Chapter 4

Even Brandon was stunned that I would bet on real estate, not to mention that the apartment was one of the most important properties my parents had given me early on.

Its location was strategic and definitely far more valuable than Wanda's boutique.

With that, the game was on.

Wanda opened her cup first, raising her brow at me smugly as she got nine points.

Brandon himself got seven.

I took a deep breath, my hands trembling as I shook my dice… and got eight points.

Just one point short!

Deflated, I collapsed on the couch, while Wanda whooped right beside me.

Since she was close, she could whisper to me so only both of us could hear, "How does losing feel? I want everything you have."

I looked up at her, my cheeks flushed from alcohol but my eyes bright. "One more."

-

Like floodgates, there was really no stopping the gambling once one got started.

Over the next few rounds, the bets turned to things that weren't all that valuable, but stuff that concerned business connections, events, and dignity.

I was losing a lot and only winning occasionally.

When I lost, I turned pale.

When I won, I couldn't hide my thrill.

That was why everyone could see that I was losing my cool like the typical gambler getting a little trigger happy.

Brandon wanted to stop me, but Wanda stopped him, so he simply sat there, frowning.

I couldn't help but smile wryly as I watched.

Perhaps he considered that I was messing around and was waiting for me to return to his side, begging for help as I always did.

But the more he wanted to stop me, the more I made sure to appear as if he and Wanda were driving me to desperation and losing proper judgement.

That was why before the next round began, I twirled my glass strangely, my voice raspy as if drunk as I spoke, "Priority to Starhill Hotel's banquet hall booking list for the next 12 months."

The people around the table sharply turned toward me.

After all, Starhill Hotel was a luxury venue, and reservations were really difficult to secure.

It was also one of my parents' most important businesses, and where Brandon and I's weddings would be held.

Martin did a double take and quickly turned to Brandon, whose fingers tightened around his glass. "So you're betting on our wedding too?"

I smiled. "Everyone's treating tonight as a joke anyway. A banquet hall is not too much, is it?"

I heard someone laugh softly nearby. "Guess she's really losing her cool now, despite her usual calm self."

Wanda's smile was even more nonchalant as she tapped her fingers on her dice. "Fine, Angie. You sure are generous… Just don't cry when you lose, what with the way your hands tremble."

I lowered my gaze, deliberately letting my breaths turn ragged and my fingers unsteady as I held my glass.

As we set our cups, I stared at Wanda's hand, my own fingers tightening before I lifted my cup.

Hard four: eight points, once again losing to Wanda by one point.

Everyone was laughing around the table again, and I followed suit, as if in denial.

Suddenly, the table was a battlefield, and after a string of losses, I seemed to finally luck out and win a company by a narrow margin.

The company name was Wandaful Media—it was a media company that Wanda really loved, and she suddenly wasn't calm anymore.

It wasn't even one of the Stiles' principal businesses, but Wanda herself loved flaunting it to everyone else. That went on for years, and she used it to organize the many elite socialite parties and banquets that she had put together over the years.

Martin gasped too and whispered, "Wanda… Should we stop here?"

Wanda didn't seem to hear him as she growled in clear dissatisfaction, "That sure was lucky, Angela! Care to raise the stakes?"

I calmly lifted my glass and finished my wine, the alcohol burning my throat and burning off the last bit of hesitation on my face.

"Why not?" I asked in return. "What's it gonna be? Pray tell."

Before Brandon could speak, Wanda held up a palm to stop him and snapped, "All-in! I'm betting all my Stiles LLC shares along with static assets! What about you?! Do you dare to call me on that?!"

The room suddenly became dead silent.