Chapter 95 The Art of Feigning Illness
The cards were shuffled and drawn. Amelia and Gregory each held three. Anxiety coursed through Amelia's veins, but Gregory's apprehension was palpable, his fear of revealing his hand evident. Christian, with a swift motion, snatched the cards from Gregory's trembling grasp and tossed them onto the table. To their surprise, the hand was not as dire as they had feared—a queen, a jack, and a ten, forming a straight by sheer chance. Christian leaned in close to Gregory, his proximity more intimate than a kiss. "I'll reward you nicely tonight," he murmured. At his words, Gregory seemed to melt, allowing himself to be drawn into Christian's side, leaning into his embrace. "I was scared to death," he confessed. "It's so good to have you by my side. You're my lucky star." Amelia felt a wave of nausea wash over her at the sight. Ashley, in an attempt to lighten the mood, took a deep breath and asked, "Joe, how many layers are you wearing?" Amelia responded calmly, "Don't worry, I've got a backless dress under this. If I have to strip, so be it." Ashley gave her a silent thumbs-up. Why was it that she found women with both brains and boldness so endearing? The game began. By some stroke of luck, they had the same hand. Ashley's lips, painted a beautiful blush, curled into a breathtaking smile. "It's a lady's privilege, it seems. Not even fate dares to mess with us."Christian pulled out a cigarette, and an eager lady lit it for him, kneeling to set it ablaze. He exhaled a puff of smoke, his irritation palpable. He played another round with Ashley and lost again. Was he cursed whenever he faced Ashley? Had he ever had a stroke of luck with her, or at best, ended in a draw? Money isn't everything, but without a face, where do you stand? Suddenly, a realization dawned on Christian. Why did Ashley's tactics feel so eerily familiar? Weren't those the same tricks Damian had pulled? A sly grin slid across Christian's lips as he lifted his chin at Ashley. "Having a blast, are you? Winning must feel pretty sweet, huh?" Despite her triumphs, Ashley's heart was on edge, eager to wrap up the game and sort out the situation. Christian's cunning laughter forebode something ominous. "It's alright. Such things come down to luck, and Lady Luck doesn't always take my side."Christian stubbed out his cigarette and casually picked up the deck, shuffling and cutting the cards with practiced ease that revealed his familiarity with the game. With a swift flick, he spread out the cards in a neat line on the table. "I'll give Ashley the honor she deserves. I'll play with you myself, so you can't say I'm not playing fair."Ashley maintained a smile, but internally, her confidence wavered, worrying Christian had caught on to her strategy. "Not at all. Just some harmless female fun.""To play at your level is no small feat. Come on, Ashley, you're up."His shuffling was quick, his cuts dizzyingly fast, disrupting whatever preliminary setup she had. Now truly at a loss, she could only rely on chance, grabbing a card and laying it face down.Christian chuckled and drew a card, flipping it over nonchalantly—a King of Hearts.Amelia sensed Ashley's nervousness and felt the tide turning unfavorably, especially given the spread on the table. In a whisper, she suggested, "Maybe we should find an excuse to bail? I'm a pro at faking sickness—I can do any illness. How about a sudden heart attack?"Under normal circumstances, Ashley would have laughed, but not today. "Even if you played dead, he wouldn't care. Stay calm. It's not over yet."Amelia clenched her fists, contemplating. She should fake an asthma attack, claiming she forgot her medicine. She knew how to act that part well—she had played an asthmatic patient before!Christian's lips curled into a taunt. "Scared? Planning your next move?"Ashley drew her second card, keeping it hidden. "Amelia says she likes your outfit. You've got taste, Mr. Brin."Amelia internally cringed as she thought, ‘I don't want to admit that his sleaze is suffocating me, okay?’
Christian cast a sidelong glance at Amelia, a smirk playing on his lips. "The superstar has a discerning eye," he said. "Beyond my sartorial choices, I assure you, I'm not lacking in other areas."Amelia returned his smirk with a polite smile. "As a top-tier tycoon, Mr. Brin, it's only natural that you stand above the common crowd. How could any average Joe hope to compete?" She knew, however, that singing Christian's praises was a futile endeavor.Christian, his final card artfully hidden, locked eyes with Ashley. "You're running low on chips, and my time is limited. Let's cut to the chase. This round settles everything."A wave of impending doom washed over Ashley. It was clear that Christian had devised a winning strategy and was now countering her every move. She cursed inwardly. What if she lost? Could she stand by and let Amelia lose her role for nothing?Refusing to let her spirit waver, Ashley retorted with feigned enthusiasm, "Just one round? That's hardly satisfying."Nonchalantly, Christian slung an arm around Gregory, his hand sliding down as if he had every right to do so. Gregory's feeble resistance went almost unnoticed, and the intimacy of the gesture sent a wave of embarrassment through the onlookers."Ashley, do you not understand? This isn't up for debate," Christian declared, his tone final.Ashley's grip on her cards tightened. "Fine."Amelia leaned in close, whispering, "Should I start pretending to be ill now?"Smack!Christian revealed his hand—two kings and a queen. High stakes, high faces. Ashley's chances of winning were dwindling.Amelia braced herself, her breathing growing heavy...And that's when the bar door swung open.Damian strode in, his towering figure cutting a godlike silhouette against the dim light, a cool breeze swirling around him from the outside. The night air seemed to shimmer around him like an ethereal mist.With an unlit cigarette between his fingers and a light smile on his lips, he engaged the girl to his left in conversation.Christian's eyes narrowed. "Damian?" he spat. What were the odds?His gaze flicked back to Ashley, irritation evident in his eyes. Great, she had called in reinforcements.Ashley was just as surprised. Was Christian so addicted to humiliating her that he needed an audience for their battle? This man was insufferable.Damian's eyes swept over the bar's occupants, a hint of surprise flashing across his face. However, he maintained his cool composure, revealing nothing to the casual observer.The woman by his side was less restrained, blurting out, "Mr. Brin?" She quickly corrected herself, covering her mouth with a giggle before fluttering over to Ashley and enveloping her in a hug. "Ashley! You're finally back! I've missed you so much!"Ashley was just as surprised to see Sienna. Wasn't she supposed to be studying in Italy?With a warm smile, Ashley playfully pinched the girl's nose. It had been three years, and the young girl had blossomed into a tall, beautiful woman, the Hearst family genes unmistakable in her features."Why are you here? It's not vacation time," Ashley asked, her curiosity piqued.Samantha Hearst, a lively nineteen-year-old, shrugged. "Studying abroad can be such a drag, you know? I really want to go back to the States for school. My folks would miss me too much if I stayed away," she admitted, a hint of homesickness in her voice.She was the youngest daughter of Uncle Damian, with an older brother and sister. Being the baby of the Hearst family came with its own unique set of perks and challenges.Ashley laughed. "Tired of gallivanting abroad, huh? Or do you just want to come back and torment your brother?"With a playful wink at Damian, Samantha replied, "Bro, Ashley really gets me!"Ashley had known Samantha since she was a gangly thirteen-year-old. Back then, their time together was filled with simple pleasures like shopping sprees and movie nights. But in those shared moments, a deep bond had been forged.Seeing Samantha's transformation into a young woman had taken Ashley by surprise, like witnessing a captivating magic trick.Damian sauntered over and sank into an armchair, his gaze sweeping over the items scattered across the table, yet he remained silent.Samantha blinked, her curiosity piqued. "Whoa, Ashley, are you gambling with Christian? Who's winning?"
