Chapter 137: Am I going to die...again?
Thomas clenched his fists. "I don’t expect your trust."
"Oh?"
"I only expect a deal."
For the first time since Thomas entered the room, Marco looked genuinely intrigued.
"You’ve got some nerve."
Thomas remained silent. He knew Marco was playing a deadly game, however he just cannot freak out when his entire life is depended on him.
Marco suddenly laughed.
"Hahaha..." The sound echoed throughout the lounge before stopping just as abruptly.
"I like people with courage."
His smile vanished. "But courage alone doesn’t impress me."
Without warning, Marco reached into his jacket and pulled out a pistol.
Click.
He casually placed it on the table between them.
Thomas’s pupils contracted.
"If you’re willing to bet your life on this deal..." Marco slowly slid the pistol toward him. "...then prove it."
The room instantly became tense.
Paul frowned. "Boss..."
Marco raised a hand, silencing him. His eyes never left Thomas.
"Pick it up."
Thomas stared at the weapon. "What for?"
Marco’s lips curled into a dangerous smile.
"I want to know whether I’m dealing with a desperate man..." He paused. "...or a coward pretending to be one."
The guards around the room subtly adjusted their stances.
No one spoke. No one moved. Every pair of eyes settled on Thomas.
However Thomas’s breathing grew heavier as he looked down at the pistol.
Walking away now wasn’t an option. The people who had hired him would kill him and accepting Marco’s test, however...might cost him his life even sooner.
After several agonizing seconds, Thomas slowly reached forward. His fingers wrapped around the cold metal.
Marco’s smile widened ever so slightly.
"Good."
He straightened his posture. "Now we’re finally ready to talk business."
***
Meanwhile, back at the poker table, the atmosphere inside Crimson Crest had reached a fever pitch.
Word of the high-stakes match had spread throughout the casino, drawing curious onlookers from every corner. Guests abandoned their drinks, paused their games, and crowded around the table, eager to witness the showdown.
"What are the stakes?"
"Everything she’s won tonight."
"Seriously?"
"She actually agreed."
The whispers rippled through the crowd.
Although most people sided with Finn because of his reputation as one of Crimson Crest’s regulars, there were also a few who quietly rooted for Clara.
After all, they had watched her dominate table after table with astonishing composure.
"I don’t know..."
An elderly man folded his arms.
"I’ve been watching her for almost an hour. She doesn’t gamble recklessly."
"Neither does Finn," another man argued. "He’s been playing here for years."
"Experience wins."
"Not always."
The debate continued as a dealer stepped forward carrying a fresh deck of cards.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced professionally, "both players have agreed to a final game. The winner takes the entire pot."
The crowd erupted into excited chatter.
Finn leaned back in his chair with a confident smile.
"So..."
He looked at Clara.
"Still think this is a good idea?"
Clara smiled politely.
"I wouldn’t have agreed otherwise."
"Hmph."
Finn snorted.
"You’ve been lucky tonight."
"Lucky?"
"Yes."
He rested both elbows on the table.
"But luck eventually runs out."
Clara merely shrugged.
"We’ll find out soon enough."
The dealer began shuffling the deck with practiced hands.
The rhythmic sound of the cards sliding against one another echoed through the silent crowd.
A moment later, each player received their cards.
Finn picked his up and glanced at them.
A slow smile spread across his face.
Perfect.
His opening hand was excellent.
Not unbeatable...
But more than enough to pressure an inexperienced opponent.
Across the table, Clara calmly lifted her cards.
Her expression never changed.
She quietly placed them back on the felt.
The first round of betting began.
"I’ll raise."
Finn pushed a stack of chips forward.
Several spectators nodded approvingly.
"That’s more like the Finn we know."
Clara didn’t hesitate.
"I’ll call."
The dealer revealed the first three community cards.
A murmur swept through the crowd as Finn’s confidence grew. Everything was unfolding exactly as he had hoped.
Another betting round.
"I raise again." His voice was noticeably more confident.
Clara looked at the cards for a brief moment.
"I call."
The fourth card appeared. This time Finn nearly smiled.
Just one more... one more card and it’s over.
The spectators could sense his excitement.
"Look at his face."
"He must have an incredible hand."
"I think the girl’s finished."
Only Clara remained completely unfazed.
She quietly folded her hands on the table and waited.
The dealer burned one final card before placing the river face up.
Silence. Finn looked at the table. Then at his own hand.
His smile widened.
I’ve won. There was no way she could beat this.
Unable to hide his excitement any longer, he pushed the remainder of his chips into the center.
"All in."
Gasps echoed around the table.
"He went all in!"
"He must have the winning hand."
