From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress (Riley and Lucas) novel Chapter 413

4:08 pm

MA

Chapter 413 Do You Have a Better Option?

Chapter 413 Do You Have a Better Option?

At the end of the alley, a sign buzzed with blue-purple neon-“Cyber Nest.”

Riley pushed open the heavy soundproof door, and the warm, electric smell of hardware hit her in the face.

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The place had a hardcore look. The walls were covered with dismantled parts of vintage consoles, each one mounted inside a clear acrylic frame like some kind of artifact.

“Well, well. Ms. Brooks is back.”

A longtime staff member in a black graphic tee sat behind the counter, head down as he checked in contestants on a list.

He looked up at the sound of the door, and his eyes landed on Riley. He froze.

His mouth opened slightly. He stared for a long second before the words slipped out. “Wait. You’re here too?”

There was a familiar, surprised note in his voice, like he recognized her.

Riley’stopped and studied his face, confused. She was sure she’d never seen him before.

“Do you know me?” Her expression stayed distant. Polite but blank.

The staff member blinked and took a closer look at her face. Something flickered in his eyes, then faded.

He scratched the back of his head with an awkward laugh and shifted his gaze past her shoulder like he was looking for an escape “No, no. I was talking to the guy behind you. Hey, Luke! You got fatter again, man.”

Riley glanced back. A chubby guy in a baseball cap was squeezing his way in, already out of breath.

She didn’t think much of it. She figured people who spent their days in dim gaming dens probably saw anyone with her general looks as just another face in the crowd. She turned and walked with Audrey toward the reserved tournament area.

They’d barely sat down when Riley’s phone rang inside her bag.

She pulled it out. It was Sebastian.

“Yeah?” Riley answered, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the smooth tabletop.

“Where are you?” Sebastian’s low voice came through the receiver. “I told you to wait at home for lunch. I get back and you’ve vanished. What’s going on?”

Riley dropped her voice and shot a guilty glance at Audrey, who was busy fiddling with her console “Something came up. fled to step out and deal with it.”

“Dealing with something at an arcade?” Sebastian caught the electronic sound effects and the noise of a crowd bleeding through the call.

The match-up list was already scrolling across the big screen. Audrey’s registered name was right there, wiley spoke a little faster, “It’s kind of complicated. I’ll explain when I get back. Gotta go. I’m in the middle of something

“Riley, you

4:08 pm

MA

Chapter 413 Do You Have a Better Option?

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She hit the end call button before he could finish.

She took a breath, switched her phone to silent, and flipped it face down on the table. She forced her focus onto the screen in front of her.

The tournament was brutal. One-on-one. The toser got sent home.

A lot of people had shown up. That limited-edition first-gen cartridge was basically a holy relic for hardcore collectors. Some of them had traveled from out of town just for this.

“Riley, are you sure about this?” Audrey scanned the room full of hungry, locked-in players and feit her confidence crater. She leaned in and whispered, “I checked. A few of those guys over there are pro boosters. Did we jump into this way too fast?”

Riley was busy testing her controller’s sensitivity. She didn’t even look back. “Do you have a better option right now?”

Audrey’s mouth snapped shut, and she sulked in silence.

No. She did not.

The first-round matchups came up. Riley’s opponent was a tall, skinny guy in a hoodie.

He glanced at Riley, then at Audrey beside her, and barely bothered to hide his smirk.

“Man, these nostalgia tournaments are a joke now. Even girls are showing up.” He cracked his knuckles and turned to his friend. loud enough for everyone to hear. “Sweetheart, take some advice. Don’t cry when you lose. You might luck your way through one or two rounds, snap a pic for your socials, and call yourself a gamer girl. But first place? Don’t waste your time. These hardcore solo games aren’t some Candy Crush crap you can just pick up.”

Audrey’s temper went off like a match. She let out a sharp laugh and fired back, “You haven’t even played yet and you’re already calling it? Must be nice to be that delusional. Hope the sound of you getting wrecked doesn’t draw a noise complaint.”

The guy lifted his chin, oozing confidence. He shot Riley a sideways look. “I’m top-tier in my district. They call me the Speed King Ask anyone here.”

Riley didn’t even lift her eyes. Her fingers flew across the controller, dialing in the last parameter.

Then she turned her head and cut through his self-promotion with an ice-cold voice. “Round’s starting, Speed King

The countdown hit zero, and the screen slammed into combat mode.