บททั้งหมดของ Condemned Wife's Compliance: บทที่ 131 - บทที่ 140

The first game started without much fanfare. As Adrea received her hand, she was hyper-aware of the hum in the room. The players on her table were rather quiet. They had introduced themselves and the two that seemed to know each other had continued their conversation before they had fallen silent when they realised that they were the only ones talking.Adrea dragged her cards into her space and then did the nifty thing of peeking into them. She had a king of clubs and an ace of hearts. A good enough hand. She kept her face impassive as she looked around her table. One of the players took one look at his cards and immediately folded.Adrea wondered if that was because his pocket cards were that bad or if he wanted to watch the other players first before jumping into the game. The first player placed the small blind. The next player posted the big blind then it was Adrea’s turn. She called, pushing the same amount of chips as the big blind. She was not going to push the envelope just yet

The corridor was hushed when Aris and Adrea stepped out of the lift. The hour was late enough that the hotel seemed emptied of life, just the faint hum of air-conditioning and the soft tread of their shoes against the plush carpet. Aris carried himself with the same easy confidence he always did, but Adrea felt the weight of the day in her shoulders, in the heaviness of her steps. The hours at the tournament had drained her more than she had realised, and yet the moment they reached the suite she let out a little breath that felt almost like relief.Inside, the quiet was welcoming. The city’s bright lights were muted through the thick curtains, and the room’s soft glow made everything seem cocooned, safe. Adrea kicked off her heels by the door and let them fall where they landed.“I am never wearing those again,” she muttered, bending to rub at her aching feet.Aris grinned, tossing his jacket over a chair. “That’s what you said last time.”“Yes, well, I meant it this time.”He chuckl

The tournament room buzzed like a hive when the officials finally called for a lunch break. The players scattered quickly, eager to escape the intensity of the cards and the thick tension that had clung to the air for the past several hours.Adrea stretched her arms above her head, shoulders stiff from sitting in one place too long. She glanced down at her stack—steady, safe, not spectacular, but good enough to keep her in the game without worry. Aris was waiting at the exit, already scanning the crowd for her with that lazy half-smile of his.“You look like someone who could use food before you faint,” he said as soon as she reached him.“I could eat a heard of elephants,” she muttered, tugging her blazer back into place.“Good thing the buffet only has chicken,” he teased, slipping his hand briefly against the small of her back to guide her through the crush of players.They hadn’t gone far before Sanne and Moreau caught up with them. Sanne looked both relieved and wired, her copper

The following morning, Adrea woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains of her hotel suite, warmth spilling across her face. For the first time in days, there was no alarm to beat, no tournament to rush into. Just a rare day off.She stretched slowly, her body easing into the soft sheets, and turned her head to see Aris already awake, scrolling lazily through his phone with his arm resting behind his head. His dark hair was mussed from sleep, his expression unguarded in that rare way that made him look younger, softer.“Morning,” she murmured, voice still husky.He turned his head and smiled, setting his phone aside. “Morning, star player. Did you dream of poker chips flying around your head again?”She groaned, pulling the blanket over her face. “Don’t remind me. I might actually need this day off to forget I ever heard the sound of cards shuffling.”Aris laughed, tugging the blanket down just enough to press a kiss to her forehead. “Good. Then we’ll do something that has nothin

The following morning, the world felt sharper. The sounds in the hotel lobby, the clatter of dishes at breakfast, even the scrape of her chair against the polished floor as she rose to leave—everything seemed amplified. Adrea’s nerves were humming, not with fear this time, but with a tightly wound anger she hadn’t fully acknowledged until she sat down at her poker table.Felix had stolen too much of her peace already.Every time he appeared, her chest constricted, her mind scattered. She had caught herself replaying his words long after he’d spoken them, picking apart his smirk, his deliberate tone, as if he had the right to twist her emotions. But he didn’t. He had no right at all.She sat straighter in her chair, waiting as the dealer shuffled the deck with practised precision. Across from her, players were laughing quietly, their chips clacking as they prepared for another long day. Aris was watching from the sidelines, his gaze brushing over her as she settled in. He gave her a sma