Karl walked closer to the table, stopping just behind Adelyn.
Pier followed right after, leaning in slightly, his eyes fixed on the man dealing the cards.
After watching for a mont, Pier shifted a little closer to Karl and lowered his voice. "Brother Karl... don’t you think you’ve ssed up this ti? Like... badly?"
Karl frowned, clearly not taking it seriously.
"It’s just a car. I don’t think my brothers would get that stingy over sothing like this."
Pier turned to look at him —completely speechless.
For a mont, he simply stared.
When Karl felt that relentless gaze, his frown deepened as he looked back.
"What?"
Pier exhaled slowly, as if trying to process how soone could be this dense.
"Your brother might not care about you losing a car, Brother Karl, but—"
He paused, then subtly pointed toward Adelyn.
"—would he also go easy on you if he finds out you nearly caused his wife to divorce him?"
Karl stiffened.
His expression shifted almost instantly, turning complicated.
The crease between his brows deepened as he processed those words, his gaze flicking unconsciously toward Adelyn for a brief second.
"She ... she isn’t his wife."
Pier scratched his brow, clearly exasperated.
"Brother ... how are you still this oblivious? You’re seriously beyond saving."
"You —what do you even an?" Karl snapped, irritation creeping into his tone.
Pier sighed, looking at him like he had run out of patience.
How was he supposed to explain sothing that was already so obvious?
"What do I an?" he muttered. "Brother Karl, your little niece calls her ’Mama’ without hesitation ..."
He raised a finger, counting as he went. "Your cold, indifferent brother —who has a lifelong record of not letting a single woman within a half-mile radius —has already shared a bed with her ..."
Then he spread his hands, presenting the conclusion like it was undeniable. "So tell —if not her, then who else could possibly be your sister-in-law?"
Karl fell silent.
"She—" he tried to refute, but the confidence he had earlier was no longer there. In the end, he simply muttered, "I won’t accept her as my sister-in-law."
Pier looked at him, already familiar with his stubborn nature. Nodding, he said easily, "It’s fine if you don’t accept her."
Then his gaze shifted toward Adelyn, admiration evident in his tone.
"I already accept her. She’ll definitely be the coolest sister-in-law."
"Do you even hear yourself?" Karl snapped, his patience thinning —though he didn’t realize it also betrayed a hint of reluctance.
Pier shrugged casually. "I hear myself perfectly, Brother Karl. After if she leaves your brother ..." He paused dramatically before adding, "I’ll introduce her to mine. Once they get along, she’ll beco my sister-in-law."
"You—!"
Before Karl could explode further, the man dealing the cards finally spoke.
"Even though you’re arrogant, I’ll go easy on you."
His gaze settled aningfully on Adelyn.
"Instead of poker, we’ll play 21."
"If you win, we won’t say another word and will let you leave. But if you lose ..." His lips curved faintly. "Your precious car will be ours."
Blackjack was simpler than poker, more straightforward and beginner-friendly.
Yet the mont the words left his mouth, Karl’s frown deepened.
"How can you do that?" he snapped. "We were clearly playing poker, and now you’re switching the ga. You’re just trying to make it harder for us. Do you really think we can’t do anything to you?"
Adelyn, however, understood exactly what they were doing.
Poker relied heavily on psychology and betting strategies.
And they had clearly sensed sothing in her —sothing they couldn’t quite read —so they switched to a ga that depended more on probability and controlled outcos.
They were pretending to make it easier ... while tightening the trap.
The man only smiled and shrugged. "I’m just trying to make the ga favorable for her out of goodwill. Don’t misunderstand."
"You—" Karl was ready to argue again.
But Adelyn stopped him with a slight shake of her head.
Then she looked at the man across from her and said calmly, "I won’t refuse your kindness, sir." Her lips curved faintly. "But while trying to go easy on ... don’t put yourself in a difficult position."
She leaned back slightly, finishing with a quiet smile, "After all, the last thing we’d accept is you going back on your word."
"You think we’d go back on our word?" the man snapped, his expression tightening instantly.
Adelyn shook her head lightly. "I’m just confirming beforehand... that you won’t."
Those words landed exactly where she intended them to.
The man’s fingers tightened around the deck.
"Don’t worry," he said through gritted teeth. "We won’t go back on our word. As long as you win ... you walk out."
Adelyn nodded. "Then, please." She gestured toward the cards.
Behind her, Karl felt his composure slipping.
She sensed it and turned slightly, reassuring him in a low voice. "Relax. I haven’t lost yet."
"You’ve played this before?" he asked imdiately.
She shook her head.
"Even if I haven’t ... I know how to play."
Karl was rendered completely speechless.
She hadn’t played it —yet she sat there as if she owned the table.
Where was that confidence coming from?
Did she truly not care about losing?
Adelyn read his expression but didn’t explain further. Instead, she gestured toward a chair nearby.
"Sit. And watch."
Karl frowned even deeper.
But beside him, Pier gently tapped his shoulder. "Brother Karl, let’s trust Sister-in-law. I feel like she’ll win easily."
Karl snapped his head toward him.
"And what makes you so confident?"
Pier simply glanced at Adelyn.
"Her attitude. She looks like she can handle anything."
Karl had no response to that.
At the table—
The man’s grip tightened over the deck before he finally dealt her two cards.
Adelyn flipped the first one.
A 9 of clubs.
The room stilled for a second.
She remained calm.
Then she flipped the second.
A 7 of hearts.
Sixteen.
A murmur spread instantly.
Then laughter broke out.
"Two lousy cards —only sixteen —and she’s showing them openly?"
"Is she surrendering already?"
"Looks like she doesn’t even know how to play this ga."
"Of course, she lost. I said it from the start."
"The car’s ours now."
Soone leaned back, grinning wickedly. "How about we take the beauty too?"
Another chid in imdiately, his tone turning darker.
"Brother, don’t go easy on her. Play another round. Make her bet herself."
A chorus of laughter followed.
"We’ll win her too ... and enjoy the night properly."
The room filled with crude amusent—
While Adelyn sat there—
Completely still.
Completely unfazed.
As though the ball was still in her court.
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