Under his threat, I had no choice but to play the obedient little girl pouring wine. After pouring it, I glanced around and suddenly noticed that in front of me was a transparent glass wall, completely see-through. I could see everything happening in the room opposite.
Inside that room was a table. On it lay a deck of cards. Two men were sitting across from each other.
One of them had dyed red hair and alluring peach-blossom eyes handsome and flirtatious at first glance. As for the other…
The moment I glanced at him, I froze.
The man sitting opposite was Mr. Bailey.
Why was he here?
Of course, Captian noticed the shock on my face. He leaned in, gently biting my earlobe:
"He's someone who doesn't know his place. He wants to get rich? Fine. I'll find someone to play with him."
I flinched.
"So this is what President Anderson wanted me to see?"
"Gambling can send someone straight to heaven or drag them into hell. Don't you find that interesting?"
Captian lifted his head, his eyes deep and unreadable.
I pressed my lips together, not answering.
But the truth was I did want to see the Baileys suffer the consequences of their own actions.
Seeing me silent, Captian narrowed his eyes and picked up his wine glass, sipping the red wine slowly. Its mellow aroma spread through the room.
I disliked the smell and wrinkled my nose slightly.
Captian's sharp, vicious eyes instantly picked up on that tiny reaction. He chuckled, pulled me into his arms, and lowered his head feeding me the wine directly from his mouth.
"Cough... cough... cough...!"
The wine burned down my throat, bitter and sharp. I couldn't handle it, coughing hard until wine spilled out of my mouth. In an instant, both my lips and clothes smelled of wine. Embarrassment flooded me, I wanted to crawl into a hole.
"President Anderson, what are you doing…?" I pressed a hand to my chest and protested breathlessly.
My face must have been bright red from coughing like a ripe cherry. Ridiculously embarrassing.
"Is the wine good?"
Captian leaned down and gently kissed my lips.
I stiffened, heat blooming across my mouth.
"It's… good…"
He seemed satisfied and lightly brushed my lips with his thumb.
"The gamble has begun. Your father has placed a bet of 70% of the Bailey family's shares."
I froze.
Seventy percent was no small amount. If he lost, the company would be finished.
"But that 70% was something I gave your father. If he loses, he's simply returning it."
Captian's tone was completely indifferent, as if that amount of shares meant nothing to him.
I was speechless.
Captian stared through the glass wall and chuckled:
"But if he wins, he gets double. That's why he dared sit across from that man."
"President Anderson… so you deliberately lured him here?"
I looked up, my clear eyes reflecting his figure.
Captian shook his head and laughed coldly.
"This isn't luring. He came willingly."
The corner of my mouth twitched. I didn't argue further and looked away.
Captian lifted his hand and stroked the teardrop mole beneath my eye.
"Tell me, who do you think will win?"
I looked toward the glass wall again.
This time, I saw Mr. Bailey's eyes bloodshot with desperation over the game. Meanwhile, the red-haired young man remained calm and relaxed, as if victory was already his.
"He's my father. Of course I hope he wins," I said quietly.
But in my heart, I thought otherwise.
I had already severed ties with the Bailey family. Whether he won or lost had nothing to do with me. Besides, I had been forced to sell myself to pay for those shares. If Mr. Bailey lost now?
Then he'd just return to being the pathetic man he always was. Serves him right.
"Oh? Really?"
Captian stared at me, his eyes probing.
His gaze sent alarm bells screaming in my chest.
"Of course. He's my father…" I said quickly.
Captian laughed softly, his eyes glinting.
"I forgot to mention the man he's playing against is a legendary gambler from Alchimie City. He has never lost."
"A legendary gambler…?"
I blinked, stunned. Under the warm lights, my eyes must have looked strangely bright.
"So from the very beginning, you intended for my father to lose."
"If that's the case," Captian said softly, "do you want to beg me?"
My eyelashes trembled. I didn't know what he was thinking, so I stayed silent.
His hand left my teardrop mole and slid to my shoulder.
"Why aren't you saying anything? I heard your father loves his precious daughter more than life itself. A daughter who won't even beg for his sake isn't that unfilial? It would break his heart."
I frowned, irritated.
Love me more than life?
The only person he loved was Rose.
I was nothing but the illegitimate child tossed away to a rural corner.
But I couldn't say that.
If this devil learned I was merely a replacement piece, he might crush me like an insect.
"If I beg you… would you spare him?"
I forced myself to sound calm. My eyes filled with feigned sincerity looked up at him, but my hands were trembling through the skirt fabric.
Captian simply stared at me in silence.
My heart pounded wildly as I continued:
"He loves me very much. So much that he handed me over to you…"
Captian's brows furrowed. Something pained flickered in his expression.
Was being with him really that unbearable?
Seeing his reaction, I added softly,
"But he's still my father. If President Anderson doesn't mind… I hope you can spare him."
I frowned faintly after speaking. Saying such insincere words was exhausting.
If I weren't afraid of dying, I'd honestly want Captian to take back the Bailey shares.
"Really?"
Captian took a sip of wine and pointed toward the glass wall.
"Then—are you satisfied with this result?"
Outwardly, I kept calm. Inside, I was panicking.
Everything I said earlier should have been fine, right? He shouldn't be suspicious anymore… right?
At that moment, beyond the glass wall, Mr. Bailey was clutching his hair, smashing things around the room in frustration. Eventually, he collapsed to the floor, pale and lifeless like a corpse.
The glass was soundproof. I couldn't hear anything, but his expression alone told me the result.
He lost.
A wave of exhilaration surged inside me.
Instant karma.
Captian saw the glimmer of joy in my eyes.
"Does it feel good?"
His sudden question jolted me.
My joy froze mid-air. Seeing the Baileys get punished had made me too happy and I accidentally showed it.
"Good…? Why would it feel good?" I replied stiffly.