Chapter 1

Everyone in Atlantic City knew that Victoria Sterling, the Sterling family’s heiress, hated my guts. She even enjoyed humiliating me at parties.

“The Sterlings built our fortune on gambling. Adrian Bennett? He’s a pretty face who can’t even tell the suits apart.”

“I’d get more of a response from an inflatable doll than from bringing him into my family as a husband!”

But our families had already arranged our marriage, and the impostor heir she loved couldn’t father children. So she forced me to the poker table.

“If you lose, I want your best sperm. You’re going to give me a child.”

I’d long since had enough of her torment. I chuckled.

“Fine. But if I win, I want your womb, Victoria Sterling.”

Everyone burst out laughing. They all thought I was hopelessly out of my depth. Who didn’t know Victoria was the gambling world’s infamous Phantom Hand?

I lowered my eyes without a word.

Yes. The Phantom Hand.

After all, on that stormy night in Las Vegas five years ago, I’d guided those very hands and taught her to cheat for the first time.

To save her life.

With laughter ringing through the banquet hall, I calmly took my seat at the poker table.

Victoria raised an eyebrow at my composure, looking almost interested.

“Not bad. At least you’ve got some nerve.”

Then her tone shifted, thick with contempt.

“Too bad that’s all you have. Since you can’t even tell the suits apart, Mr. Bennett, would you like me to explain the rules of five-card stud?”

I glanced at the green felt. An old, familiar feeling washed over me.

Shaking my head, I raised a hand to stop her.

“Thank you, Miss Sterling. Five cards. Four faceup, one facedown. Best hand wins. I know that much.”

“Good. Since you understand, let’s begin.”

Victoria curved her lips and beckoned to the dealer standing nearby.

“Wait!”

A syrupy voice suddenly rose from the crowd.

“Victoria, stud is more fun with more people.”

“What’s the point if it’s just you and Adrian? Why don’t you let me join?”

Julian Hayes, the impostor heir, stepped out of the crowd in athletic wear. He walked straight to Victoria’s side, slipped an arm around her neck from behind, and gave me a challenging look.

“You don’t mind, do you, Adrian?”

He was crossing every line right in front of me, her actual fiancé.

Victoria wasn’t offended in the slightest. Instead, she stroked his cheek and teased him.

“Julian, now you’re being naughty.”

“Adrian’s a beginner. Are you really going to join the table just to bully him?”

Julian pouted, about to protest.

I narrowed my eyes. From the side, this impostor really did bear a passing resemblance to me.

Before he could speak, I cut in.

“It’s fine. Whatever makes Julian happy. It’s only one more player.”

“Dealer, you can start.”

Victoria paused. My composure seemed to strike her as strange, but nothing about me suggested I knew what I was doing.

Suppressing her doubts, she frowned and patted Julian’s waist.

“All right, stop fooling around.”

“If you want to play, go sit down.”

Only then did Julian reluctantly leave her side and take the seat beside her.

An attendant silently approached and arranged thirty million dollars in chips in front of each of us. Julian’s eyes lit up.

At the same time, the dealer produced a fresh deck.

He displayed it, broke the seal, selected the twenty-eight cards needed for the game, and began shuffling with dazzling speed.

At last, the soft snap of the cards stopped.

The game had officially begun.

The dealer’s fingers moved, sliding a hole card facedown in front of each player.

Then came the upcards—Victoria had the six of hearts, Julian the jack of diamonds, and I had the ace of spades.

The dealer scanned the table and announced:

“Under stud rules, the ace of spades is the highest exposed card. Mr. Bennett, you may bet or fold.”

I acknowledged him, running my fingertips over the ivory-colored chips.

But instead of pushing them forward, I suddenly sighed.

I looked at Victoria with a hint of regret.

“Miss Sterling, you went to so much trouble to get me to this table. Playing for nothing but money seems a little boring.”

“Why don’t we raise the stakes?”