Chapter 104

Alice struggled to respond. Mrs. Reyes' gaze held hers, making Alicia uncomfortable. She shot a sharp glance at Caden. "It wasn't intentional. I'm sorry."

Caden replied, "Oh, I thought you were asking me for a card."

Alice was speechless once more.

Mrs. Reyes chuckled softly. "Miss Bennett, are you losing control?"

A surge of boldness surprised Alice. "I've been sitting here so long my legs cramped up. That's why I accidentally hit Mr. Ward. But watch out, Mrs. Reyes, you could be next."

Mrs. Reyes' expression darkened. "Good sportsmanship is important, even for fun. You must understand the rules and avoid underhanded tactics."

Caden chuckled. "I have to ask, who made the rules for this table?"

Mrs. Reyes replied, "No one created them; they've been in place for generations."

"I swear it was you, Mrs. Reyes," Caden said.

Mrs. Reyes' heart pounded. Was there more to his words? Did he suspect something? His face remained inscrutable. The weight of the moment, and the loss of an ally, sapped her confidence.

After quickly losing all her chips, Alice played recklessly, her moves increasingly aggressive. Though Mrs. Reyes maintained her lead, her victories became less certain.

Shuffling his cards, Caden commented, "Three thousand dollars doesn't seem like much. Ms. Reyes, shall we raise the stakes?"

Mrs. Reyes hesitated.

Caden added, "If she's unwilling, it doesn't matter."

Mrs. Reyes couldn't tolerate the slight. "What's your proposal, Mr. Ward?"

"One hundred thousand dollars."

Mrs. Reyes fell silent, sensing Caden's focus on her. Unease washed over her.

Alicia, unfazed by her empty wallet, smiled at Mrs. Reyes' grim face. "A hundred thousand? That's chump change. Let's make it two hundred thousand. Mr. Ward can afford it. Congratulations, Mrs. Reyes, looks like today's your lucky day."

Mrs. Reyes didn't dare smile. Alicia's words sounded like praise, but she knew it was a setup. Yet, with such large wins at stake, backing out wasn't an option.

"Okay. We'll use Mr. Ward's suggestion," Mrs. Reyes conceded.

But Caden interjected, "Actually, let's follow Ms. Bennett's lead. Two hundred thousand sounds more exciting."

Mrs. Reyes was speechless.

Alicia continued, "Mrs. Reyes, what's wrong? You don't seem excited. Is two hundred thousand too modest? Should we raise it to five hundred thousand?"

Mrs. Reyes cut her off, "Two hundred thousand is perfectly fine."

Alice suppressed a smile.

Before the game, Mrs. Reyes had clung to a faint hope. Despite losing a partner, Raquel had rigged the dice in her favor. With cautious play, even Caden couldn't win. But to her astonishment, in the second round, Caden began winning repeatedly. Sweat beaded on Mrs. Reyes' palms. How was this possible? The second and third rounds followed the same pattern; Caden swept them all, his skill seemingly improving with each game. Mrs. Reyes' head spun.

Another woman, crushed by defeat, silently left. Rachel smoothly took the vacant seat.

Caden looked at her and said, "Mrs. Gray, your timing is impeccable. I have a question for you."

Rachel maintained a calm smile. "I'm listening, Mr. Ward."

Caden silently picked up the dice and dropped them before her. "Would you mind explaining this to me?"

Alice looked confused. Mrs. Reyes hadn't expected Caden to notice, and her grip on the dice tightened. Alice quickly understood. "Is there something wrong with the dice?"

He examined them carefully, finding nothing unusual. Curious, she asked, "What have you done to the dice?"

Caden remained neutral. "I'm not sure. You'll have to check with Mr. Gray."

Rachel, unless caught red-handed, wouldn't concede. "They're regular dice. What's the problem?"

Caden replied calmly, "In that case, I'll bring in experts. I heard Mr. Reyes is out of town on business. Don't worry, I'll ensure the media gets the details and send you a special copy of today's highlights."

The mention of her husband terrified Mrs. Reyes. "Mr. Ward, please don't…"

Rachel realized Caden was abandoning Alicia, leaving her cornered. With no other options, she conceded. "I remembered this table had previous issues I neglected. My apologies, Ms. Bennett. Ms. Reyes will reimburse you for your losses. We're here to have fun; let's not let money spoil it."

Alice smiled faintly. They still tried to blame her.

"Mrs. Gray," Alice replied, "since you're being so generous, why not reimburse me for what I lost to Mrs. Reyes?"