Chapter 4

The dealer flinched and hurried to obey.

He immediately dealt the fourth cards.

They turned faceup.

Victoria received the ace of hearts. A straight flush was no longer possible, but with the ten and eight of hearts already exposed, she had a powerful flush draw. Her unrevealed hole card left plenty of potential.

I received the ace of diamonds. With my ace of spades and three of diamonds, I now had a visible pair of aces.

“No… No! How can it be the four of spades?”

Before the dealer could speak, Julian cried out. His legs gave way, and he slid out of his chair, landing on the carpet with a heavy thud. All dignity vanished.

In the process, his fingers accidentally flipped over his hole card.

The queen of hearts.

Four cards: a pair of jacks, a queen of hearts, and a four.

That meant his best hand was already set. No matter what the final card was, he couldn’t beat my pair of aces.

Julian was guaranteed to lose.

The banquet hall’s silence shattered into gasps and whispers.

Completely panicked, Julian forgot all about appearances. He scrambled on his hands and knees to Victoria’s feet, sobbing through tears and snot.

“Victoria, save me!”

“I can’t crawl naked around this room! I’ll never be able to show my face again!”

Victoria’s expression was thunderous. But looking at a face that bore such a resemblance to her mentor’s, she couldn’t help softening.

Swallowing her anger, she reassured him.

“Get up. Stop crying. The game isn’t over yet!”

“I’ll help you.”

Then she drew a deep breath and looked at me.

“Adrian, take my advice. Stop here.”

“Fold this round, and you can take the thirty million in chips. I’ll also give the Bennett family another one percent of the waterfront project. In return, your wager with Julian is canceled. If we take this to the final card, things will get ugly for both of us.”

“I assume… you’ve heard why they call me the Phantom Hand. You can’t beat me.”

I shook my head, then laughed aloud.

My gaze swept over Julian, trembling on the floor. I drew out my words, savoring every one.

“My, my. You really do adore my little brother.”

“In that case, I’ll—”

Before finishing, I stopped smiling and shoved the mountain of chips in front of me into the pot.

“Go all in.”

“Victoria Sterling, I’m betting everything!”

The crash of chips echoed through the banquet hall.

I stared straight at her, each word cold and sharp.

“If you insist on protecting Julian, fine. You can take on every one of his wagers.”

“You cover him. If you win, all our previous bets are canceled. But if you lose, don’t forget what we agreed to.”

“I want your womb.”

Victoria stared at me, then laughed in fury.

“Ha… Fine, Adrian. I really did underestimate you. You’re ruthless!”

“If you dare make that kind of bet, why should I be afraid?”

“Let me tell you something. Unless my mentor walks into this room, no one here can beat me!”

She turned away and barked:

“Dealer! Julian folds. Deal the final cards!”

The last cards swept through the air and landed faceup.

Victoria received the king of hearts. I received the three of spades.

She stood, giving my cards a cruel, contemptuous glance, then slowly revealed her hole card—the seven of hearts.

All five of Victoria’s cards were exposed: the eight, ten, ace, king, and seven of hearts.

A flush.

She looked at me with undisguised contempt.

“A pair of threes and an ace. That last card you’re hiding must be a blank. Two pair at best. How exactly do you plan to beat my flush?”

“Don’t blame me, Adrian.”

“You brought this on yourself.”

Julian immediately forgot his earlier humiliation and sprang to his feet.

Vindictive excitement filled his face. He laughed shrilly.

“You little bitch! Let’s see you act smug now!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure every major news outlet gets a good look at the video of you crawling naked around this room!”

The banquet hall filled with noise, laughter, and the eager anticipation of a spectacle.

Everyone thought the outcome was settled.

I was finished.

Yet my expression remained calm. Almost indifferent.

I couldn’t even be bothered to glance at Julian as he strutted in front of me. My gaze passed through the commotion and landed on Victoria’s triumphant face.

I slowly rose.

“Victoria, is that what I taught you in that back alley in Las Vegas?”

Her smile froze. Her pupils contracted as she stared at me.

Her voice filled with confusion and shock.

“You… How do you know about that?”

“Las Vegas, the alley… Those memories belong to my mentor and me. How could you…”

I offered no explanation. I only shook my head in disappointment.

“You get a good hand, lose your head, and show your hole card too soon.”

“You really… haven’t learned much.”

Under Victoria’s disbelieving stare, I turned over the card I’d kept facedown throughout the game.

It wasn’t the worthless card she’d been so sure I held.

It was the three of hearts.

My five cards lay on the table: three threes and a pair of aces.

The entire hall went silent.

“A full house. Three cards of one rank, plus a pair of another.”

“Nothing spectacular. Just enough to beat your flush.”

“Well, my apprentice? Have you learned your lesson?”