Life Is a Poker Game

Damn You

In the past, I never said a harsh word to Aileen.

So, my attitude now made Aileen unable to accept it at all.

She still believed that she was my princess as before.

In fact, I'd already given up on her. She meant nothing to me.

Aileen said, "Patrick, if you are willing to pay the bill for me, I might consider letting you hold my hand tomorrow."

I said, "I'm sorry. I'm not interested in anybody's hand."

On the other side of the phone, Aileen kept silent. I could only hear her breathing.

Aileen hadn't figured out what happened to me.

I hung up the phone without hesitation.

And then I switched it off.

Tonight, I could have a nice long sleep.

The old days had gone.

I didn't have to keep my phone on, waiting for Aileen's call, even though she wouldn't call me.

And my mood wouldn't be affected by Aileen.

The next day, I got up and went downstairs.

I saw Lilia dressed in the maid's uniform, standing at the end of the stairs waiting for me.

Seeing me coming down the stairs, Lilia greeted me with a rare smile.

However, I didn't even look at Lilia.

Lilia walked to the dining room and said, "Mr. Dickerson, I've prepared breakfast for you.

"I cooked it all."

And then she offered me her hand.

In my previous life, I would give her a huge tip.

But now, there would be nothing.

I shouted, "What do you mean by reaching out your hand?

"Want money?"

Lilia looked at me in amazement.

I sneered.

I added, "Be careful. I can chop your old paw off.

"You don't know what you do for a living? Cooking is one of your jobs.

"How dare you!"

Lilia's face darkened.

"Oh, Mr. Dickerson, I'm sorry. I'll do my job carefully, and I won't dare to ask for tips again."

I ignored that old woman.

I walked to the dining room.

I smashed all the dishes on that table to pieces.

"Hey, you! What have you cooked? It looks like trash.

"I'm wondering if you bought the food from someone to cheat our family."

Lilia said helplessly, "But, Mr. Dickerson. You haven't even tasted it, so how can you jump to conclusions and say it tastes bad?"

I cursed, "Lilia, who's the boss here, you know?

"You or me?"

Lilia's head was covered in sweat. She then said, "Of course, you."

I gasped, "Since you know, how could you disobey my words?

"Is there a problem? Or do you think you can just deal with me because you have a beautiful daughter to back you up?"

My words silenced Lilia, and she kept waving her hands to show that she had no such thoughts at all.

I said, "I'll give you one last chance. If you make another mistake, get out of our house immediately."

I reminded her again, "By the way, we recently realized that some valuable stuff was missing.

"I want them to be where they should be before the police arrive.

"Or, your wages, the money your husband uses to buy booze, and your daughter's future...

"Make sure you choose right."

Lilia couldn't stand still.

She tried to open her mouth to defend herself several times, but she couldn't find any excuses.

I could let their whole family be destroyed easily.

They wanted to rely on my family to earn a large sum of money. It was hilarious. It might be impossible for them to survive or they might even go to jail.

I got into Jaylon's car and headed for school.

On the way, I saw Aileen buying breakfast from a stall.

I was curious. Did Aileen come to buy breakfast herself?

With the money she got from me, she could live a better life than her classmates did.

She loved to show off and always asked vendors to bring her meals to school.

I told Jaylon to stop the car a short distance away.

Looking at Aileen in the car window, I thought, 'Is it because of her treat last night in the Riverfield Restaurant?

'She spent all those savings she got from me to pay the bill.

'So she has to buy breakfast herself to save money.'

Suddenly, there came a tall, handsome, and sunny boy in casual clothes. He went to the side of Aileen.

Like a butterfly, Aileen ran to the boy.

She gave the breakfast she bought to the boy.

But the boy didn't bother to take it.

However, Aileen wasn't angry at the boy's attitude.

Instead, she came up into the boy's arms and asked for a kiss.

The boy impatiently kissed Aileen on her lips.

Aileen, however, looked as if she had gotten a treasure, her face full of joy.

Then, the boy took Aileen's breakfast.

Only then did Aileen say goodbye to the boy, carrying her schoolbag with satisfaction.

Aileen was reluctant to leave.

When Aileen disappeared from the boy's view, he threw the breakfast into the trash can.

I laughed bitterly in my heart, so Aileen was also a stupid girl falling in love.

All the good I'd done to Aileen for so long, all the money I'd given her, she gave them to another boy.

She already had someone in her heart. And, she really cared about that boy.

She cared about that boy so much that she could not tell the boy didn't love her.

The most unacceptable thing was she kept it a secret from me.

She took my money for granted. But she neither refused nor accepted me.

In my previous life, I was so stupid that I was completely played by this woman.

I sighed and shook my head, telling Jaylon to drive.

Jaylon sent me to school. I got out of the car but found Aileen waiting at the school gate.

And, she was all high and mighty as if she was born to be superior to me.

Then I remembered what she did to that handsome boy. I felt sick.

Aileen blocked my way.

She said to me coquettishly, "Patrick, stop right there.

"My mom called me and said that you scolded her again this morning.

"Did you?"

I shouted angrily, "Aileen, you'd better not question me.

"Why don't you ask your mom how much valuable stuff she stole from my house?"

Aileen looked dumbfounded and argued, "No way. Although my mom is poor, she is not a thief.

"She wouldn't steal from your house. You must have wronged her."

I sneered.

"Do you want to watch the surveillance?

"As soon as I give the police the evidence, your mom will lose her job.

"And she will go to jail, too. Your whole family will have no source of income. You will be forced to drop out of school.

"Straight-A student? You can't even pay your tuition.

"Oh, no, I said it wrong. If you can take a part-time job, you'll still barely be able to pay your tuition."

Were they kidding me? If Lilia stole anything, Aileen, as her daughter, would not know?

Aileen didn't dare to fight back.

She changed the subject.

She then said, "So, about last night's bill...

"That's twelve thousand dollars in total, and you can give me the money, right?"

Aileen pretended to be rich and took the whole class to the Riverfield Restaurant.

And now she asked me for money?

She still thought I would give her money as before.

I said, "Call me Daddy, and I'll consider paying you money."