Chapter 64 Chapter 64
As he drew closer, he noticed her pale complexion and how parched her vibrant red lips were. Lifting his gaze, he saw her heavy eye makeup. Yet, even beneath it, the red, swollen circles under her eyes were unmistakable. She must have been weeping bitterly.
A twinge of displeasure flashed through him. He pulled his chair back, drew her into his embrace, and discarded the glass in his hand. Leaning close, he gently nipped her earlobe and murmured, "What's wrong?"
Grace didn't answer, but laughter echoed across the table. Landon dramatically covered his eyes and called out, "Hey, there's a minor here!"
No sooner had he spoken than the bespectacled man across the table flung two hundred-thousand-dollar chips at Landon and quipped, "Who doesn't know you're the most ruthless one here?"
Benjamin merely smiled faintly, utterly unfazed by their banter. He simply tilted his chin, signaling Grace to play for him.
She didn't refuse. Hooking an arm around his neck, she tapped the table with her index finger, signaling the dealer to deal.
Her fingers were slender and her chest was full. Her tight dress traced her beautiful curves, but what truly held Benjamin's gaze was how her breasts shifted subtly with her movements.
The men's eyes drifted toward that area.
Benjamin grew irritated and pulled her back abruptly. His hand clamped tightly around her waist, pinning her against his lap. Grace looked puzzled, lowering her gaze to meet his. He merely pursed his lips slightly, not even glancing at her, and flicked both cards onto the table, folding outright.
"Hey?" she protested urgently, but Landon had already gathered his chips. Smiling, he revealed his hole cards: a two of clubs and a nine of hearts. The river cards were irrelevant to him—the weakest possible hand. Yet Benjamin had folded a pair of kings.
"A two and a nine still let me win the pot. Don't all gang up on me.”
Some rejoiced while others lamented. The man seated across from Benjamin placed another stack of half-million-dollar chips on the table. Looking up at Benjamin, he complained, "Hey, you can't play like that, even if you're loaded."
Seated beside him was a young model. She had seen Grace once at the Mid-Levels villa and had witnessed her being carried upstairs by a Black man. Considering her low status and her connection to Benjamin's crew, she wanted to show off her wit in front of everyone. She raised her hand and playfully slapped the man, laughing. "Oh my, who are you to talk about Mr. Norman? Weren't you just staring at Ms. Hill's chest? Only Mr. Norman could resist. If either of you were here, you would have carried Ms. Hill to bed long ago!"
The moment she finished speaking, the table fell silent.
Grace stiffened momentarily before quickly regaining her composure. She even flashed a smile toward the young model across the table, gratefully.
She had been seeking an opportunity to gauge Benjamin's feelings toward her in front of everyone, and this woman had provided it.
Benjamin visibly flushed with anger. Like a magician, he made coin-sized chips dance between his fingertips.
He lifted his gaze to the model. "What did you call me?"
The model wasn't stupid. She sensed the tense atmosphere at the table and realized she might have overused her charm. Already scared into silence, she now dared not ignore Benjamin's question. She could only whisper, "Mr. Norman."
Before Benjamin could respond, the man who had brought the model acted first. He shoved her hard onto the floor, snarling, "If you can't speak properly, don't speak at all."
The model burst into tears, too frightened to speak again.
Benjamin remained silent, merely frowning impatiently. The bespectacled man glanced at Benjamin, then at Grace, before stepping in to smooth things over. He said to the man, "Come on, why get angry with a hostess? If you don't like her, just tell her to leave."
"Get out!" the man shouted, seizing the moment.
The model wiped her tears and left. Landon and the bespectacled man traded a couple of jokes, finally livening up the atmosphere again.
Benjamin's expression softened slightly. He hooked Grace's arm over his lap and played cards absentmindedly.
She sat high, her chest right in front of his eyes. If he lowered his head just a little, he could take a bite.
Yet she seemed utterly oblivious. Though she no longer leaned forward to push chips, she frequently checked his hole cards. Her chest swayed right before his eyes and nearly brushed his face several times.
Benjamin suddenly found this unbearable. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and whispered in her ear, "Do I have to take you right here to satisfy you?"
A flicker of surprise crossed her face before she murmured, "Your problem is you've got a filthy mind."
With that, she slipped free of his grasp, rose, and drifted over to the nearby sofa. She casually picked up a nearby magazine and began reading.
Benjamin glanced at her twice, noting that she no longer looked his way. Reluctantly, he averted his gaze and sulked.
Landon couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. After two more rounds, he declared that it was time to call it quits, putting on an act. "No way. I really have to go. I have a date lined up. It took me half a year to finally get this chance. If I miss it, I'll jump into the river for sure."
The others didn't believe him, especially Jasen, who refused to let him leave. "You can't go! You win some money and think you can just run off?"
Landon feigned distress, turning to Benjamin with a pained expression. "Benjamin, say something. You wouldn't really let me lose my chance at finding a wife, would you?"
Benjamin smiled faintly. "Call it a night."
Landon gave him a thumbs-up. "You're the man!"
With that, he grinned and headed out, deliberately waving to Grace as he passed.
Grace finally looked up and suddenly asked, "Landon, what about that bald guy who was with you?"
Landon froze at her question and glanced back at Benjamin before turning to Grace with a smile. "Who knows where that kid went to smoke weed? What's up? Need him for something?” Grace shook her head. "Nothing urgent. I just wanted him to return my house key. You know how it is when you're living alone. It feels unsettling having a man hold my front door key."
When Zach broke into her home that day, he’d used a key to open the door.
She suspected that Benjamin had given him the key, though she couldn’t be certain when or how he’d obtained it.
Landon chuckled. "Ms. Hill, rest assured. Not only is that key no longer in Zach’s possession, but even if it were, he’d never dare set foot in your home again.”
"Oh?" Grace raised an eyebrow slightly and shot Benjamin a half-smile, half-glare before turning back to Landon. "Then I'll have to trouble you to tell him to come see me sometime. First, to return the key. Second, I'd like to ask him for something else.”
She deliberately emphasized the words "ask for something." Anyone smart enough would understand that she meant to avenge Adrian's severed finger.
Benjamin understood. His lips curled into a faint, cold smile before he suddenly spoke up. "Landon, tell Zach to come see Ms. Hill tomorrow."