The Bet That Ruined Us Novels & Stories

So, I had won the game, but I’d lost everything else. Who would have thought a stupid bet could cost this much? I stood there in the middle of the quad, surrounded by the ghosts of my own bad choices. The timer on our careers hadn't just hit zero. It had exploded. How do you save someone when you're the one who ruined them? I looked toward the library where she’d disappeared. Tomorrow, she could lose her scholarship. Tomorrow, I could lose my career. But tonight? Tonight, I just lost her.

"The photos, Julian. You've been photographing me. Following me. Stalking me." "I've been trying to talk to you. You keep avoiding me. What was I supposed to do?" "Leave me alone. Respect the restraining order. Move on with your life." "How can I move on when you ruined my life? When you took everything? My money. My reputation. My dignity." "I didn't ruin anything. You did that yourself." His mask slips. Anger flashing through. "I did everything right. I gave you everything. And you threw it away for some prostitute and his bastard kid."

The barcode was gone. I looked at my own chest. The skin was clear. Caleb leaned against me. He was exhausted. He was messy. He had morning breath and a gash on his forehead. "So," Caleb said. "What do we do now that we're broke?" I looked at the crowd. At the world we’d broken and remade. "I think I’ve got a gambling debt to pay," I said. I reached into my pocket. I pulled out a single gold coin. "And I know a guy who can get us a deal on a used hockey rink."

My voice cracked. He looked down. “I didn’t know what to do. I told myself I’d win your heart the right way this time. No games. No lies.” “But it started with a lie,” I said, wiping a tear. Silence. Then I asked, “Who else knew? About the bet?” He hesitated. “Max.” I whispered. “Max? My ex-husband Max?” He nodded slowly. “He was the one I made the deal with.” The room spun.

I've just booked a restaurant for my seventh wedding anniversary with my wife, Melanie Rowland, when several lines of text suddenly appear across my vision. "Would you like to take part in a loyalty test? "We'll randomly give your wife a system. If she tells you about it, you win, and the two of you will receive one million dollars." After seven years of marriage, I have no doubt Melanie loves me. As far as I'm concerned, that million dollars is already in the bag. Still, I'm curious enough to ask one question. "What if we lose?" "If you lose, it proves your marriage has failed. In return, you'll receive a mystery prize big enough to let you start your life over. "The price of partici

At Port Calloway's biggest racetrack, a wager is underway. But it isn't on the horses. It's on a person. Everyone is betting on when I, Mallory Abernathy, the disgraced Ridgemont heiress who won't stop clinging to Alden Van Alstyne, will finally divorce him and get lost. They mock me and laugh, and every one of them is betting I won't leave. Alden raises an eyebrow. "Where's the fun in a bet with no suspense?" At that moment, I'm standing behind a pillar just thirty feet away, clutching my pregnancy test results. My heart keeps sinking. I call him. He answers, but he sounds thoroughly irritated. "You've called five times today to check up on me, Mallory. Don't you have any self-respec

Everyone at Bayport High knew I had a weakness for hot guys. Nolan Caldwell was the hottest. I'd been top of my class for years. Then I stopped studying and ditched school for him. We spent all night gaming and hitting clubs. I even let him talk me into skipping the SAT. When someone posted a school poll—[Who would throw away their future for love?]—I won by a landslide. Everyone said I was nuts to tank my future over a guy. I just smiled. "Nolan wants to be part of my future. "Once he's done partying, I'll help him get into Westbridge U." Besides, a month before the SAT, Westbridge was already reviewing my application through a special admissions process. I didn't need an SAT score.

“He won millions of dollars at first, and was ecstatic. “But after betting his own money, he lost three matches in a row! “Not only did he lose the money he won… “But he even lost his own money! “He was afraid of Mother lashing out, so he mortgaged Ostrane One for a hundred and fifty million dollars and tried to win all the money back with that. “But after that, he lost…” Mandy was depressed. She didn’t think that the family was in more trouble than she was! Harvey, meanwhile, was speechless. ‘What a guy… ‘The house isn’t even his in the first place!

This overly enthusiastic host was going to ruin Wilson's reputation beyond salvaging. "... WILSON!" Horr shouted. The crowd raised their voices and yelled excitedly. Some cursed. They were the ones who had placed their bet on Dash and lost some money. Jim's and Vox's phones dinged. Jim quickly grabbed both and looked at them simultaneously and then, he beamed widely. He had used all his money to bet on Wilson as a gambling risk and used all of Vox's for sentimental reasons. Luckily for him, Wilson had won. If not, only God knew what Vox would have done when he later discovered it.

"It's my fault. I was blind. I know that Boss Alex really loves you. He will definitely listen to what you say. Please help me beg him." "Mr Jackli, listen carefully. These three million are the fees you promised to pay for Boss Alex's car repair. We still have evidence that you intentionally hurt people. If you weren't here to pay the three million, Then hurry up and leave. Since you're not afraid of this bet, then I'm not afraid of it either. Even if I lose, I'm willing to admit defeat!" "Alright, the bet continues. But I really can't take out three million. Even if you kill me, I don't have three million."