Victor's eyes swept the room, taking in each player like a predator sizing up its prey. But when his gaze landed on Alex, something flickered in his expression. A knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he approached the table.
"Well, well," Victor said, his voice dripping with false charm. "If it isn't Alex Han. You've come a long way since the last time I saw you."
Alex didn't flinch, his face a mask of indifference. "Just here to enjoy the game, like everyone else."
Victor slid into a seat at the table, replacing one of the players who had just busted out. He leaned back in his chair, all confidence and control, as though this game—this moment—was his to orchestrate.
"Let's make this game interesting, shall we? High stakes, just the way I like it." His voice carried a hint of something darker, though his tone remained casual.
The other players exchanged uneasy glances, but the game continued. Cards were dealt, and the tension at the table mounted as the bets grew. Alex kept his gaze fixed on his cards, his fingers still tapping instructions to Iris, controlling his digital windows and keeping his cards visible only to himself.
But Victor wasn't done. He leaned in, his voice low enough for only Alex to hear. "Did you really think you could cross me without consequences? You snitched on me, handed me over to Claire like I was some small-time player."
Alex didn't flinch. His eyes remained on his cards, his expression neutral. "I don't know what you're talking about," he replied coolly.
Victor's grin widened, a flicker of malice behind his eyes. "Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about, Alex." He leaned in slightly closer, his voice lowering to a menacing whisper. "But relax. I'm not after vengeance… not yet, anyway."
The subtle threat hung in the air like a guillotine waiting to drop, but Victor leaned back in his chair, acting as though it were all just idle banter. "Let's just enjoy the game, shall we?"
Alex's fingers resumed their tapping, his mind racing. He typed a quick message to Kofi: Victor knows. He's just playing with me.
Kofi's response appeared instantly on his hidden screen: No shit, Sherlock. Just keep your cool and play the long game. He's testing you.
Alex exhaled, keeping his focus on the table, on the cards, and on the mounting tension between him and Victor. The game might have been poker, but beneath the surface, a far deadlier contest was already underway.
The cards were dealt, and the stakes climbed higher with each hand. The tension between Alex and Victor was palpable, radiating across the table. The other players were wary, sensing the undercurrent of hostility but keeping their focus on the game. Chips clinked as bets were placed, but Alex's mind was elsewhere, balancing the poker face he wore with the rising storm inside him.
Victor played with a casual arrogance, flicking chips into the center of the table as though the money meant nothing. His eyes darted to Alex every so often, a smirk still fixed on his lips, as if daring him to break.
Keep it together, Alex, Kofi typed in a quick message. Don't let this slimeball get under your skin.
But Alex was already feeling the heat, his heart pounding beneath the surface. Every move Victor made was a reminder of the power he held, not just over the cards but over Alex's past. He'd ruined people—destroyed lives. Alex was determined not to let him win.
The final hand of the night came down to just the two of them. The pot was massive, the kind of money that could alter someone's life. Alex's eyes narrowed as he looked at his cards, a straight flush—the strongest hand possible. His fingers tapped the table in a quick rhythm, firing a message to Kofi.
I've got him.
Kofi's response came immediately: Don't get cocky.
Victor, on the other hand, sat back with his usual smugness, pushing an obscene number of chips into the pot. "All in," he declared, his voice oozing confidence. He glanced at Alex with that same infuriating smirk. "You've played a good game, kid. But it's time for the pros to take over."
Alex stared at the pile of chips, the enormity of what he was about to do pressing down on him. He was all in too, with everything he had. With a cool expression that belied the adrenaline rushing through his veins, Alex called Victor's bet.
The table fell silent as they both revealed their hands.
Victor had a full house, a hand strong enough to win nearly any game.
But not this one.
Alex laid down his straight flush with a calm, almost robotic motion. His eyes flickered to Victor's, catching the flicker of disbelief in the man's eyes. The color drained from Victor's face, just for a moment, before he replaced it with cold fury.
The dealer pushed the enormous pile of chips toward Alex, who collected his winnings with a slight grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Victor's gaze darkened, the smirk finally gone. The table was dead silent, the weight of the moment settling over the other players like a heavy fog.
Jin, who had been watching closely from the sidelines, felt the tension in the room spike. He moved closer to the table, eyes darting between Alex and Victor, ready to intervene if things escalated.
Alex could feel the rush of victory, but something else bubbled up inside him—something he hadn't planned for.. It all came crashing to the surface in an instant, and before he knew it, the words spilled out of his mouth, raw and unfiltered.
"Suck it, Victor!" Alex shouted, his voice echoing through the high-rollers' room. Heads turned, the entire casino seemingly pausing in shock.
The other players froze, their eyes darting between Alex and Victor, sensing the imminent explosion.
Victor's expression tightened, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He stood up slowly, brushing off his suit jacket as though this were all part of his plan.
"Oh, Alex," Victor drawled, his voice laced with amusement. "I had a feeling it would come to this."
Jin stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Alex's shoulder. "Let's keep this civilized, Alex. You don't want to make this worse than it already is."
But Alex wasn't listening anymore. The anger had taken over, and all he could see was Victor standing there, smug and unbothered. This was no longer about the money. It was about putting Victor in his place, once and for all.
Victor took a step closer to Alex, his voice low and dripping with menace. "You've been asking for this since the moment you stuck your nose where it didn't belong." He paused, his eyes gleaming. "But are you sure you're ready for what comes next?"
"I'm ready for whatever you throw at me, Devereux," Alex shot back, feeling Jin's grip tighten slightly, trying to pull him back.
The room held its collective breath, the eyes of every player and onlooker now glued to the two men standing at the center of it all. The casino's artificial lights buzzed overhead, casting harsh shadows across the faces of the two rivals. The weight of the confrontation pressed down on everyone, making it clear that whatever happened next would change everything.
As Alex's fists clenched, Jin leaned closer, his voice a whisper. "You need to think this through. Fighting him isn't the answer."
But Alex was too far gone. "You and me, outside. Now," he shouted, adrenaline coursing through him.
A murmur spread across the room as people began to realize what was happening. Victor's lips curled back into that unsettling smile, and he stepped closer, almost daring Alex to follow him.
"Let's settle this then," Victor replied, his tone dripping with mockery.
As the tension reached a breaking point, Jin realized he had to make a choice—intervene or let Alex go down this reckless path.
The choice was clear. This was going to be a fight.