The Great Gambit Novel Novels & Stories

His mind spun with a thousand possibilities, each more poisonous than the last. He needed answers. Real answers, not the vague explanations or tired expressions that Ava offered. So, with trembling hands and a sense of shame he couldn’t shake, DeMarco did what he had always sworn he wouldn’t: he hired a private investigator. The man’s name was Garret. He was older, with a lined face and steady, unfazed eyes. He didn’t seem surprised by DeMarco’s story—just listened, nodding, scribbling notes in a battered notebook. “You want to know the truth,” he said, and DeMarco nodded, feeling his stomach twist at the sound of those words.

''And if she's nothing? I pulled the car door open, ''then his debt is still unpaid. I knew why Dominic was optimistic. I was already engaged to Stephanie Russo. A fixture more of arrangement and desire, a name tied through Mafia alliances. She was a beautiful woman, a very dangerous one too and at the end of the year as expected, she would become my wife. I wasn't sure she needed to know about tonight. Amelia Nightshade was likely nothing. Mateo would look for another way to repay his debt or lose his life, that I knew.

James greeted Isabella coldly, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. "Welcome, Isabella. You're finally here," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Isabella smiled nervously, "Thank you, James. This is...wow." James snorted, pouring himself a drink. "Save the small talk, Isabella. You're not here for the view." Isabella's smile faltered. "James, I—" He cut her off, his voice icy. "Let's get down to business. You're here for the money, and I'm here for...well, let's just say you're a means to an end."

He followed me around all day, trying to feed me tonics and supplements. He even bought three Immortal Honey Fruits—legendary, priceless treasures said to be the most coveted nourishment for expectant mothers. In my past life, Jacob had only ever let me have half a fruit. How could the impoverished snake clan afford three whole ones? "How did you afford this? I thought the snake clan was supposed to be—" Before I could finish, Draco sat beside me and held a freshly washed fruit up to my lips. "Clarice, who told you the snake clan is poor? Look around our home. From the flooring to the vases—everything here is expensive."

My net worth is increasing, which makes me happy, placing me among the top ten billionaires in New York City. I bit my finger in frustration at Anna's sudden disappearance. I don’t know where she went. Perhaps she is with Sebastian, that cruel man who’s too obsessed with money. Sebastian is a real player; I know he can’t form a genuine relationship with Anna because he’s a playboy. I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to send love texts to Anna under my roof. I was overwhelmed with thoughts of Sebastian touching and kissing Anna. Who knows, maybe they’ve already slept together.

“Three? You want to make him offer us three billion dollars?” Magda noticed even Darya thought Dimi might be a bit over the top and she watched her hands shaking. Yup. Dimi was pissed on her behalf. It suddenly felt good to have the backing of the daughter of the most ruthless mafia kingpin in the country. “A billion each? Let’s find out if when a billionaire gets their first billion how long it takes for the devil to show up.” On the beach the girls had held an entire discussion whether earning a billion got you a deal with the devil and Magda found herself wondering if Dimi might have already made it. Her face was far more wicked than she’d ever seen it.

" I asked incredulously. "Yes, that Jean Russell. His father, Christian Russell, owns a chain of high-end schools and real estate. Marcus himself is a self-made billionaire, as he owns Ria Games," she explained, leaving me gaping in disbelief. "Ria Games? That's the most popular game of the century," I said in surprise. "Well, it turns out he's not some mysterious man after all. He's a rich young playboy who's also breathtakingly handsome. I wonder what made him step up to save you," she mused.

As she stepped into her car, she received a call from her childhood friend, who revealed a shocking truth: Alexandro had not fallen into a coma due to natural Clara felt her heart racing as she hung up the phone. Don Rio's sudden appearance at the board of directors' meeting had set off alarm bells in her head. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right. She had to get to the bottom of this, and fast. Her driver sped through the busy streets, weaving in and out of traffic as she frantically tried to make her way home. She couldn't help but think about how much her life had changed in such a short amount of time. Just a few months ago, she was a sheltered heiress living a car

Just when I need him, he disappears. "Just keep tracking Finn and find out who his previous clients were. Maybe we can get some information on them," I demanded. "Sure thing, boss," he smiled at me sarcastically. Tsk. Maybe if Finn and those dangerous people hunting us didn’t exist, our lives would be more free, and I could bond openly in public with my family and friends. Everything we do is always done in secret. Still, being a billionaire isn’t so bad. You can buy what you want at any time and anywhere. Many rivals want to bring down the world's most powerful and wealthy because they don't want you at the top. Some individuals, such as Finn, turn to illicit ventures in an attempt to rise

"I need access to an account. The name is Caleb Vanderbilt. I want every last dollar transferred, I want it done neatly, no evidence of the account it's being transferred to." A beat of silence, then a hum. "I see. And when do you want it done?" "Tonight. I want to wake up to the money in my account first thing at dawn." "Untraceable you say?" "Yes. I don't need him to know where the money went." I said flatly. "That money was mine to begin with. I gave it to Caleb to start a business, but he threw it away. Now I’m taking it back." Jace was quiet for a moment. "I can do it. You don't need to wait till dawn. Give me an hour."