Chapter 138 Chapter 138
Benjamin’s expression brightened visibly, and he nodded with satisfaction. Then, his gaze swept to the young starlet behind Vito. "Your friend?"
Vito looked utterly stunned, momentarily speechless. The young starlet, a rising film sensation, was quick-witted and perceptive, especially good at reading the room. Seeing the situation, she hurriedly stepped forward and swiftly removed her sunglasses and mask. With a smile, she greeted them: "Hello, Mr. Norman, Ms. Hill!"
Grace waved slightly, feeling slightly awkward. But when she recognized the face, surprise flickered in her eyes. "Ah! It's you! I'm a huge fan!"
Hearing this, the young starlet was genuinely shocked and delighted, flattered beyond words. "Really? What a coincidence! Having a fan like you is such an honor!"
Grace merely smiled. After a moment, she politely asked, "May I take a photo with you?"
The starlet would never refuse such a request. She quickly moved closer to Grace and replied, "Sure thing."
Grace pulled out her phone, ready to take a selfie, but Benjamin suddenly snatched it away. Startled, Grace heard him say, "Let me handle this."
Seeing this, the starlet hurriedly handed her phone to Vito, pouting, "Vito, take one with my phone, too."
Vito thought everyone around him was crazy.
If he hadn't been interested in the starlet or afraid of Benjamin, he would have walked away long ago. With a grim expression, he took her phone, snapped a hasty photo, and tossed it back to her. Just as he was thinking about leaving, Benjamin's calm voice cut through the air: "Since we've run into each other, why don't you bring your friend along?"
Vito froze, his frustration nearly boiling over into a curse.
Grace hadn't expected Benjamin to invite Vito or the starlet.
After a year in exile abroad, she had been held captive by Benjamin since returning. Did she even have time to chase celebrities?
She didn't even know this starlet personally. She'd only used her as a connection to Vito, hoping to create opportunities to interact with him. She hadn't anticipated things unfolding so smoothly.
Inside the private room, everyone was waiting, knowing Benjamin was bringing Grace. They hadn't called for hostesses; just a few grown men were sitting on the sofa, drinking and chatting. They weren't expecting a group to come in all at once when the door opened. Besides Benjamin and Grace, Vito was right behind them.
The men present were Benjamin's most loyal lieutenants of the past two years. Naturally, their relationship with Vito wasn't exactly warm. Seeing him follow Benjamin in came as a surprise, though none of them showed it. They all rose with smiles and greeted him.
Noticing that Vito had arrived, they promptly offered him a seat: "Vito, care to play a few hands?"
Vito had no desire to play cards and was about to decline when he spotted Grace sitting down at the table. His mind changed instantly. He nodded and walked over to take a seat opposite her.
Benjamin, unfazed, settled beside her. He tilted his head slightly and smiled faintly as he spoke to her in an intimate tone. "Don't be polite to them. None of these guys are worth much anyway.”
Watching this scene, Vito felt like he was seeing things. Either he was under a spell or Benjamin had been drugged. He’d been skeptical about Benjamin’s involvement in the Clarence family murders before, but now he was utterly convinced.
This man was clearly ensnared by Grace and oblivious to his own actions.
The game was almost a foregone conclusion. Everyone else at the table lost, while Grace alone won.
The starlet watched with astonishment and admiration. If Vito hadn't looked so grim, she might have cheered Grace on. After ten hands, Vito had barely gotten a decent starting hand. Finally, he managed a pair of kings, but everyone else simply checked—no one attempted a bet.
Grace's chip stack grew so high that she found the game tedious. Turning to Benjamin, she said, "I'm tired. You take over.”
Benjamin seemed reluctant, not because he feared losing, but because if he played, Grace would likely retreat to the nearby sofa instead of watching him. He said, "If you're tired, let's stop. We should head back.”
The others at the table nearly cursed aloud. Winning and then leaving? That would be downright ungracious!
But no one dared to say anything. Even Vito, sitting across the table, could only seethe inwardly, glaring at Grace.
Unexpectedly, Grace caught his glare. She raised an eyebrow slightly, then suddenly smiled. "Vito, you've got a nice hand there. KK?”
Vito visibly froze. The starlet beside him gasped, "How did you know?"
Everyone else looked over in astonishment.
Grace merely said, "I wonder if Vito realizes it, but he has a habit after looking at his cards. If he has a strong hand, he tucks them into his palm first.”
Vito glanced down and realized he had indeed cupped his cards. But before he could respond, the starlet beside him interjected, "He does that with small hands, too! Last hand, he cupped the '49.'”
Grace merely smiled faintly. “But his follow-up actions differ.”
“He handled the 'KK' like his own child, stroking it with such care. But the '49'? It was like a woman he loved bearing another man's child. When he set it down, he practically wanted to smash it to pieces."
After hearing this, both Vito and Benjamin's expressions changed slightly.
Vito frowned, doubting that he really made these subtle gestures. He was an experienced player; logically, he shouldn't have had such habits. Could it be because he hadn't controlled his emotions well today?
Benjamin stiffened even more. He suspected that Grace was still fixated on his coercion regarding her abortion in the past.
The next second, Grace leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Vito's so gullible. Just a couple of made-up lines scared him off."
Benjamin froze, asking, "Then how did you know he had KK in his hand?"
Grace smiled, covering her mouth with a yawn, and lowered her voice.
"I just cheated. I marked all the Ks and As.”
Her interest suddenly waned. "It’s boring. I don't feel like playing anymore."