Every eye turned toward Clara. Without the slightest hint of panic, she looked at Finn.
"Confident?"
Finn chuckled. "Very."
Clara gave a small nod. "Good."
Then... to everyone’s surprise...she gathered an identical amount of chips and calmly slid them forward.
"I’ll match."
The dealer looked between the two players.
"Both players are all in. No more betting. It’s time for the showdown."
Finn couldn’t stop smiling.
"Ladies first."
Clara shook her head. "You made the final raise."
"Then don’t blame me when you lose." With dramatic confidence, Finn laid his cards on the table.
"I’ve got a straight."
A wave of excitement swept through the spectators.
"What a hand!"
"That’s almost impossible to beat."
"I told you experience wins."
Finn leaned back proudly, convinced victory was already his.
Across from him, Clara simply smiled. "That’s a wonderful hand."
Finn laughed.
"So you’ve accepted defeat."
"Not exactly."
She gently placed her cards on the table. "I was just complimenting it."
One card.
Then another.
For a brief second... no one reacted.
The dealer stared at Clara’s cards. His eyes slowly widened.
"...Impossible."
"What?"
"What happened?"
The spectators leaned forward.
The dealer swallowed. "Royal Flush."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The entire casino fell silent. It was as if every sound inside Crimson Crest had vanished.
Finn’s smile froze. He stared at Clara’s cards without blinking.
"N-No..." His voice trembled.
"That’s... That’s impossible..."
The dealer composed himself before speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"The winner..." He looked at Clara.
"...is the lady."
The silence shattered instantly.
"What?!"
"A Royal Flush?!"
"She was hiding that hand the entire time!"
"I can’t believe it!"
Even the gamblers at neighboring tables abandoned their games to see what had happened.
Finn remained frozen in his chair. His face had completely drained of color.
He replayed every betting round in his mind.
She had never overplayed. Never showed excitement. Never tried to intimidate him.
She had calmly allowed him to believe he was in control from the very beginning.
Only now did he realize the truth. She hadn’t been following his game. She had been controlling it.
Clara slowly gathered the mountain of chips toward herself before looking at Finn with a gentle smile.
"You were right about one thing."
Finn slowly lifted his head. "What?"
"Luck doesn’t last forever."
She paused. "That’s why relying on skill is always the safer choice."
The crowd erupted into applause.
For the first time that evening, even those who had supported Finn found themselves applauding the woman who had just delivered a masterclass in patience, composure, and strategy.
High above the casino floor, behind the one-way glass of the VIP lounge, a pair of sharp eyes watched everything unfold.
And for the first time in a very long while... someone had truly captured Karlo Morritte’s attention.
While the casino erupted in applause for Clara’s spectacular victory, Finn remained frozen in place.
He couldn’t accept it.
He was supposed to be the one walking away with all of her winnings.
Instead...
He had lost everything.
The realization snapped the last thread of his sanity.
"You bitch!"
Finn roared, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Clara.
"I know you cheated!"
His face twisted with rage.
He had walked into Crimson Crest tonight believing he could win enough money to save his collapsing business and pay off his debts.
Now, because of this unknown woman, his final hope had vanished.
Blinded by fury, Finn grabbed an empty liquor bottle from a nearby table.
Smash!
The bottle shattered against the edge of the poker table, leaving jagged shards glinting under the casino lights.
A wave of panic swept through the crowd.
"Watch out!"
"Someone stop him!"
Guests hurriedly backed away, unwilling to get caught in the chaos.
Finn tightened his grip around the broken bottle and charged toward Clara.
"I’ll kill you!"
Clara remained where she stood, her eyes fixed on the crazed man rushing toward her.
For a brief moment...
Her body refused to move.
A familiar fear crept into her heart.
Am I... going to die again?
The memory flashed through her mind like lightning.
But only for an instant.
A determined light soon replaced the fear in her eyes.
"No..."
She whispered to herself.
"Not this time."
Her fingers slowly clenched into fists.
Just as she was about to counterattack—
A blur shot forward.
Before anyone could react, a powerful hand seized Finn’s wrist.
Crack!
The broken bottle slipped from his grasp and clattered across the floor.
"W-What?!"
Finn cried out as his arm was twisted sharply behind his back.
The next second—
Bang!
His face was slammed hard against the polished marble floor.
The entire casino fell silent.
Clara blinked in surprise.
She had been prepared to defend herself.
Instead...
Someone else had ended the fight before it had even begun.
"Let me go!"
Finn struggled violently.
The man pinning him down didn’t even flinch.
He merely pressed Finn’s arm further behind his back, forcing another painful cry from him.
"Stay down."
His voice was cold enough to freeze the room. However, his eyes remained on one person.