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The room was still filled with whispers and amazement. Some gamblers hadn't yet grasped how Elizabeth had managed to best William at his own game. Others looked at her with admiration, as if they had discovered a new legend in the world of gambling.
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William, however, remained seated, watching Elizabeth with eyes that bore no trace of defeat. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy this challenge more than anything else.
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🃏 William (quietly, leaning back in his chair): "So, what are you going to do now?"
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♠ Elizabeth (with a faint smile, gathering her chips on the table): "I'm leaving here, of course."
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🃏 William: "Oh, and you think that's it?"
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Elizabeth paused for a moment, then looked directly at him.
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♠ Elizabeth: "You win, William. The game is over."
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🃏 William (with a slow smile, raising his drink): "Games don't end so easily, dear."
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Before Elizabeth could reply, John approached, his eyes still filled with concern.
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♠ John: "We must leave now."
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❤️ Madeline (leaning across the table, her eyes studying Elizabeth curiously): "I didn't expect this from you, Elizabeth. But I'm sure of one thing..."
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♠ Elizabeth (eyeing her cautiously): "And what is it?"
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❤️ Madeline (smiling slowly): "You're not here just to gamble. There's something else driving you, isn't there?"
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Elizabeth didn't reply, but the silence that followed Madeline's words was enough to make everyone realize that something deeper was going on in the background.
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🃏 William (looking at Madeline with a half-smile): "You're good at reading people, Madeline. But Elizabeth... is still a mystery, even to me."
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♠ Elizabeth (looking at him steadily): "Keeping you guessed is part of my fun."
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William laughed, but said nothing else. He simply stood up, picked up his jacket, and prepared to leave.
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🃏 William: "This won't be our last meeting, Elizabeth. I'm sure you know that."
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Then he turned and left the room, leaving behind a heavy air of unfinished expectations and possibilities.
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♠ John (in a low voice, after he was certain he was gone): "You shouldn't have played along with him in the first place."
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♠ Elizabeth (quietly, picking up the cards from the table): "On the contrary, I should have."
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❤️ Madeleine (looking at her with shining eyes, as if beginning to understand something): "So, what is your real purpose here, Elizabeth?"
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♠ Elizabeth (pocketing the cards, then smiling faintly): "All in due time."
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Then she left the table, leaving John and Madeleine behind, each trying to read her mind as she had with the others.
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But the truth was clear to only one person in the room—William, who stood outside, quietly lighting a cigarette, his eyes still holding the same mysterious look.
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🃏 William (whispering, slowly exhaling the smoke): "A new game has just begun..."
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