All Chapters of Raising the Stakes: Cheating the King of Cheats: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

Amidst the laughter echoing through the lounge, I sat down at the poker table with composure.When he saw how calm I was, Michael Shaw raised an eyebrow, seemingly a bit intrigued."Not bad. You do have some guts," he said.But then his tone shifted, the contempt growing thicker. "But you're all guts and no brains. Ms. Jackson, you can't even tell the suits apart. Do I need to explain the rules of poker to you?"Upon glancing at the green felt table, a wave of familiarity rushed back.I shook my head and raised a hand to stop him. "Thank you, Mr. Shaw, but there's no need. Five cards, four face-up, one face-down. We compare the values. Even I know that much.""Fine. Since Ms. Jackson is so clear on the rules, let's begin!"Michael sneered and gestured to the dealer standing by, Jerome Durham, to deal the cards."Wait!"Just then, a coquettish voice rang out from the crowd."Michael, the more players there are, the more fun it becomes. What's the point of just you and Nancy pl

Chapter 2

Michael looked at me and sneered. His gaze seemed to say I was a fool who had gotten cocky and reckless with a good hand."Alright. Since you brought it up, go ahead. What stakes do you want to raise?" he asked.I met his mocking gaze and tapped lightly on the ace of spades in front of me."For the new port project at Moria, Shaw Corp holds 5%, while Jackson Group holds 3%."I want to bet Jackson Group's 3% against Shaw Corp's 5%. How about it, Mr. Shaw?"As soon as I finished speaking, the entire lounge erupted."Nancy has lost her mind! That's the new port and a strategic project! The Shaws, Jackson, and several other major families have spent a lot of money fighting over for years. And she's just betting it away like that?""No wonder Mr. Shaw doesn't want to marry her. How is there such an idiot in the Jackson family?"Someone clicked their tongue. "Mr. Jackson Senior built this business with his life, but Nancy is betting it away like it's nothing. If I were him, I'd claw

Chapter 3

After all three of us had placed our bets, Jerome continued to deal the third card.The cards were soon revealed.Willow got the jack of spades. Paired with her face-up jack of diamonds, she now had a pair of jacks, instantly putting her in the lead.Michael got the eight of hearts, and when put together with his ten of hearts, he now had the potential for a straight flush.As for me, I only got the three of diamonds. Combined with my ace of spades, my hand was a mess. Despite having the highest single card, my overall potential seemed far worse than theirs.The game reversed itself in an instant.Jerome gestured to Willow. "Among all face-up cards, the pair of jacks is currently the highest. Ms. Baker, you have the first move. Bet or fold?"Willow's face immediately regained its color. She glanced at my pitiful card on the table and nearly laughed out loud. She spoke up to humiliate me."An idiot will be an idiot. You got an ace at the start and thought you could win? No won

Chapter 4

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 w

Chapter 5

Michael staggered back in shock and fell into his chair. He tilted his head back and stared fixedly at my face."But she didn't look like you back then," he mumbled.I leaned down slightly and chuckled. "Solvega is a place that eats people alive and spits them out clean. Only an idiot like you would reveal your whole face and get into trouble."Back then, only the top half of my face was uncovered."Michael's hand trembled in midair as he covered the lower half of my face. He couldn't help but murmur, "It really is you… Ms. Fortuna."That murmured "Ms. Fortuna" immediately transported me five years into the past.…Back then, Michael wasn't the powerful Mr. Shaw he was now. He was just an unloved, exiled, and bullied outcast of the Shaw family.He carried the Shaw family name, but none of its protection.The people hunting him were a group of ruthless Ruslavian gamblers. They dared not kill him outright, as killing a Shaw family member in public would be a direct provocation a

Chapter 6

Willow jolted with shock, and she slowly turned around to face me. Her previous smugness was gone, replaced by sheer terror and desperation.She had barely taken two steps before collapsing to her knees in front of me.Willow clutched my leg and begged through tears, "Nancy, I was wrong! Please spare me! That bet was just a joke. I can't strip naked here. I'd be ruined. My life would be over!"You wouldn't have the heart to let me die, would you, Nancy?"I scoffed and shook my head, reaching out to lift her disheveled face."You and your homewrecker of a mother are so alike."Back then, when she got pregnant from the affair and my mother caught her, she dropped to her knees just like this. She cried and begged my mother for mercy. "Mother was too soft-hearted and believed her lies. She gave her money, telling her to disappear and to get rid of you."As I spoke, I tightened my grip, contorting Willow's face."And what happened? Not only did she not abort you, she even raised y

Chapter 7

Willow's shrill cries gradually faded away.Only then did I have the chance to look at Michael, who had been silent the whole time."Alright, now it's time to settle our bet," I said.The entire lounge was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and everyone held their breath.I walked over to my chair and took out a sleek silver dagger from my handbag. The sound of the blade leaving its sheath echoed menacingly through the silent lounge. I gripped the dagger and slowly walked toward Michael. When the tip of my high heel stopped in front of him, I looked down."You won't go back on your word, would you, Mr. Shaw? After all, you were the one who personally bet your family jewels and lost them to me."Michael handled it much more gracefully than Willow. He accepted his loss, squeezing his eyes shut and turning his face away.I didn't say anything more either. With a sharp motion, I raised the dagger high.A streak of silver traced a curve in the air.The blade slammed down between

Chapter 8

My brows twitched sharply. "What are you doing?" I asked.Michael looked up, pain etched on his face as he said, "I want to pursue you."I know… I've done a lot of terrible things to you in the past. But Ms. F—Nancy, please trust me when I say my feelings for you are real. I don't dare ask for your forgiveness. I only hope… You can give me another chance."I frowned deeply. I truly didn't understand his behavior.Did that strike from me give him Stockholm syndrome? Or did the beating from Ms. Shaw Senior damage his brain?I lowered my gaze to him and said bluntly, "No. Because I really do hate you."Michael opened his mouth, as if to explain himself, but I cut him off before he had the chance.I stood up and said, "Michael, if I had truly been the useless 'trophy' you mocked and claimed couldn't even tell card suits apart, then I would've been left with only two choices in your wager."Either I would've folded immediately, and you'd shamelessly humiliate and mock me even more.

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