ROSE'S POVYou know, life at the casino wasn’t exactly glamorous. People often imagine casinos as glittering places filled with excitement, luxury, and endless fun. But let me tell you the truth— it’s not like that when you’re working there. Shuffling cards, dealing with drunk gamblers, and pretending to care about their endless sob stories wasn’t exactly my idea of a dream job. It was exhausting, repetitive, and, most of all, draining. But then came Simeon. Oh, Simeon.The first time I saw him, I was mid- shuffle at my usual table. My hands were busy dealing cards for the next round when I noticed him standing at the entrance. He wasn’t like the other gamblers who stumbled in, loud and already half- drunk. No, he stood there quietly with his friend, Marcus, looking around as if he didn’t quite belong. Then his eyes locked on mine. It wasn’t a casual glance— no, it was the kind of look that made me feel like I was the jackpot he had been searching for. My hands froze for a moment, and
DANIEL'S POVA few days before Veronica defected publicly, I stumbled upon a lead about how I lost eight hundred million dollars on a gambler. The memory felt distant, almost like it belonged to a different time. It was buried somewhere deep in my mind, a part of my past that I hadn’t thought about in years— two or maybe three years ago, to be precise. It wasn’t something I obsessed over anymore. In fact, I rarely let my mind wander in that direction. However, out of nowhere, Jack— the one man I thought would never revisit the subject— suddenly brought it up. His timing was peculiar, but even more surprising was what followed. Just two days after mentioning it, Jack was dead.Before his unexpected death, Jack had mentioned a name— Rose. The name meant nothing to me at the time. I didn’t know her and had no recollection of ever hearing about her before. According to Jack, she had worked at the casino where the incident occurred, though she wasn’t employed there anymore. It wasn’t much
EMMA'S POVIt still shocks me to know that Simeon’s wealth came from gambling. Even now, I struggle to wrap my mind around it. Gambling, to me, has always been one of the most destructive habits a person can have. It isn’t just a harmless game of chance— it’s a trap, a dark hole that consumes everything in its path. The very thought of it fills me with disgust, and my feelings about it have only grown stronger over the years.My hatred for gambling has a history. My uncle Peter, once a respected man in the community, fell victim to its allure. He was the type of person everyone admired, always offering help to neighbors and carrying himself with dignity. But gambling changed him. It started small— bets here and there— but it quickly spiraled out of control. He borrowed so much money to fuel his addiction that, when he couldn’t repay his debts, his entire life crumbled. The shame of it was unbearable. His wife, unable to cope with the constant harassment from debt collectors and the fi
SIMEON'S POVAfter that rough night with Rose, I couldn’t shake off the irritation bubbling inside me. The way she involved Emma— holding her hostage, using her as leverage to get to me— it disgusted me. It wasn’t just about Emma being dragged into my mess; it was the audacity of Rose to think that such a move would somehow make me see her differently. Since that night, I’ve been doing everything possible to make things right with Emma. I’ve called her countless times, tried to explain, but nothing seems to work. It feels like every effort I make just pushes her further away. I keep replaying that night in my head, wondering how things could have gone so wrong, but no answer ever comes.Emma’s words the last time I called her still stung like a fresh wound. I could barely get through the call without hearing the sharp edge in her voice, a tone I had never heard from her before.“Simeon, please don’t ever call me again. Don’t even come down to the office. Go look after your other compa
DANIEL'S POV It’s been six days since Rose made her promise to help me win Emma back. She said I’d have her in two weeks, but honestly, I haven’t seen any real effort from her side. Sure, Simeon hasn’t been around Pixel Forge Studios for the past two days, but does that really mean anything? I can’t help but feel like I’m being played. This question has been stuck in my head, repeating itself over and over, like an annoying tune you can’t get rid of.This morning, I woke up determined to take matters into my own hands. If Rose wouldn’t help me the way I wanted, then I’d have to find my way back into Emma’s heart myself. My plan was simple: pick her up for work. I thought it would be a good way to show her I was serious about fixing things between us.As my car pulled up in front of her house, I spotted her standing in the driveway, looking at her cars. She seemed undecided, her eyes moving back and forth between the vehicles, as if she were struggling to choose which one to take.“Ju
EMMA'S POVI couldn’t believe what I just heard. The message Rose had sent felt like a punch in the stomach, leaving me breathless. The words replayed in my mind like a haunting melody, each repetition more terrifying than the last. “You promised me two weeks to make Emma mine for the exchange of your life, but I haven’t seen anything. So, tell me a reason why I shouldn’t send my men to kill you?” My hands trembled as I clutched my phone, listening to those words over and over again, as if doing so would somehow change their meaning. But no matter how many times the audio kept playing , the words remained the same— cold, sharp, and utterly devastating.It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room. My heart raced, pounding so loudly in my chest that it drowned out every other sound. For a moment, the world around me seemed to blur, my mind unable to process what I had just listened to. Was this some kind of cruel joke? A mistake? I didn’t want to believe it, but deep down, I k
