Chapter 81

“Remember the last time we played cards?” Messaid, gloating. “Dawson was winning at last, but then each of us got a big hand, and we ended up taking back everything he’d painstakingly earned. He walked away with a bigger loss!”

Autumn glanced at Dawson. His silence only confirmed Rico’s story.

“Shall we continue?” she asked.

“May I wager on you,” Robin said, with Jamte nodding in agreement.

“Today, the three of us gentlemen are dropping all pretenses of manners,” Rico said, a mischievous glint in his eye. He figured that if Dawson had already “unwanded” Auburn with a race KPT, letting her win now wouldn’t be as fun. He wanted her to keep losing so the game would keep going.

Taunted by their challenge, Autumn simply smiled. “No problem. Bring it on.”

Immediately, Rico perked up. “Oh—hey, Dawson! Your little secretary’s throwing down a challenge! So, who are you betting on? Us or her?”

Dawson still looked utterly uninterested; he couldn’t be bothered to respond.

Autumn, usually as cool and detached as an AI, had accepted the challenge with surprising confidence. That alone was enough to fire up Robin’s competitive streak. “Autumn, I’m not letting you win.”

Jamme, deciding their newfound friendship could wait, chimed in, “Me neither.”

Autumn had only ever felt that kind of adrenaline during extreme sports, where she could forget everything else. For the first time, she wanted to win. At that moment, her mind was clear. She just wanted to win back what she’d lost. The thrill of it all was exhilarating.

As the dice spun, Autumn’s lips curled into a confident smile. “It’s fine. Bring it on.” But after that round, she lost another $1000. The others kept teasing her, but Autumn didn’t flinch.

“I’m waiting for the right hand,” she said, her voice steady and full of confidence.

Dawson watched the card table from his seat behind Robin, directly across from Autumn, carried in conversation, as if winning were inevitable. He stole a glance at her. She was laser-focused, playing with the same confident air she always did.

Maybe it was the sting of many past losses, but Dawson had no hope for her this round. Instead, his eyes drifted to Robin’s hand, which was remarkably strong. Unlike someone still new to the game, Robin played like a seasoned pro.

Without a doubt, Autumn would lose this round too. Dawson had already seen how this would end, so he watched with idle detachment, waiting for the takeout he’d ordered while Autumn had been off shopping for clothes. It should be arriving soon. He hadn’t eaten much at the charity dinner and was starting to feel hungry. He figured the others probably were too.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, his phone rang. Dawn. By the time he hung up, nearly all the game had passed. Robin was now just one card away from winning. He gave quick instructions to the delivery person to leave the food at the front desk and have a staff member bring it up.

Autumn, on the other hand, was hanging by a thread. Just then, a server tapped on the door and entered, carrying takeout bags from one of Dawson’s restaurants. The food was neatly laid out on the table, and the server quietly exited once everything was in place.

Dawson’s attention drifted from the card game, turning instead to the smell of food. He was no longer following the game, simply waiting for the round to end. But then he noticed something. None of the four players were speaking.

The moment his gaze shifted back to the table, Autumn looked up, locking eyes with him. There was a sharp gleam in her expression. “Full house beats all three.”

She smiled slightly. “14,000 dollars. After subtracting the 14,000 lost earlier, that’s a clean 10,000 dollar gain.” She added, “Mr. Faulkner, I’ve completed my task.” She’d hidden it well, but Dawson caught the faint glimmer of smug satisfaction in her eyes.

“Autumn, that was incredible! You even managed the score?” Rico leaned forward, eyes wide with admiration, clearly wishing that the winning hand had been his. Robin conceded with a smile. “Are you sure this is your first time playing cards?”

“Just lucky,” Autumn replied casually.

“Too lucky!” Ku exclaimed.

“Agreed,” Jarle added with a grin.

Autumn gave a small shrug. “I was just on a good run, that’s all.”

He’d waited patiently, and the right cards finally came her way. Without them, there would have been no chance.

Robin chuckled. “Well, pricier than someone we know.” He turned to Dawson. “Regretting it now! You should’ve let her win a hundred grand instead of just… shame it ended so fast.”

But Dawson was already looking elsewhere. He nodded toward the table piled with takeout. “Let’s eat.”