Chapter 1

At my engagement party, my best friend and my fiancé Preston were playing strip poker.

When I walked into the cabin, my best friend had stripped down to just a thin camisole,

sitting brazenly on Preston's lap.

I frowned and confronted them, but Preston seemed completely unfazed. "Regular card games are boring. Just wanted to try something new."

Claire smiled sweetly, her eyes flirty.

"We're just playing regular Texas Hold'em. Besides the usual bets, whoever loses has to take off an article of clothing. It's just the rules—you don't mind, do you?"

I was about to speak when Preston's expression turned cold.

"We aren't even married yet, and you're already trying to control me?"

So I nodded and sat down at the card table under everyone's gaze.

"Oh, it's just a card game. I might as well join—I've got nothing better to do anyway."

Preston frowned and glanced over at me. I looked away.

"Since I'm already here, I might as well play."

The cabin fell silent as everyone's eyes turned to me.

Preston gave me a soft smile.

"This kind of game isn't for you. Go back to bed early. Tomorrow when the yacht docks, I'll buy you that handbag you wanted."

In the past, when Preston spoke to me so gently,

I would have been completely charmed, forgetting everything, foolishly doing whatever he asked.

But today I just smiled faintly and stayed put.

The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment.

Claire batted her eyes.

"If you don't like this game, we can play something else instead."

But even as she said it, she made no move to get off Preston's lap.

Preston let out a cold laugh, looking at me with a rather unpleasant expression.

"Mara, the engagement party isn't even over, and you're already giving me attitude and trying to control me? Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?"

Everyone said Preston was a playboy, but I was the only one he'd publicly acknowledged.

I thought once he got tired of playing around, he'd settle down.

I'd followed him faithfully,

finally waiting for this proper engagement party,

yet he was still openly humiliating me on an occasion like this.

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly,

but still met his gaze calmly, pretending nothing was wrong.

"Since you said it's just a game, I'm not someone who can't join in."

Claire spoke to me in a chummy tone.

"Exactly! It's all just for fun anyway. You're usually too much of a goody-two-shoes. Preston always says I'll be a bad influence on you."

I scoffed inwardly.

Claire's family, the Hayes, was just a minor family to begin with,

but she had no shame, was sweet-tongued, and knew how to work a room.

Little by little, she'd managed to weasel her way into the upper-class socialite circle.

Even a dog needs to be fed bones now and then,

and over the years she'd been my sidekick, I hadn't treated her badly.

But I never expected her appetite to be so big

that she'd dare set her sights on Preston.

I gave her a soft smile, still using our usual fake-friends tone as I laughed.

"Of course not, you're overthinking it."

The onlookers finally snapped out of it and quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Exactly! The night is young—it'd be a shame not to play a few rounds."

The speaker was Preston's good friend Kyle. He quickly glanced at me.

"Mara, we never knew you even knew how to play Texas Hold'em. Lucky for you, Preston's a pro at the card table."

As he spoke, he shot Preston a meaningful look.

"Tonight you two can team up—just don't destroy us too badly."

But Preston didn't give him any face at all.

He kept his arm around Claire's waist, giving me a cold laugh.

"At the card table, it's every man for himself. Either go back to bed now, or don't cry when you lose later."

My heart ached, but I forced a smile.

Claire seemed emboldened.

She exchanged a suggestive glance with Preston.

"How about we raise the stakes? Besides betting and stripping, the biggest winner of each round can make anyone at the table do one thing."

"But fair warning—Mara's new at this, so go easy on her. Don't pick on her."

The cabin immediately got lively as everyone started talking at once.

"That sounds awesome! If I win, I'll make Preston give me that westside property."

"Come on, no one who can beat Preston has been born yet."

"Then if I win, can I have a night with Mara? Hahaha."

Amidst the chatter, I slowly sat up straight,

pulled out a stack of chips from beside me,

and tossed them onto the table.

"Deal the cards."