Raising the Stakes: Cheating the King of Cheats

Jerome flinched. Not daring to slack off in the slightest, he immediately dealt us the fourth card.

The cards were revealed once more.

Michael got the ace of hearts. Although he couldn't make a straight flush, his ten of hearts, eight of hearts, and this ace formed a strong flush. With his hidden card still unknown, his potential was enormous.

I got the ace of diamonds. Combined with my ace of spades and three of diamonds, my face-up cards now formed a pair of aces.

"I-Impossible! How could it be the four of spades?"

Before Jerome could even speak, Willow's sharp cry rang out. Her body went limp, and she unceremoniously slid off the chair with a thud, losing all composure.

Because of her trembling fingers, she had even accidentally flipped over her hidden card—the queen of hearts.

Her four cards were a pair of jacks, the queen of hearts, and a four. That meant her best possible hand was already fixed. No matter what her final card was, it couldn't beat my pair of aces.

Willow was doomed to lose.

The silence of the lounge was shattered, replaced by gasps and whispers.

Willow panicked, forgetting all her pride. She scrambled over to Michael, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Michael, you have to save me! I can't crawl naked through the lounge! I'll be done for if I do!"

Michael's expression was as dark as a storm, but Willow's striking resemblance to his mentor couldn't help but make him soften.

He suppressed his emotions and tried to soothe her. "Get up. Don't cry. The game isn't over yet! I'll help you."

Then, he took a deep breath and looked at me, saying, "Nancy, I advise you to stop here. If you fold this round, you can take the 30 million dollars. On top of that, I'll give the Jacksons an additional 1% stake in the port project. As for your bet with Willow, we'll call it even.

"If we really go to the final card, things won't end well for either of us. I'm sure you've heard of my ghost-hand gambling method. You can't win."

I shook my head and suddenly laughed out loud. My gaze swept over the trembling Willow.

I drawled, full of mockery, "My, my! Mr. Shaw really does love my dear sister. In that case, I'll…"

My laughter died mid-sentence as I shoved the towering pile of chips into the pot.

"All-in," I announced. "Michael, I want to go all in against you."

The loud crash of the chips echoed through the lounge.

I stared at Michael, saying coldly, "Since you insist on protecting Willow, fine. Let's put all of her bets on you. You take them for her.

"If you win, all previous bets are canceled. If you lose… Don't forget what we agreed on.

"Michael, I want your family jewels!"

Instead of getting angry at my escalating provocation, Michael laughed.

"Alright, Nancy. I really underestimated you before. You're pretty ruthless! Since you dared to bet on your womb, what do I have to fear?

"I'm telling you—unless my mentor were here today, no one present could beat me!"

Michael no longer looked at me. He barked to Jerome, "Willow forfeits. Deal the last card!"

The final cards were flipped over with a whoosh.

Michael got the king of hearts, while I got the three of spades.

He rose to his feet, cast a disdainful look at my hand, and flipped over his hidden card.

It was the seven of hearts.

All five of Michael's cards were now revealed. He had eight, ten, ace, king, and seven of hearts—a flush!

He looked at me, his eyes brimming with undisguised contempt and iciness. "A pair of threes and a pair of aces. Your hidden card is probably a random card, hmm? With two pairs, how can you beat my flush?

"Nancy, don't blame this on me. You brought it on yourself!"

Willow shook off her earlier embarrassment and immediately stood up. Her face filled with malice and exhilaration as she cackled sharply.

"Hmph! Let's see you keep acting so high and mighty now, bitch!

"Rest assured, I'll make sure every media outlet gets the video of you crawling naked around the lounge. It'll go viral!"

The lounge buzzed with jeers, laughter, and excited anticipation. Everyone thought the outcome was decided and that I was finished.

However, my expression remained calm—even slightly indifferent.

I completely ignored Willow, who was gloating in front of me. My gaze pierced through the noise and locked on Michael's smug face.

I slowly stood up, questioning in return, "Michael, is this what I taught you back in the alleys of Solvega?"

The smile froze on Michael's face. His pupils contracted, and he stared at me, dumbfounded.

Confusion and shock filled his voice. "You… How do you know about that? Solvega, the alleys… Those are memories between my mentor and me! How could you…"

I didn't explain. I just shook my head gently and said in a disappointed tone, "When you get a good hand, you get cocky and reveal your cards too soon.

"You really… haven't mastered your craft."

Michael stared in disbelief as I turned over the face-down card I'd had on the table all this time.

It wasn't any random card he had been so sure of. Rather, it was the three of hearts!

On the table, my five cards were now visible to all—three threes and a pair of aces.

The entire venue fell dead silent.

"Full house. Three of a kind and a pair—exactly enough to beat your flush.

"Have you learned your lesson, my student?" I said to Michael.