in a form-fitting gold dress.
"Thanks for remembering to wear something this time," Chandler quipped instinctively.
Nora chuckled.
But her eyes were already drawn to Adam.
"Hi, Adam."
"Hello, Mrs. Bing," Adam replied smoothly.
"Hi, Monica."
Nora finally turned to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
"You look absolutely gorgeous tonight."
"Thank you. So do you," Monica said sincerely, giving her a quick hug.
"Chandler is so lucky to have a wife—and friends—like you," Nora said, still holding Monica.
But her gaze was locked on Adam.
At that moment, Monica's parents approached.
"Mrs. Bing, this is my mom, Judy, and my dad, Jack," Monica introduced.
"Pleasure to meet you," Judy said warmly, shaking Nora's hand.
"So, are you Chandler's mom or his dad?" Jack asked, deadpan.
"Jack!" Judy scolded.
"What? I've never met a shapeshifter before," Jack said innocently.
Nora awkwardly let go of Judy's hand.
Adam sighed.
"Maybe let's not go there, for Monica and Ross's sake."
Jack's smile froze.
"…"