Zachary had already gambled himself into a frenzy, his eyes bloodshot, unsure if fate itself was conspiring against him. Every time he won a few hands, he would end up losing all his earlier winnings. Still believing in his luck, he had gambled away all his money. “Edie, get me more money,” he demanded.
“Zack, have you forgotten? We’ve just used all our money. We don’t have a penny left,” Edie replied, her face the picture of misery.
“I just need a bit more money. I’m sure I can win back what I’ve lost. I was almost up to ten million just now! I should have stopped then,” Zachary lamented, clutching his head. But life offers no foresight, and human desires only swell over time. Winning one round only makes you crave victory in the next, and regardless of the outcome, the thrill of winning is intoxicating in itself.
He was still trapped in that state of mind.
“But Zack, we’re out of money.”
“Isn’t that Mr. Montgomery?” A new face appeared beside Zachary. Perhaps they had met in some nightclub before, but Zachary had forgotten who it was. “You are…”
“Mr. Montgomery, you really forget your acquaintances easily. We’ve drunk together before. Everyone calls me Eugene.”
Although Zachary had no recollection of the name, he feigned recognition. “Yes, yes, now I remember, you’re Eugene, right?”
“Mr. Montgomery, how’s your luck tonight?” Eugene began making small talk.
“It’s been okay, just that it’s my first time here and I have no experience. I lost everything in a single game,” Zachary sighed.
“Out of cash? I’ve got some. Just say the word, and I’ll help you out,” Eugene said as he handed Zachary a stack of chips worth at least a million dollars.
In the casino, money seemed inconsequential, transformed into mere chips that felt trivial.
“That’s really decent of you. I’ll pay you back with interest once I’ve won,” Zachary, who was anxious about recovering his losses, felt as though fortune had come knocking.
“No need for such formalities between us. Good luck,” Eugene smiled.
Zachary plunged into another gambling session, losing everything within an hour.
“Zack, let’s go back,” Edie urged, but Zachary, his eyes red from loss, was not ready to leave.
He quickly found Eugene again. “Eugene, I’ve lost all my money again. Do you have more to lend me?”
“Mr. Montgomery, I can lend you money. The million I just gave you was a small gift. But you must understand, I need to make a living too. If I lend you more money, I’ll have to charge interest. You see…” Eugene looked troubled.
“Interest is fine. I’ll pay it all back once I’ve won,” Zachary thought to himself that he would stop immediately if he won this time, unaware that he was falling deeper into a trap.
“Alright, how much do you want to borrow?” Eugene, accustomed to the desperation of gamblers like Zachary, knew well that the assurance of repayment was often misplaced, and winners were rare.
Zachary signed a promissory note, joyously taking a large stack of chips back to the gambling table…
After a night passed, when he emerged again, his figure was dejected. The brisk morning air hit him, and only then did his mind clear.
Not only did he fail to win back the millions, but Zachary also found himself steeped in high-interest debts after losing tens of millions in one night, now burdened with a colossal debt. He hadn’t expected Eugene, who had initially treated him like a brother with warmth and smiles, to suddenly turn into a completely different person.
Slumped at the entrance of the casino, Zachary still heard Eugene’s voice ringing in his ears, “Mr. Montgomery, if you can’t pay back the money within three days, then we’ll have to collect it our own way.”
“Edie, what should I do?” he pleaded, grasping Edie’s hand.
“Zack, I told you to leave and you wouldn’t listen. Look at you now. What are we going to do? Today, you still owe Irene over ten million.”
Life seemed utterly bleak to Zachary; what could he do now? With the situation having escalated, he couldn’t afford to offend either Irene or Eugene. His only option was to shamelessly ask Magnus for money, even if it meant enduring a scolding.
Aurora woke up in Julian’s arms, relieved he had let her sleep peacefully through the night. She woke earlier than usual while Julian was still deep in sleep, curled up in his arms, careful not to make the slightest move that might awaken him.
His lashes were long and thick, and she thought to herself that it was almost criminal for a man to have such eyelashes! Usually, his lips were tightly pursed, slightly curved in a smile as if he was enjoying a wonderful dream.
His smile seemed to melt his otherwise cold demeanor, and a slight smile formed on Aurora’s lips as well. Seeing his handsome face, she once again marveled at the beauty of life, thankful that the person she had met that night three years ago was him, otherwise she couldn’t imagine how her life might have turned out.
She didn’t want to disturb him, but Julian’s phone on the nightstand vibrated slightly.
His eyes, clear and distinct, slowly opened and met Aurora’s smile, “This time I woke up earlier than you. Good morning.”
Aurora planted a good morning kiss on his lips.
His greatest wish had always been to wake up next to her every morning, and now, he had achieved just that. She was right there beside him, her smile more radiant than the morning sun.
He pulled her closer, their bodies nearly inseparable, deepening the kiss as he cradled the back of her head.
“Good morning, my Little Bunny,” he said as her cheeks flushed a beautiful pink.
Her blush was the most beautiful rouge, their morning starting with such a fiery kiss, Aurora’s eyes gleaming in front of him.
“Little Bunny, don’t look at me like that, or I won’t be able to resist,” Julian chuckled.
“Stop it, your phone just buzzed, probably a message,” Aurora reminded him, suspecting it was unlikely to be spam so early in the morning.
Julian glanced at the message; it read just one word, “Done.”
“Nick? Who’s that?” Aurora, feeling unfamiliar with the name, had never heard Julian mention it.
“His real name might not ring a bell, but how about Mr. Coleman?”
“Mr. Coleman, I think I’ve heard that before,” Aurora shook her head, still unclear.
“Well, you don’t frequent the nightlife scene, so it’s normal you wouldn’t know his name.”