The smile on John's face froze. He stared at me in disbelief, stunned for a long moment.

He clearly had not expected that reaction from me. He saw my calm acceptance, instead of tears and desperate pleas for him not to go.

When Helen heard my words, she suddenly hurled her phone at my back.

I turned around, forcing myself to meet her eyes despite the ache in my chest. I wanted so badly to walk over and hold her, but my feet would not move.

"Helen, stay home with Danny and wait for me. I won't lose. Trust me."

Even if I told her that I did not want to gamble, she would not believe me.

Not just her, but no one would. Anyone who looked at me then would think the same.

So, instead of wasting time explaining, I chose to follow John's plan and find the truth at the table.

When I arrived at the gambling hall, I immediately caught the subtle exchange of glances between John and my opponent.

That was all the confirmation I needed.

They were working together, setting me up, bleeding me dry, then splitting the winnings between them.

I could not understand why John would do that to me. I had never wronged him.

However, people's hearts were impossible to read.

By the time the game began, I found myself already seated at the table without even realizing when I had taken my place.

The dealer started dealing.

It was still Texas Hold'em.

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to calm down as I scanned the room.

Then, I stood up.

"John, go sit next to him. I don't need you here beside me."

John paused, clearly taken aback.

"Nathan, what are you talking about? You think me sitting here means I'm feeding information to the other side? Come on, you're overthinking it."

He then chuckled, but I said nothing.

I pressed my lips together and stared at him coldly.

Was that not exactly what he was doing?

In my previous life, after he sat beside me, I lost again and again, so badly it made no sense. Even at my worst, I would never have played that poorly.

"For safety reasons, not only are you not allowed to sit next to me, none of the cameras behind me are allowed to face me either."

The moment I said that, the room erupted into murmurs.

Hearing them only strengthened my conviction.

There had to be an interference , something around me that caused me to lose repeatedly.

I did not know what John had used to control me. Perhaps something that made my body act against my will.

However, one thing he could not control was my mind.

My opponent, Ian Smith, narrowed his eyes and studied me for a long moment before nodding.

"Fine. Do as he says. Wouldn't want you losing everything and then accusing us of cheating afterward."

I clenched my fists tightly as I stared at him.

Helen had died because of that man.

After Ian was done with her, he passed her around to his subordinates.

Even Danny had been taken overseas, his fate unknown.

Facing the two men who had destroyed my life, I summoned a level of focus I had never reached before.

The dealer finished dealing.

I picked up my cards after a deep breath.

It was a king and a seven.

Ian had a six showing, his hole card unknown.

I placed the king face down. My hand was stronger, so I opened the betting.

"One hundred thousand dollars."

I pushed my chips forward.

Ian smirked and casually followed.

The dealer dealt the third card.

Mine was a nine, and Ian's was another six.

I remained calm, my expression steady.

Ian had the stronger visible hand. It was his turn.

"Three hundred thousand dollars," he spat aggressively.

The crowd around us leaned in, interest piqued.

"Now, this is getting good."

"If it were me, I'd fold. He's got a pair of sixes already."

"Come on, don't be a coward. There are still two cards left. Who knows, he might turn it around."

The last comment came from John.

He took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he looked straight at me.

Everyone thought that I would not dare to follow, but I straightened my back and pushed my chips forward, matching the bet all the way.

A wave of shock rippled through the room. The scene unfolding before me was almost identical to the gambling match in my previous life.

The only difference was that there was nothing behind me anymore. No obstacles, no burdens. I refused to believe I would keep losing like before.

The dealer began dealing the fourth round.

I got a king, and Ian got a two.

My entire body trembled with excitement. After being crushed by failure for so long, it felt like a long-overdue reversal. No one else could possibly understand what that moment meant to me.

"You've got the highest card. You call," someone said.

Ian remained seated, calm as ever, like a sly old fox watching me with unreadable eyes.

I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them and pushed all my chips forward.

"One million dollars."

Gasps erupted across the room. Every single gaze snapped toward me.

That was it. One decisive gamble. It all depended on whether Ian dared to follow.

He chuckled.

"Nathan, you've got guts playing this big. Not afraid of losing everything?"

Before I could respond, John cut in.

"Nathan, don't be scared. Go all the way. If you win this hand, your wife won't argue with you anymore."

I clenched my teeth, glaring at John.

That man was smiling like a gentleman, but he was rotten to the core. Of course he could say that so easily.

If I lost, it was on me.

If I won, it would be credited to him.

I was nothing more than a puppet in his hands.

Ian chose to follow, looking completely confident.

The dealer dealt again.

I got a four, and Ian got a five.

He had the higher card, so it was his move.

Ian casually pushed all his chips forward.

"Last three million. Let's make this interesting. Well? Are you in?"

The room buzzed.

"Why even follow at this point? Might as well fold."

"Quiet. Just watch."

Everyone believed I had nothing.

Everyone believed Ian's pair of sixes guaranteed his win.

Suddenly, Helen rushed in with blood-red eyes.

"Darling, don't do this. Please come home with me. Let's just go back and live a normal life, okay? Please get up!"

I wanted to stand. I wanted to hold her.

However, my legs would not move.

I lifted my head and shot John a furious glare.

He only shrugged, as if completely puzzled by my anger.

I told her, "Don't cry. I won't lose. Once I win this hand, I'll come home."

"No, I don't want this," she said, shaking her head.

"If you lose this one, there'll be a third, a fourth… This won't end."

