Chapter 0089
They were certainly engaged in a high-stakes game. Candice had suffered a four-digit loss in that round. Alex paid without even batting an eyelid.
Her luck was not improving, and she continued to lose in subsequent rounds.
Following one game, Sieg tossed his cards and remarked to Alex, “She’s losing intentionally, isn’t she?”
Candice, on a losing streak and feeling downcast, reminded them, “I did say I’m not good at this.”
Stan, who was watching the game unfold and emerging as the night’s biggest winner, commented, “She’s losing, but Mr. Elysian is covering her losses. Why are you so worked up?”
His words made sense, yet Candice could not shake off a feeling of discomfort, sensing an underlying
implication in his statement.
After a brief pause, she got up from her seat.
At that moment, Alex took a seat beside her and casually requested, “Hand me the cards.”
The card shuffler had already prepared the next deck.
Stan asked, “Mr. Elysian, are you taking over the game?”
Alex responded, “She’s not playing well.”
In the presence of Alex’s distinct scent, Candice lowered her gaze and silently picked up the cards. She could
easily identify his cold and unmistakable presence amid the myriad of other scents.
Temporarily sidetracked, she only snapped back to attention when Alex took the cards from her, his fingers lightly brushing hers.
Perceiving her distracted state, he looked up nonchalantly, yet his words were stern. “If you lose again, it will be deducted from your paycheck.”
Candice frowned, but her entire attention was on the game.
Whether it was Alex’s skill or something else, from the moment he joined, Candice stopped losing. Their outcomes were mostly draws, with occasional wins.
On the other hand, Seig ended up being the biggest loser after losing to all three. His face grew dark as the night progressed.
Sensing it was time to wrap up, Stan pushed the cards aside and called it a night.
Candice and Alex had come in their own car.
Sieg, needing a lift back to the hotel, decided to join them.
Candice had been drinking earlier; Alex became the designated driver because he was sober.
Somewhat recovered but still not in top form, Candice hesitated before getting into the back seat, then
+15 BONOS
She came to a halt and turned to the passenger seat.
Alex, without a word, drove with the car windows rolled down.
Candice’s temples ached when the chilly breeze blew on her.
She sank into her seat. It began to shower outside halfway through the voyage, prompting them to close the
windows.
“It stinks,” Sieg grumbled as soon as the window was closed.
She knew he was referring to her but chose to ignore him, but he refused to let it go.
He turned to Candice with a disdainful tone and said, “Thinking you were being noble by drinking on behalf of Alex?”
She remained silent.
He scoffed. “And taking drinks for Stan too, acting like you’re playing the role of Alex’s wife?”
At that moment, Alex’s phone began to ring.
Sieg craned his neck to see the caller’s identity, then, with evident glee, nudged Candice’s shoulder and quipped, “Looks like the real wife is calling.”
Candice responded with a cold glare and avoided his contact.
Given Sieg’s evident favoritism for Alex and Sonia, one might mistake Sonia for his mother.
Alex, ignoring his friend’s comment, instructed Candice, “Pass me my phone.”
He was behind the wheel and could not answer the call himself.
Candice lowered her eyes and silently retrieved Alex’s phone.
Alex then directed, “Answer it.”
After a brief hesitation, she tapped the screen to answer and switched on the speaker, then set
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