215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2h01wuMsj
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7R93fLihN
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.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekOjTdJtpW
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.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yvGkGioB2
🃏 William (quietly, leaning back in his chair): "So, what are you going to do now?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGJxY13pWJ
♠ Elizabeth (with a faint smile, gathering her chips on the table): "I'm leaving here, of course."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwodDmICvE
🃏 William: "Oh, and you think that's it?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubg17itDTc
Elizabeth paused for a moment, then looked directly at him.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkz22tKEkbv
♠ Elizabeth: "You win, William. The game is over."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZkOOqRpDN
🃏 William (with a slow smile, raising his drink): "Games don't end so easily, dear."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRSmRbVkPi
Before Elizabeth could reply, John approached, his eyes still filled with concern.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGsiCvQRn3
♠ John: "We must leave now."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w2n9F5jn0
❤️ 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..."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszb8ccqzCO
♠ Elizabeth (eyeing her cautiously): "And what is it?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8XQgdbS7a
❤️ Madeline (smiling slowly): "You're not here just to gamble. There's something else driving you, isn't there?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlohKZE3cQH
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.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBimPU8BW5
🃏 William (looking at Madeline with a half-smile): "You're good at reading people, Madeline. But Elizabeth... is still a mystery, even to me."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGMf21psMG
♠ Elizabeth (looking at him steadily): "Keeping you guessed is part of my fun."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vXLuB3sGK
William laughed, but said nothing else. He simply stood up, picked up his jacket, and prepared to leave.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKS0M0G9YG
🃏 William: "This won't be our last meeting, Elizabeth. I'm sure you know that."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8btpBKodsZ
Then he turned and left the room, leaving behind a heavy air of unfinished expectations and possibilities.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IAKYSZ3vu
♠ John (in a low voice, after he was certain he was gone): "You shouldn't have played along with him in the first place."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7DoqMxukj
♠ Elizabeth (quietly, picking up the cards from the table): "On the contrary, I should have."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5a9Qye2HJ
❤️ Madeleine (looking at her with shining eyes, as if beginning to understand something): "So, what is your real purpose here, Elizabeth?"
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuoe9aOm8x
♠ Elizabeth (pocketing the cards, then smiling faintly): "All in due time."
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYATc9Sgcf
Then she left the table, leaving John and Madeleine behind, each trying to read her mind as she had with the others.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiLaunVCrd
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.
215Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJF6ytECliq
🃏 William (whispering, slowly exhaling the smoke): "A new game has just begun..."
ns216.73.216.146da2
