Once She Came Like a Flash novel Chapter 41

**Faith Didn’t Survive Time – by Aadi Sharma**
**Chapter 41**

“Alright, count me in as well,” Jasper declared, his voice steady and confident.

“Raise,” came Conrad’s prompt response, a glint of mischief in his eye.

“I’ll raise as well,” Adam chimed in, his tone brimming with competitive spirit.

“One million!” Conrad announced, his voice ringing out across the table like a challenge.

The tension in the air was palpable. Perhaps it was the strength of the hands being played this round that led to only three players folding. After two rounds of intense betting, the players remained tight-lipped, unwilling to unveil their cards just yet. A sense of suspicion began to creep in, with some players stealing furtive glances at their neighbors’ hands. After another round of betting, three more players succumbed to the pressure and folded.

Now, only Jasper, Adam, Chris, and Conrad remained at the table, each one eyeing the others with a mix of determination and wariness.

“Jasper, are you really sure you don’t want to take a peek at your cards? You might end up losing everything,” Conrad cautioned, his voice laced with playful concern.

Jasper released a thin plume of smoke from his lips, his keen gaze landing on Renee, who was seated across from him. “This round, I’m putting my faith in Ms. Whitley,” he replied, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

Renee’s brow arched in surprise, and she lifted her head slightly, her expression shifting to one of intrigue. When her eyes met Jasper’s, a knowing smile spread across her face, as if she understood the unspoken bond forming between them.

“So, you want me to take the lead on this one for you?” she asked, a playful frown crossing her features as she glanced at the pile of chips before sweeping her gaze over the other players. “How about we make this interesting…”

Before anyone could react, she boldly pushed all her chips into the center of the table. “All in!” she declared, her voice ringing with conviction.

Adam observed the exchange between Renee and Jasper, a storm of emotions swirling within him. On one hand, he felt a surge of happiness at seeing his wife growing closer to Jasper, but on the other, an uncomfortable jealousy gnawed at him. In his eyes, Renee was being overly flirtatious, her behavior too casual and inviting.

Even if she was merely keeping Jasper company, she needed to maintain some distance. Yet, there she was, batting her eyelashes at him, and just moments ago, she had even touched his hand. That was crossing the line, in his opinion!

“Renee, please don’t mess around,” Adam murmured, his voice low and urgent. “You don’t really know how to play, so don’t complicate things further.”

Turning his attention to Jasper, he forced a nervous chuckle. “Mr. Zeller, I assure you, Renee is just being a bit silly. I hope you won’t hold it against her.”

Conrad hesitated, his eyes darting toward Renee, uncertain. After a moment’s contemplation, he shrugged with a chuckle. “Alright, I fold. You guys go ahead.”

“Ms. Whitley really knows how to take risks. Mr. Zeller is being quite generous by allowing her to do this, but she’s acting like she owns the place,” someone remarked quietly, their tone dripping with skepticism.

“That’s tens of millions on the line. Does she even realize how reckless that is?” another player chimed in.

“If she loses everything, I bet there’ll be some serious tension between her and Mr. Zeller,” someone else speculated.

“Not a chance. Mr. Zeller has enough money; this is just pocket change for him,” came the dismissive reply.

Still, the anticipation in the room was thick as everyone waited to see how this bold gamble would unfold.

Renee turned her gaze toward Chris and Adam, her expression unwavering. “Mr. Jackson, Mr. Graham, you two reveal your cards first. Since we’re playing blind, we’ll show our hands last.”

“Fine, whatever you say,” Chris replied with a confident grin, tossing his cards onto the table with flair. “Straight flush, with the King as the highest. Bet none of you can top that!” His laughter echoed in the room, a challenge hanging in the air.