Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 555

"Steve's safe for now," Jace said, leaving me puzzled.

He explained, "Quartz Cue pretends to be just a cue sports club, but they're deep in illegal betting. Their original plan was to take down Steve to keep their championship status and rake in the gambling profits."

I'd heard rumors about underground betting, but snooker? Really?

"When they couldn't get to Steve directly," Jace went on, "they switched it up. They're betting big on him, shifting the odds in his favor. If he wins, it looks like they lose-except they're making secret deals to make way more on the back end." I shivered. Something as simple as Steve's snooker career had turned into this dark web of schemes and shady money moves.

Steve once told me he started playing because he loved it-like, genuinely loved it. He wanted to prove that someone from our country could go global. Knowing he was just a pawn now... I couldn't imagine

how crushed he'd feel.

"Does Steve have any clue about this?" I asked, feeling a weight in my chest.

"No. If he knew, he'd probably refuse to play," Jace said, eyes darkening. "But if he doesn't play... he could lose a lot more than just a match."

grim. "Rea, just because Hayden saved

did a nervous flip. Hayden hadn't

last-minute disruptions. But Bruno's fans? Total loose cannons, out of Quartz Cue's control. So, to keep everything smooth, they might come after you. They won't hurt you, but they'll want

slightly. "You're not just leverage against Hayden. You're also a way

but I..." I stammered, totally thrown. "Hayden and I aren't even

expression before letting out a

was baffled.

still so... naive," Jace replied, though his words felt more

to

abandon you if you were in real danger. And, for the record...

Jace was warning me: this was serious, and I'd somehow become a target. Whether it was Bruno's fans or Quartz Cue, if

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Chapter 555

bad for me-it'd drag Hayden and Steve