The atmosphere in the gambling hall was electric, as if the air itself was anticipating the outcome of this confrontation. Everyone was watching the table that brought Elizabeth and William together, like two players in a chess match, each testing the other's patience.
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The cards were dealt again. William didn't look directly at his cards, but left them face down for a while, as if he didn't need them. Instead, he watched Elizabeth, smiling, watching how she held her cards, how she breathed, and how she concealed her emotions.
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🃏 William (leaning back in his chair, fiddling with his chips): "Do you know what the first lesson in real gambling is, Elizabeth?"
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♠ Elizabeth (looking at him without flinching): "That you don't just play with cards, but with brains."
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🃏 William (smiling lightly): "Exactly. But there's something deeper than that... Gambling isn't just a game of chance; it's the art of convincing the other person they're in control, when in fact they're dancing to your tune."
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♠ Elizabeth (quietly): "So, is that what you're doing to me now? Trying to make me think I'm in control when I'm in your grip?"
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🃏 William (leaning forward, his voice getting quieter): "The more important question is: Are you in my grip, or am I in yours?"
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The stakes were starting to mount, the gambling chips were piling up on the table, the other players' faces were tense, and Elizabeth and William were playing another game within the game—the long game, the game of reading eyes and minds.
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On the other side, John was watching silently. He didn't like the way it was going. William knew all too well—he knew how to slowly eat away at his opponents, how to infiltrate their minds, how to make them doubt themselves.
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♠ John (whispering to Madeleine, who sat nearby, curiously watching the scene): "You should stop playing with him."
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❤️ Madeleine (laughing lightly, without taking her eyes off the table): "Elizabeth isn't like the others, John. I think she enjoys this game as much as William does."
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♠ John (visibly concerned): "That's what scares me."
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At the table, Elizabeth placed her chips steadily, her gaze never wavering.
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♠ Elizabeth (quietly, looking directly into his eyes): "I think you rely too much on the idea that you know people, but have you ever considered that you might meet someone you can't read?"
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🃏 William (smiling, then tilting his head slightly as if thinking): "Interesting... You're turning the tables on me, but are you doing it because you're really strong? Or because you're afraid of what I might discover about you?"
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♠ Elizabeth (smiling confidently, raising her eyebrow slightly): "And why not both?"
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For the first time since the start of the game, William's expression changed. It wasn't one of defeat, but of realization—he had found a real opponent.
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The final round was about to be decided, and the bettors around them were eagerly awaiting the outcome. But suddenly, before the cards were revealed, there was a loud crash.
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Everyone turned to see John standing there, his face pale, staring at his empty hands—all his chips gone. He'd lost everything.
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🃏 William (looking at him impassively): "Looks like luck wasn't on your side tonight, John."
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♠ Elizabeth (stirring up, looking at John anxiously): "How much did you lose?"
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♠ John (whispering, as if choking on words): "Everything."
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At this moment, gambling was no longer just a game. It had become a real risk, and it was clear that someone was going to lose in a way no one had expected.
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