Chapter 103:

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At the gaming table, Alice was outmatched by Mrs. Reyes.

As if that were not enough, Mrs. Reyes was not her only opponent; the others had subtly and unequivocally formed an alliance against her.

Tensions mounted as round after round slipped through his fingers, and his losses numbered in the hundreds of thousands.

Alice squeezed her cards tightly, realizing that she couldn't rely on her skill alone to beat them.

His eyes narrowed as he shifted his attention from the letters to Mrs. Reyes herself.

It was absurd how Mrs. Reyes seemed to win every hand.

Not even the luckiest person could have won so many times in a row.

Alicia's keen eyes soon picked up on a pattern. Every time Mrs. Reyes played a card, she would casually raise her hand to support her head, twisting her jade bracelet in a practiced, almost mechanical motion.

Once or twice it might have been a coincidence, but it always happened without fail.

And what was more revealing: the other ladies only played their cards after Mrs. Reyes made this peculiar gesture.

Before long, Mrs. Reyes was back to sweeping the table, a smug smile on her lips as she carried off the winnings.

It was a trap, plain and simple.

Alice's gaze fell on her dwindling chips, frustration simmering beneath her calm exterior. If this continued, she would be out of every penny.

said, her tone cold

been expecting it. She offered Alicia

Alice didn't respond immediately.

feigning a look of understanding, leaned forward with a hint of feigned

loss, Mrs. Bennett? Please don't spoil the fun. Why don’t you

but Alice wasn't

have conspired to rob her, but she wasn't going to

from his seat. “I

There had to be a way to turn the tables. Just as I prepared

"Mr. Ward?"

“Randolph said he was inviting you to dinner. He knew you were coming and booked the most

broad shoulders and long legs, he carried himself with an effortless elegance that spoke of a calm authority. His healthy complexion, contrasted

stepped forward, his gaze fixed solely on Alicia. “I can

pulse quickening unexpectedly. With her back to him, she still

other women exchanged glances, excitement shining in their eyes. After all, who wouldn't be captivated by a man like that? Caden was one of the most handsome men in Warrington, and his good looks aroused the admiration of women of all ages. They toyed with the idea of ​​flirting with him, with a thousand thoughts, although none dared to voice

him, but Caden ignored her. He walked past her, his steps determined, and sat down next to

subtle movement. Curiosity got the better of Mrs. Reyes. “Mr.

Mrs. Reyes, Caden coldly replied, “She’s

silence. Everyone knew Joshua was Caden's half-brother. As for Alicia… Well, she was actually Caden’s

yet somehow unsettling. The tension was palpable, although no one could pinpoint its source. Unspoken questions lingered in the air, but Caden's commanding presence silenced

leg, hooking it around the leg

surprise, momentarily speechless. Caden remained unfazed, his tone dry as he asked, “You're still

drawer, a reflex gesture that only seemed to amuse Caden even more. She was too slow. With quick efficiency, Caden reached the drawer first and opened it to look inside. His eyes scanned the scattered

into the drawer?” he joked, raising an eyebrow. “Where are

arms defensively. “No one's

deepened. “With your level of brilliance, even tic-tac-toe seems like

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