"What are the security guards doing? Get her out of here!" someone shouted.

The guards quickly stepped in and stopped Helen. She could only stand there, watching helplessly.

Ian pressed, "Nathan, are you following or not?"

"I'm in."

I pushed all my chips forward. I was going all the way.

"Not bad. You've got some nerve. Not afraid of dying, huh? We'll see who comes out on top. Let's reveal our cards.

Ian turned over his cards.

Just as I expected, it was a pair of sixes.

At that moment, I could not contain my excitement.

I smiled at Helen and said, "After I win, keep an eye on your bank account. If the money doesn't come in, it means someone's cheating. Someone's stealing our winnings."

I said it loudly enough for everyone to hear.

John scoffed. "Stop talking big. Show your cards."

"Fine. I've got a pair of kings. I win."

I flipped my cards over.

Everyone craned their necks to look, and then they burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! What kings? They're clearly a pair of threes."

The laughter hit me like a slap. I immediately looked down at my cards.

However, what I saw was a pair of kings.

I grabbed the cards and held them up. "Look carefully! They're kings, not threes!"

Even Helen looked at me with disappointment. "That's enough. You lost. Stop acting like a madman."

What was going on?

My face drained of all color.

Was there something wrong with my eyes?

No. That was impossible, absolutely impossible.

"You lost."

"So, do you admit it? We followed your rules and cleared everything behind you. You can't say we cheated."

"Everyone saw it, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Exactly!"

I gripped the cards in my hand so tightly my knuckles turned white. When I looked down again, it had somehow become a pair of threes.

In that instant, all the color drained from my face.

What the hell? It was too bizarre.

It felt like I was falling into a bottomless abyss, struggling without any hope.

Was I really going to relive the same tragedy from my past life? Why was I given a second chance at all?

A sharp slap snapped me back.

Helen's voice trembled with anger. "Nathan, I'm divorcing you."

The moment she finished speaking, Ian's men began to harass her.

"Well, look at that body… It'd be a waste without a man to appreciate it. Why don't you come with me…"

My fist slammed straight into his face as I exclaimed, "Get lost! Don't touch her,"

“Nathan, there's another game tomorrow. Be there on time. You'd better win. Otherwise, your wife…"

Ian's eyes lingered on Helen's body, greasy and disgusting. Rage surged through me, wanting to tear him apart.

When I got home, I locked myself in my room. Helen had already taken Danny and left.

She had begged me to stop gambling, but I could not control myself.

In the end, she left behind divorce papers and walked away.

I stared at the dark, overcast sky outside, then wandered out, lost, into the forest.

Like a ghost with nowhere to belong, drifting without direction.

What was I supposed to do?

I felt utterly hopeless.

As I walked deeper in, I came across a man meditating beneath the trees.

Perhaps sensing my presence, he opened his eyes and spoke to me.

An hour later, I walked out of the forest, my eyes bloodshot.

So, that was it.

That was why I could not control myself, why I had been following John like a puppet, letting him manipulate me.

'John, I'll make sure you all turn on each other and die like dogs,' I thought.

When the next day came, I willingly followed behind John into the gambling den.

The moment I stepped inside, I saw Helen.

She was tied to a chair with Ian standing behind her.

Panic hit me instantly as I rushed forward.

"What are you doing? Let her go!"

Ian sneered. "Nathan, your wife tried to assassinate me just to stop me from gambling with you. What a devoted couple."

His words cut deep.

"If you want to save her, then we're not just gambling with money tonight. We'll gamble with lives.

"If you win, you take both your wife and the money. If you lose, she belongs to me.

"Enough talk. Let's begin."

I had no choice. I could only see to it through to the end.

Helen's mouth was gagged with cloth. All she could do was whimper.

To provoke me further, Ian had stripped her down to her undergarments, leaving her exposed. The men around swallowed hard, their eyes glued to her.

Guards stood watch, making sure I could not get close.

I cast one final glance at John. I would remember that grudge.

The dealer began.

My card was a four. I did not check my hole card.

Ian showed a queen.

He pushed his chips forward without hesitation and said, "Three million dollars."

"I'm in," I replied.

I had no choice, but I was not afraid.

I slowly spun the ring on my finger, sitting there as calm as ever.

Then, the second round began.

My card was a five. Ian's was a nine.

"Another three million dollars," Ian said.

"I'm in."

The room's attention shifted from Helen to the table. It was a life-and-death game.

The third round began.

My card was an eight. Ian had a nine.

Confidence returned to Ian's face. He lit a cigarette, taking a long drag.

"Another three million dollars."

"That kid's definitely losing again," someone muttered.

Ian and John exchanged a knowing glance and smiled.

I smiled too.

They thought I was a fool, but I thought they were the idiots.

The dealer continued.

Ian drew a seven. I got a six.

Ian pushed all his chips forward, then pointed at Helen.

"Well? You calling?"

Tears slid down from Helen's face to her legs. The sight made the men in the room swallow hard.

My fists clenched in fury. I shoved my last chips forward.

"Ian, let's end this. One final bet. Life or death."

I threw a gun onto the table.

"We'll raise the stakes. Our legs. Whoever loses walks away crippled. You in?"

They burst out laughing.

"Idiot. As if you get to set the terms."

"We'll take it."

"Call it."

"Fine. You reveal first."

Ian flipped his hole card and revealed a ten.

"Your turn, you loser."

I smiled faintly and reached for my card.

The entire room fell silent as all eyes locked onto my hand.