The Bet That Ruined Us Novels & Stories

Adam Hart, once a successful and wealthy businessman, succumbed to financial ruin due to poor choices and deceit. Desperate, Adam immersed himself in gambling, associating with the underworld, leading to a drastic change in behavior. Adam's gambling addiction spiraled into massive debts. To cover them, he cunningly pawned the Rossie mansion's certificate, sparking rumors and confirming the betrayal to Lady Rossie.

I rolled my eyes and tried to pull away from him but he didn't let me go. “It's not that simple, Ben. This woman has no one to testify for her bit her best friend who has already lied for her so many times. There is no way for me to prove that she is not mentally unstable. And she gets to lose her home, her family farm and business, to a cheating asshole. They dumped it on me for a reason. To see me fail miserably. Maybe, I should just quit.” I spoke in a low tone, feeling suddenly low.

“I'm so sorry, Charlotte.” Ten thousand dollars. Now, that was hardly any money to us, but back then, it was every dime Bastian, Leo, and Gabe had. They had saved for months working odd jobs and eating nothing but ramen. It had been everything back then. And Leo had bet it all. “You never said anything...” I was still processing the implications. Leo had bet all of the money without asking anyone. If the kicker had missed... Our business never would have existed. “How could I?” Leo's voice cracked. “You looked at me like I was hero when I said we had forty-grand. I didn't want you to look at me like a gambler. I didn't want you to see the real me.”

he cackled up a barrel of laughs, infuriating me further. “Fine ! I agree to your stupid bet but know this that you will be S’ed in the B so bad. Whoever wins and get his or her name in the Hall of Fame, can ask for anything from the other. Deal ?” I asked as I put forward my hand. “You better buy sunscreen for yourself, Joy Stone. You are going to be burned like hell. Deal,” he accepted all the terms and conditions of the bet as he shook my hand. “Get ready for your life to get worse from one to damn !"

“I'd promise but I wouldn't invest. Then I can get the most painful revenge without spending a dime.” He chuckled as he shut the folder. The man had a damn lot to learn. After the reunion night, he'd expected Travis to tread carefully, to butter him up or try to make amends after high school. Instead, Travis offhandedly hinted that money overshadowed everything. When you dined with the devil, it was only sensible to do so with a long ladle. Apparently, Mr. My-Parents-Money-Made-Me hadn't learned that lesson yet. “How would that work?”

“ Gio, we are going to fix your reputation and make your revenge plan interesting and unforgettable in the history of Bocconi.” I looked at him, my eyes narrowing. “ What are you talking about, Sandro?” “A bet, Gio.” Alessandro stepped into my personal space, his eyes locking onto mine. “Make her fall in love with you, not just a crush but Ice Queen melted into a puddle kind of love. Get her into your bed, then dump her publicly, once the win is secured. Remind her, and everyone watching, exactly who Giovanni Atticus Malvetti is.” Alessandro's words struck me. I had never been the one to back down from a challenge, especially when my ego was on the line. I had a reputation to uphold and I ce

He looked like I’d hit him. But he said nothing. I let the silence answer for him. But then he exhaled, slow and heavy, like the breath had been caught in his chest for too long. "I didn’t know what was memory and what was the ruin’s will," he said at last. His voice wasn’t steady. It was raw, worn thin. "I didn’t know if I was watching you, or her, or both. And I didn’t know—" he broke off, jaw clenched. "I didn’t know if stepping in would anchor you or destroy you."

Asher teases with heavy sarcasm. "What do you mean?" I grunt. "Nothing..." he replies, but I can see how his gray eyes darken. "Whatever, it has been quite exhausting. And I haven't mentioned how I fucked up with Jasper, by the way..." I then trail off, trying to ignore how Justin's eyebrows furrow into a scowl. "He had bought one of those vibrating eggs with a remote control and of course, we had to try it yesterday evening. I had just switched it on when things happened in the kitchen. The poor boy, I left him with the vibrator on for more than ten minutes."

The other guys were getting nervous. The bet was supposed to be airtight. We'd all signed contracts, used lawyers Marcus had personally vetted, kept everything offline except for encrypted communications. But Grace had somehow figured out it existed, and if she kept pushing, if she talked to Stella or found a way into my office safe, the whole thing could blow up. Fifty million dollars split five ways was a lot of money, but it was nothing compared to what we'd lose in reputation and business if people found out we'd turned marriage into a game with a payout.

If he lost even an hour, he acted as though something had been stolen from him. Over time, our private agreement became the most notorious annual scandal at Westbridge. Every year, the racing team opened an anonymous betting pool. The odds that we would reunite were even. The odds that we would finally break up were one hundred to one. A cloud of sweet perfume approached. Natalie dropped into the seat beside me and lifted her drink. “What did you bet on this year?” “I’m only here to watch.” It was a lie. Everyone in that room was betting that I would forgive Luca on the thirty-first day. This time, I had placed everything on us never getting back together.