Chapter 389

The moment Dustin swaggered up to the central poker table, a collective gasp washed through the crowd. Brielle faintly heard the murmurs of “Money Burner” bouncing around the room. Seemed like the guy was quite the legend in this joint.

She tried to wiggle free from his grasp, but Dustin nonchalantly pulled up a chair, plopping her down next to him.

Dustin was known for his revolving door of arm candy, so no one paid much mind to Brielle’s identity.

Those who relished in the local gossip recognized her in an instant–wasn’t she the latest buzz on the net?

But here, nobody gave a hoot about online chitchat. Once you stepped through these doors, the only thing that earned you respect was cold, hard cash.

Overpowered by Dustin, Brielle resigned herself to the seat.

Another voice cut through the air as a figure approached, taking a seat directly across from Brielle.

Connor was late to the party and clueless about Dustin’s setup, so when he spotted Brielle, a sneer curled his lips. “Well, well, if it isn’t Ms. Brielle. You’ve been quite the sensation online, I hear.”

Connor had once fancied the idea of marrying Brielle, but after being dressed down by her, he harbored a grudge that just wouldn’t quit.

He’d gleefully shared a juicy rumor from the Hatfield family grapevine with Catherine, thinking Brielle had snagged Max. But Catherine had laughed in his face just days before, claiming Brielle was throwing herself at Max, who didn’t even give her a second glance.

The thought of Brielle demeaning him while groveling to another man boiled his blood. And with his business hitting the skids, his words were all the more venomous. “So what’s the plan, bedded and bored by your last sugar daddy, and now trawling for a new one? But after Dorsey’s had his fill, I doubt you’ll find many takers.”

Connor’s chip stack was modest–fifty million at best. He’d been biding his time, waiting for Dustin’s appearance.

The moniker “Money Burner” was well–earned with Dustin. Sitting at a table with him meant you could easily rake in a few hundred million. There was that one CEO, nearly bankrupt and on the verge of a skydive without a parachute, who turned his fortune around with a ten billion win from Dustin.

Nobody dared cross Dustin unless they were looking to make an enemy of wealth itself. And Dustin was much more than just money.

As Connor’s words hung in the air, a shadow passed over Dustin’s eyes. He was about to retort when Brielle beat him to the punch. “Word on the street is your company is going under, Mr.

Connor. Is that because you’ve been bad–mouthing karma?”

“You!” Connor was livid, his scalp tingling with rage. He’d been living high for years, but now, he didn’t who he had offended. Deals crumbled one after the other. His once flush company was now drowning in debt, and the banks were cutting him loose.

With no other options, the casino was his last resort, and thank goodness Dustin was there.

A chuckle rippled through the onlookers. Apex Dynamics’s troubles were an open secret, but nobody spoke of it outright–business etiquette and all. Brielle didn’t care for such niceties, and Connor was left smarting from the blow.

However, making a scene over Brielle here would only paint him as a bully. He scoffed, throwing a glance at Dustin, then offered a ‘friendly‘ warning. “Mr. Lynch, you’d do well to steer clear of this one.”

Pitying glances shot Connor’s way from the other patrons; they knew Brielle was Dustin’s guest, and their rapport seemed… intimate. Connor was fishing for a windfall from Dustin. oblivious to the fact that he’d just made a formidable enemy.

Expecting Dustin to erupt, the crowd was surprised when he didn’t. Instead, he propped his head on one hand and, with a room full of onlookers, slid a stack of chips towards Brielle. His eyes crinkled as he surveyed the room, then he chuckled. “Texas Hold’em, no limit–any takers?”

No limit–those words were enough to send shivers down a gambler’s spine. Overnight. fortunes could soar into the billions or plummet to ruin. Only the true heavyweights, those worth several billions themselves, dared to play.

The seats hadn’t filled up right away, but with Dustin, the infamous “Money Burner,” in the mix, Connor had already claimed his spot.

Dustin had only played no–limit a couple of times, but one game was legendary and revived a dying corporation. This time, it looked like Connor was about to cash in on some of that luck.

A greedy grin stretched across Connor’s pudgy, flushed face.