SIMEON'S POVI sat on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the sides, my head pounding with thoughts of Emma. The guilt swirling inside me felt like a heavy weight pressing down on my chest, suffocating me. My eyes stayed fixed on the floor as if staring at the wooden tiles would somehow bring clarity to the chaos in my mind. Emma’s face flashed in my thoughts— her bright smile, her warmth, her laughter. She didn’t deserve this. None of it.Behind me, Rose lay sprawled across the bed, her body glowing under the dim light of the room. Her hair cascaded over the pillow, and her lips curved into a small, smug smile. There was no denying her beauty; she was captivating in a way that could tempt anyone. But my heart wasn’t here. It wasn’t in this room, with her. It belonged to Emma, even though my actions betrayed every word of my love for her.Taking a deep breath, I forced the words out. "I can’t continue this with you. We can’t keep doing this," I said, my voice firmer than I expected
EMMA'S POVI sat on the couch, my mind swirling with a whirlwind of emotions I could barely process. Aunt Grace had just said something that felt like a slap across my face, and I couldn’t shake off the sting of her words. She stood in front of me, her arms folded tightly across her chest, her expression a mix of frustration and concern. Her sharp tone cut through the silence of the room like a knife."I don’t know why you don’t listen, Emma. Leave those two men alone. They don’t love you," Aunt Grace said, her voice firm and unyielding as we delved into the sensitive topic of Daniel and Simeon, the two men I had convinced myself were important in my life.I inhaled deeply, trying to maintain my composure despite the bubbling frustration threatening to spill over. I didn’t want to argue with her, but Aunt Grace had a way of pushing all the right buttons. "They both love me, Aunt Grace," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I believe one of them is the best for me," I added, hop
SIMEON'S POVI was having a wonderful time in my sitting room, surrounded by laughter and the warm glow of soft lights. The air was rich with the aroma of wine and the faint scent of expensive perfume. Two stunning ladies were with me, each captivating in her unique way. Their beauty was undeniable, their presence mesmerizing. As the evening unfolded, the sound of clinking wine glasses echoed in the room, blending harmoniously with their playful laughter.They were dressed in nothing but radiant smiles, their carefree energy filling the space. I leaned back in my chair, savoring the moment, feeling like I had the world at my feet. Everything was perfect, almost too perfect. Then, out of nowhere, a noise outside shattered the tranquility.At first, I thought it might be the wind or some distant commotion, but then I recognized the voice. It was Emma’s. My heart skipped a beat. That voice, so familiar and yet so sharp at that moment, sent a wave of panic through me. Emma couldn’t see th
EMMA'S POVFor the past day, Jason hasn’t been answering my calls. At first, I tried to brush it off, convincing myself he was probably busy with work or tied up in something important. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling growing inside me. Yesterday at the office, his behavior wasn’t normal— it was strange, almost as if he was deliberately avoiding me. He barely even looked at me, let alone spoke to me like he usually does. Jason is never like that. Even when he’s stressed or under pressure, he always makes time to smile at me or share a few comforting words. Yesterday, though, was different. It was like he was trying to put some invisible wall between us, and I couldn’t understand why.The goodbye kiss he gave me by my car was the clearest sign that something was off. It wasn’t the same as usual. It wasn’t deep or passionate, and it didn’t feel like it came from the heart. Instead, it felt distant, almost like he was holding himself back. I replayed t
SIMEON'S POVThe moment Daniel and I discovered we shared a common enemy, Rose, it felt like fate had aligned our goals. She had been a thorn in both our sides for too long, interfering with our plans and making life unnecessarily complicated. It didn’t take long for us to decide we needed to eliminate her from the picture entirely.It was Daniel who suggested framing her for a crime. The idea was brilliant in its simplicity. If she were accused of something serious, something that could not be easily disproven, she’d be out of the way for good."Frame her for what?" I asked, leaning in to hear his plan.Daniel grinned, his confidence evident as he sipped his glass of wine. "I think framing her for running an illegal casino would be the best option," he said.I nodded thoughtfully but remained cautious. "There has to be evidence," I pointed out. "There must be a casino for the authorities to find when they investigate."Daniel leaned back in his chair, his grin widening. "I have a cas
