ll shoved a mountain of chips

of false bravado. "Match it, or you forfeit. Everything. In

positively glow

nally out of options," she declared, loud

tand who truly holds influe

ips, then at the contr

r face, silent and des

cold rage build. The Obsidian Circle

d by a shadowy consortium of private banks,

ere already acting as if they

Tyler crowed, nudging Bran

ver her few remaining

s Thorne moved with silent ef

aced a single, featureless bla

, made of a material Alex

hen up, a flicker of somet

he card forw

h quiet, was sur

ll over t

ter of the table, an alien ob

n demanded, his smirk faltering

though a sliver of uncer

worthless plastic. She's bluf

he dealer. "Call her bluff. She

ssion unreadable. The a

ehind Alex, murmured into his

n datapad so Alex could

ce family's long-serving estate man

by Arthur Vance, Chloe's aging fath

irl. This was a calculated power play, aimed at

p, a rot within her

arrival, had been on th

status, her mother's growing influence

ultimate violation, a desperate sacrif

lay on the table, a silent, po