Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 490

Lucian and Kane were practically vibrating with stress. As Stella reached for her final card, their hands clenched into white-knuckled fists, their eyes bulging, too terrified to even draw a loud breath.

They desperately needed her to flip a winning hand, yet were paralyzed by the sheer terror that she might lose everything.

Luke wasn't as visibly unhinged as Lucian and Kane, but the anxiety was gnawing at him.

Stella, on the other hand, was the picture of utter indifference. She flipped her card with the casual grace of someone swatting a fly.

She tossed it onto the table without even bothering to look at it. "Old man, you lose."

Lucian and Kane almost had a stroke. She was being entirely too cavalier! The old man hadn't even revealed his cards yet, and she was already declaring herself the victor?

Judging by the board, both Lucian and Kane internally favored the old man's odds.

Yet this young woman was proclaiming victory with absolute certainty.

Her arrogance was simply off the charts.

The old man gave her a long, penetrating look before slowly flipping his hole cards and tossing them onto the felt. He smiled. "You have exceptional luck, young lady. I lose to you."

He didn't just say 'I lose'—he specifically said 'I lose to you'!

Following the verbal concession, a silent conversation sparked between them:

Old man: I threw that hand. You didn't beat me!

Stella: I know, I know. You'd be dead before you made it out the door with all that cash anyway. Do you have a death wish?

Old man: Mind your own business!

Stella: Obviously, I'm going to mind your business.

While they practically glared holes into each other, Lucian and Kane interpreted the intense staredown as the old man throwing a silent, furious tantrum over his loss.

After the silent exchange, Stella flashed a bright smile. "Thanks for letting me win, old man."

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