In the end, Cole got thrown out of the club. One of the bodyguards in a suit even stepped forward and kicked his stomach for good measure.
Cole curled into a ball on the ground. Eventually, he then dragged himself into a dark, damp alley, leaning against the grimy wall as he spat a mouthful of bloody saliva onto the pavement.
Those assholes! They were just a bunch of snobs.
Once he got his winning streak, they would be on their knees, begging him for a chance.
Then, Cole looked at his wallet.
He only had a few crumpled bills left. That was nowhere enough.
That night was a major game, and he needed a lot of money to place a real bet. The odds were good–he could feel it. With enough upfront money, he could win it all back in one shot. Then, he could clear his debts and come out on top.
Just as despair began to set in, his phone screen lit up.
It was a message from an unknown number that contained only a location pin–The Imperial
Club.
A second message followed.
“Get here now, if you want the money.”
Cole stared at the message, and his heart raced.
Was this a trap? Or was it a lucky break sent from heaven?
Whatever it was, he had to take a risk. He’d gamble anything for money.
Gritting his teeth, Cole flagged down a taxi and headed for the address,
…
The private room at The Imperial Club was hazy with cigar smoke. A man wearing a heavy gold chain sat in the center of the plush sofa.
He was Damien Anderson.
He eyed the reckless young man, his eyes filled with utter disdain. Then, he tossed a contract onto the table. “Is 500 thousand dollars enough? Sign it, and the money is yours immediately.
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Cole’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. Five hundred thousand dollars was more than enough for him to win at the tables that night.
He was already dreaming of his future wealth that he didn’t even bother to read the fine print. He snatched the pen and scrawled his signature on the dotted line without a second thought.
He was certain he would win. He’d pay back this petty loan and interest in no time.
elated.
As he clutched the brand–new bank card, Cole practically skipped out of the room,
The moment he left, a slender figure emerged from behind an ornate screen. It was Amelia.
There was a malicious gleam in Damien’s eyes as he stood up and roughly pulled her into his arms. “How’s that, sweetheart? Satisfied?”
Amelia forced down a wave of nausea and put on a seductive smile. Damien’s touch made her skin crawl, but the thought of what was coming for Emily made the sacrifice worth it.
Did that idiot really think she was safe just because Gabriel was protecting her?
Amelia rose on her toes, bringing her lips close to Damien’s ear. “Of course I’m satisfied.” Her fingers lightly trailed over his thick, muscular arm. “But Damien… How about I throw in a little bonus?”
She pulled out her phone and brought up a photo. It was a picture of Emily–one she had secretly taken at the hospital. Even in a white coat, with that cool expression, Emily’s beauty was undeniable and almost startling.
“Cole has an older sister,” Amelia purred. “Her name is Emily. What do you think? She’s more of your type, isn’t she?”
Damien’s breaths instantly grew heavy. He stared at the woman on the screen, a look of raw hunger spreading across his face.
This one had a fire to her that Amelia lacked. She looked untouchable, and Damien could already imagine the thrill of breaking that cool composure in his bed.
He snatched the phone from Amelia’s hand and chuckled. “She’s not bad at all.”
Naturally, Emily was unaware of Amelia and Damien’s arrangement. Her apartment was silent
in the deep night, the quiet so profound that she could even hear her own heartbeat.
But the sudden ring of her phone shattered the peace.
The caller ID showed it was her father.
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In an exhausted voice, she answered, “Hello?”
“Mills, you need to come home. Now!” Maurice sounded frantic, his anxiety barely contained. “It’s your brother! He’s missing!”
Emily had lost count of how many times she’d had to deal with one of Cole’s crises. “He’s a grown man. I’m sure he’s fine.”
“How would I know? He hasn’t been back since this afternoon. His phone is turned off!” Maurice’s voice rose as he continued to blame her, saying, “How can you be so unconcerned about your own brother?”
Emily closed her eyes. “I have work in the morning.”
“Work? How can you think about work when your brother’s missing?” Maurice’s voice sharpened. “Emily, I’m telling you, you will come home tonight! I will never forgive you if anything happens to him!”
With that, the line went dead with a sharp click, leaving only the hollow dial tone ringing.
Emily sat on the couch for a long time, but in the end, she still picked up her car keys.
After all, Maurice was her father, and Cole was her brother. They were the blood ties she could never break.
…
The Sterling family home was brightly lit. Inside, Maurice was anxiously pacing across the living room floor. “Well? Did you reach him?” he demanded the moment Emily walked in.
Emily shook her head, showing him her phone. The call to Cole had gone straight to voicemail again. “Where does he usually go?”
