Love Began with the First Meeting novel Chapter 149

Shirley knew nothing about gambling, but she could guess based on Steven's and Molly's expressions that the game was not going in their favor.

"Excuse me, hit or stay?" the croupier asked after waiting for three minutes as per the rules.

Steven looked at Shane's calm demeanor, gritted his teeth and said,"Hit, for the second pair."

Since the first pair made 16 and the third pair made 20, even if the second pair exceeded 21, he would still have a chance to beat the dealer and win the game.

With his gloved hand, the croupier dealt another card and turned it over near the second pair of cards. Steven and Molly had their hearts in their mouths, breathlessly staring at the card which was about to be revealed.

Steven's eyes lighted up as soon as he saw the 5 facing him. Steven instantly beamed, which vividly demonstrated the mentality of a gambler finding an escape in desperate circumstances.

"Excuse me, hit or stay?" the croupier asked him again.

Steven shook his head and said with a smile,"Stay!"

Then he looked at Shane who was ready to continue the game.

Shane looked calmly at Steven. Although he remained silent, his presence was a little nerve wracking.

The croupier then dealt three cards in succession. They were 2, 2 and 6. And now, the sum of the dealer's cards had reached 20.

Steven looked at Shane's cards tensely. Shane would not be able to beat him unless the card that had been placed face down in the beginning was an A. If it was any other card, the sum would exceed 21.

Steven was so anxious that he almost forgot to breathe. But since the possibility of him losing was so little, his eyes were hopeful. He raised his eyes from the card and looked at Shane, who turned over the last card slowly. Shane frowned and shook his head with a sigh. Seeing his reaction, Steven was absolutely sure that Shane's sum exceeded 21.

Shane looked up at Steven, who was excited. Shane seemed a little regretful. He placed the card on the table with his slender fingers for everyone to see and said,"BlackJack. You lose."

Steven and Molly stared at the black heart on the card. Unfortunately for them, his final card turned out to be an Ace, bringing the total to 21. It was a BlackJack. Shane won.

"If you had continued to hit for the second pair, you would have got a BlackJack and I could have only hit two more cards. After the 6, one of my choices would have been to stay, in which case, my sum would have been less than both your BlackJack and your third pair of cards, while the other choice would have been to hit, in which case, my sum would have exceeded 21 and you would have won the grand slam. What a pity. You were not brave enough." Shane sighed dramatically. The result of gambling often depended on luck, but sometimes it also took courage.

He won the game because he was sure that Steven was not brave enough to hit one more card.

The expression on Steven's face changed rapidly, while Molly looked no better than him. She was pale. As soon as she saw Shane at the table, she should have known that her father had no chance at all. There was no one who was as good as the most famous croupier in the world. Her father was no match for him.

A sad smile appeared on her face. She couldn't have been more stupid. Even though she knew what the endgame would be, she still chose to deceive herself.

"Molly, I will give you one chance." Brian's voice came through to her slowly, like that of a ghost. His voice was as deep and attractive as the sound of a violin playing a gloomy melody.

Both Molly and Shirley looked at Brian at the same time.

Brian's smile was almost invisible. He said,"Play a game with me. If you win, I will make sure that your father's debts are taken care of, including today's loss, and I will let you go when the agreed one month is up."

Both Molly's and Shirley's eyes opened wide at the same time. Molly did not believe in the words of a bloodsucking man like Brian, and Shirley was overwhelmingly suspicious of the little devil.

"What if... if I lose?" Molly asked, gritting her teeth. She knew that there was something more to the offer.

Gambling wasn't complete unless everyone playing had placed their bets.

"If you lose, you are forever forbidden to leave without my permission," said Brian. His eyes were like those of a falcon, measuring its prey and in this case, his prey was Molly. He continued,"And Shirley should not interfere in matters between you and me from now on."

Shirley knew instantly that Brian was up to no good. She said without thinking any further,"Little Molly, you don't have to play any game with him."

Molly folded her hands into fists. She was now so familiar with his arrogant face. He looked at her like a King looking down at the peasants in his kingdom. Perhaps in his view, everyone else was no more than a toy under his control.

"I accept!" Molly challenged the King. She hated gambling, but at that moment, she was unusually determined to play the game with Brian.

"Little Molly..." Shirley looked at Molly uneasily. Nobody knew Brian better than her, because she was his mother. Since the game was suggested by her son, the little devil, Molly was undoubtedly going to lose. That was his plan.

Molly did not look at Shirley. She was deeply grateful to Shirley for everything she had done for her, but she had no choice but to face Brian by herself.

Molly said,"Aunt Shirley, I have decided. I am going to play." Molly was more determined than ever. She knew without a doubt that even if she refused to play the game, Brian wouldn't let her go. Then why not play and try her luck? Even if her chance of winning was one in a thousand, or one in ten thousand, she wanted to give it a try as long as there was any chance of winning.

Brian smiled elusively, showing a little of his pearly white teeth. He saw the light shining in Molly's eyes, which were almost the same as those of Becky's. He always lost himself in those eyes.

The game began. Shane started to shuffle the cards. There was a rule in Grand Night that cheating was prohibited. The rule was applicable to every game and everyone playing it, including Brian.

Steven looked uneasily at Molly, who was already seated at the table. He was going through a bunch of mixed emotions and all of them rose to his mind at the same time.