Alicia couldn’t find the right words to respond.

Mrs. Reyes’s gaze fixed on her, and Alicia, feeling uncomfortable, clenched her jaw. She shot a sharp look at Caden. “It wasn’t on purpose. Sorry.”

Caden replied, “Oh, I assumed you were asking for a card from me.”

Once again, Alicia was left speechless.

Mrs. Reyes let out a soft laugh. “Ms. Bennett, are you losing your grip?”

Feeling an unexpected surge of boldness, Alicia replied, “I’ve been sitting here so long that my legs cramped. That’s why I accidentally hit Mr. Ward. But watch out, Mrs. Reyes, you might be next.”

Mrs. Reyes’s expression darkened. “Good sportsmanship is important when playing. Even if it’s just for fun, you should still understand the rules and not resort to underhanded tactics.”

Caden chuckled. “I have to ask, who came up with the rules for this table?”

Mrs. Reyes answered, “Nobody created them; they’ve been established for generations.”

“I could have sworn it was you, Mrs. Reyes,” Caden commented.

Mrs. Reyes’s heart skipped a beat as her gaze flicked toward him. Was there something more behind those words? Did he suspect anything?

But his face remained unreadable.

The weight of the moment pressed down on her, draining her usual confidence. One ally had already slipped away.

After losing all her chips in record time, Alicia began playing recklessly, her aggressive moves growing more intense. Even though Mrs. Reyes stayed ahead, her wins were becoming less certain.

Shuffling his cards in his hands, Caden remarked, “Three thousand dollars feels like nothing. Mrs. Reyes, what do you say we up the stakes?”

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Mrs. Reyes paused, uncertain.

Caden added, “If you’re not up for it, then never mind.”

Mrs. Reyes couldn’t tolerate such a slight. Without hesitation, she responded, “What is your proposal, Mr. Ward?”

“One hundred thousand dollars.”

Mrs. Reyes fell silent. Her instincts told her that Caden had set his sights on her. A heavy sense of unease settled over her.

Alicia, unfazed by her empty wallet, glanced at Mrs. Reyes’s grim face and grinned. “A hundred thousand? That’s all? That’s pocket change. Let’s bump it up to two hundred thousand. Mr. Ward can afford it. Congratulations, Mrs. Reyes, looks like today’s your lucky day!”

Mrs. Reyes couldn’t bring herself to smile. Alicia’s words seemed like praise, but Mrs. Reyes knew she was being set up. Still, with the biggest winnings so far, backing down was not an option.

“Fine. We’ll go with Mr. Ward’s idea,” Mrs. Reyes finally conceded.

But Caden interjected, “Actually, let’s follow Ms. Bennett’s lead. Two hundred thousand sounds much more thrilling.”

Mrs. Reyes was at a loss for words.

Alicia pressed on. “Mrs. Reyes, what’s the matter? You don’t seem thrilled. 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.”

Alicia stifled a grin.

Before the game began, Mrs. Reyes had clung to a faint hope. Even though she had lost a partner in the game, Rachel had rigged the dice in her favor. As long as she played cautiously, not even Caden could surpass her.

But, to her astonishment, by the second round, Caden began racking up wins. Sweat started to gather on Mrs. Reyes’s palms. How was this even possible?

Then came the second round, and the third…

Caden swept through them all. His hands seemed to improve with every game.

Mrs. Reyes’s head began to spin.

Another woman at the table, crushed by her losses, quietly stood up and left without saying a word.

Rachel smoothly slid into the vacant seat.

Caden glanced at her and said, “Mrs. Gray, your timing is impeccable. I have a question for you.”

Rachel maintained her composed, gentle smile. “I’m listening, Mr. Ward.”

Without a word, Caden picked up the dice, then casually let them fall in front of her.

“Care to explain this?” he asked.

Alicia’s expression was one of confusion.

Mrs. Reyes had not anticipated Caden catching that detail, and her grip on the dice tightened.

Alicia quickly put the pieces together. “Is there an issue with the dice?”

She snatched them up and scrutinized them intently. But despite her thorough examination, she found nothing amiss.

Curious, she asked, “What did they do to the dice?”

Caden kept his expression neutral. “I’m not certain. You’ll have to consult Mr. Gray.”

Rachel looked at the dice. Unless caught outright, she wouldn’t concede anything. “They’re just standard dice. What’s the issue?”

Caden replied in a relaxed tone, “In that case, I suppose I’ll need to bring in some experts to take a closer look.” He paused before shifting his attention to the visibly rattled Mrs. Reyes. “I heard Mr. Reyes is out of town on a business trip. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the media gets all the details and send him a special copy of today’s highlights.”

The mention of her husband sent a wave of fear through Mrs. Reyes. “Mr. Ward, please don’t…”

Rachel quickly realized that Caden was backing Alicia, leaving her feeling cornered.

With no other options, she reluctantly made a concession. “I just remembered that this card table had some prior issues that I neglected to address. My apologies, Ms. Bennett. I’ll have Mrs. Reyes reimburse all your losses. We are here to enjoy ourselves, after all. Let’s not let money spoil the fun.”

Alicia offered a faint smile. Even now, they were trying to hold her responsible for the turmoil.

“Mrs. Gray,” Alicia replied, “since you’re being so generous, why don’t you refund the money I lost to Mrs. Reyes earlier?”