The numbers on the screen ticked like a grim countdown. When the final balance was settled, it read 1.5 billion dollars.

It was as if the air had been sucked clean out of the entire casino.

Irena's face was drained of all color. She shrieked hysterically, "This is impossible! Where in the world did you get that kind of money? That has got to be a fake card!"

Jasper held down his trembling hands, an almost indistinguishable trace of fear laced in his voice. "Isabel, there's still time to admit your mistakes..."

"Get on your knees!" Leonard demanded. "Bow down to Reena and apologize! We can pretend that none of this happened."

But all Isabel did was smile.

It was the kind of smile that surfaced when someone had been pushed too far, when survival meant having to bare fangs.

"Verify the card," she uttered calmly. Her curt request hit the room like a hammer.

Several moments later, the

The hall was packed with gamblers, yet no one recognized me. Worse still, no one seemed to take me seriously.

"Who let this crazy woman in? Why is she clamoring about?" A chorus of mocking laughter rippled through the crowd.

"Oh, I'm Rosalind Stanford, the dead woman you've been gossiping about!" My voice was cold, slicing through the noise.

Jasper and the others went pale on the spot.

Looking over from Leonard's arms, Irena pointed at me with undisguised contempt. "Where'd you dig up this impostor, Isabel? Out of some sewer?"

She cackled shrilly. "Don't forget where we are! International waters, sweetheart! Not even the highest authority can save you now."

I walked up to her slowly, my eyes sweeping over her from head to toe like sharp blades.

"Do you think wearing my sister's clothes and jewelry makes you the heiress of the Jefferson family? No matter how hard you try, a fraud i

"Please settle down, everyone," the manager said while holding his hand up in an attempt to signal for order.

Suddenly, the massive screen lit up again. Isabel's full medical report appeared in bold clarity.

My pupils contracted sharply.

Isabel was born with an extremely rare blood type—Rh-negative, also known as "golden blood". Found in only a tiny fraction of the population, it was incredibly difficult to source.

Wealthy families would search tirelessly for such a blood type in exchange for astronomical sums. However, they were always left empty-handed.

Since the day she was born, Isabel's medical report had been classified as top secret. I guarded that information carefully, fearing that exposure would bring her unnecessary trouble.

And now, these people had forced her into such a dire situation. This was unforgivable!

The Lowells and Sullivans, especially. After all those years of growing up together, after the privileges and leniency they received...

This was how they repaid us—brazenly bullying Isabel for a woman who appeared out of nowhere!

"Don't worry, Reena!" Jasper muttered words of comfort, though his face was tense.

"Yeah. Don't be afraid. She's going in for one last gamble. Let her lose everything. Then we'll have our sweet, sweet revenge!" added Leonard.

The two men scowled, scrambling to gather funds.

They mortgaged antiques, real estate, and sought loans from guarantor companies. But to outbid Isabel now, they'd need at least 60 million dollars.

Still keeping my cool, I watched them trying to find more strings to pull.

Ultimately, they gritted their teeth and pushed forward a final, desperate move. They had Irena sign the donation agreement and followed suit themselves. Together, they managed to scrape a whopping 90 million dollars.

"All in!" The two men locked their cold gazes on Isabel.

Their intentions were crystal clear. This wasn't just about stripping Isabel bare. They aimed to bring down the Jeffersons next, and then go after the Stanfords.

To think that the dogs we had raised and trained to guard Isabel had now turned into wolves that bite!

Isabel stood frozen, the last glimmer of hope in her eyes quickly fading. Several times, her lips parted and met again as she hesitated. In the end, she looked to her two childhood friends with desperation.

"Jasper, Leonard, please. We grew up together. Please just let me go..." she pleaded, her voice heavy with unshed tears.

For a moment, both men looked shaken and instinctively reached out for her.

However, Irena beat them to it.

With a dramatic slap to her own face, she dropped to her knees and wailed, "Isi, it's all my fault! It's because I'm poor and couldn't afford that damn scarf... I'll slave away for as long as it takes to repay you... Do whatever you want to me, just don't let them suffer in my stead!"

At those words, the last flickers of doubt in the men's eyes disappeared instantly. Their gaze hardened into ice.

Isabel had been completely cornered. Defeated, she no longer wanted to play. She just wanted out.

I gestured subtly to Riley, and he vanished from sight without making a single sound.

Isabel took a few steps back, but security seized her and shoved her back into her seat.

"Either you call or fold! No one leaves the table!"

Armed guards formed a tight circle around her, ready to restrain her once the game ended.

This was the final round. Both sides had wagered everything they had.

The dealer secured the last hands, sealing the cards. The entire room held its breath, waiting for the grand reveal.

Just then, Isabel, who was in the midst of overwhelming despair, suddenly looked up and met my eyes. She straightened her back, and her voice rang out in confidence. "I call. Double!"

A stunned silence enveloped the room.

"Ms. Jefferson," the server warned, "You have nothing left to wager."

A crisp sound echoed as Isabel slammed a black card onto the table. She declared with firm resolve, "I have money! I'm still in!"

Both Jasper's and Leonard's expressions fell as they stared at the card.

"Isabel Jefferson, where the hell did you get that card? You have nothing left!"

Irena's eyes were red as she urged, "Isi, don't bluff with a fake card. This is not a joke. It's a matter of life and death!"

But her words barely landed before gasps filled the air one after another.

"How is this possible?"

Jasper and Leonard shot to their feet, staring up at the screen in disbelief.

"How could this be?"

The numbers on the screen ticked like a grim countdown. When the final balance was settled, it read 1.5 billion dollars.

It was as if the air had been sucked clean out of the entire casino.

Irena's face was drained of all color. She shrieked hysterically, "This is impossible! Where in the world did you get that kind of money? That has got to be a fake card!"

Jasper held down his trembling hands, an almost indistinguishable trace of fear laced in his voice. "Isabel, there's still time to admit your mistakes..."

"Get on your knees!" Leonard demanded. "Bow down to Reena and apologize! We can pretend that none of this happened."

But all Isabel did was smile.

It was the kind of smile that surfaced when someone had been pushed too far, when survival meant having to bare fangs.

"Verify the card," she uttered calmly. Her curt request hit the room like a hammer.

Several moments later, the manager announced, "The black card is authentic. The card balance is confirmed... at 1.5 billion do

Chapter 5