EMMA'S POVI noticed the way Mary was looking at me, probably because of how I was staring at Jason. Her concerned gaze told me she had noticed something unusual about my reaction. “Is there any problem, ma?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity and a hint of worry. I quickly shook my head, forcing a smile to reassure her. “Nothing,” I replied, hoping to divert her attention. To change the subject, I asked, “Are they all five?” Of course, I already knew the answer. The five candidates scheduled for the interview were waiting.“Yes, ma,” Mary confirmed with a professional tone, her expression now calm.It wasn’t every day you saw a man applying for a secretary position, and that alone would’ve been enough to surprise me. But seeing Jason— the same Jason I had met on the dating app and spent a wonderful evening with— completely left me speechless. It felt like the universe was playing a trick on me. What were the odds of him showing up here, in my office, for this job? I didn’t kn
EMMA'S POV Three days after my conversation with Rose, she was arrested. Her arrest didn’t surprise me, but her words before she was taken away kept replaying in my mind. She had insisted that Simeon and Daniel had framed her. As much as I didn’t want to believe her, the thought clung to me, refusing to leave. Since her arrest, everything around me had taken a strange turn. Simeon and Daniel began acting oddly, almost like they were trying too hard. They showered me with expensive gifts and compliments that felt excessive. It was as though they were competing for my attention and favor. I couldn’t shake off the echo of Rose's final words to me: “They’ve placed a bet on you. Whoever wins your heart gets something big.” At first, I brushed it off as a desperate attempt to manipulate me, but the constant attention and gifts from Simeon and Daniel made me reconsider. Could there be some truth to her claim? I had no evidence, but the idea planted a seed of doubt in my mind. The more I th
EMMA'S POVI sat on the couch, my mind swirling with a whirlwind of emotions I could barely process. Aunt Grace had just said something that felt like a slap across my face, and I couldn’t shake off the sting of her words. She stood in front of me, her arms folded tightly across her chest, her expression a mix of frustration and concern. Her sharp tone cut through the silence of the room like a knife."I don’t know why you don’t listen, Emma. Leave those two men alone. They don’t love you," Aunt Grace said, her voice firm and unyielding as we delved into the sensitive topic of Daniel and Simeon, the two men I had convinced myself were important in my life.I inhaled deeply, trying to maintain my composure despite the bubbling frustration threatening to spill over. I didn’t want to argue with her, but Aunt Grace had a way of pushing all the right buttons. "They both love me, Aunt Grace," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I believe one of them is the best for me," I added, hop
SIMEON'S POVI sat on the edge of the bed, my hands gripping the sides, my head pounding with thoughts of Emma. The guilt swirling inside me felt like a heavy weight pressing down on my chest, suffocating me. My eyes stayed fixed on the floor as if staring at the wooden tiles would somehow bring clarity to the chaos in my mind. Emma’s face flashed in my thoughts— her bright smile, her warmth, her laughter. She didn’t deserve this. None of it.Behind me, Rose lay sprawled across the bed, her body glowing under the dim light of the room. Her hair cascaded over the pillow, and her lips curved into a small, smug smile. There was no denying her beauty; she was captivating in a way that could tempt anyone. But my heart wasn’t here. It wasn’t in this room, with her. It belonged to Emma, even though my actions betrayed every word of my love for her.Taking a deep breath, I forced the words out. "I can’t continue this with you. We can’t keep doing this," I said, my voice firmer than I expected
EMMA'S POVI couldn’t believe what I just heard. The message Rose had sent felt like a punch in the stomach, leaving me breathless. The words replayed in my mind like a haunting melody, each repetition more terrifying than the last. “You promised me two weeks to make Emma mine for the exchange of your life, but I haven’t seen anything. So, tell me a reason why I shouldn’t send my men to kill you?” My hands trembled as I clutched my phone, listening to those words over and over again, as if doing so would somehow change their meaning. But no matter how many times the audio kept playing , the words remained the same— cold, sharp, and utterly devastating.It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room. My heart raced, pounding so loudly in my chest that it drowned out every other sound. For a moment, the world around me seemed to blur, my mind unable to process what I had just listened to. Was this some kind of cruel joke? A mistake? I didn’t want to believe it, but deep down, I k
DANIEL'S POV It’s been six days since Rose made her promise to help me win Emma back. She said I’d have her in two weeks, but honestly, I haven’t seen any real effort from her side. Sure, Simeon hasn’t been around Pixel Forge Studios for the past two days, but does that really mean anything? I can’t help but feel like I’m being played. This question has been stuck in my head, repeating itself over and over, like an annoying tune you can’t get rid of.This morning, I woke up determined to take matters into my own hands. If Rose wouldn’t help me the way I wanted, then I’d have to find my way back into Emma’s heart myself. My plan was simple: pick her up for work. I thought it would be a good way to show her I was serious about fixing things between us.As my car pulled up in front of her house, I spotted her standing in the driveway, looking at her cars. She seemed undecided, her eyes moving back and forth between the vehicles, as if she were struggling to choose which one to take.“Ju