Chapter 142 Humiliation
A complete poker set consists of 54 cards, which was not difficult to remember. But if one wanted to remember the position of each card while shuffling and what was in each player’s hand, it would be impossible.
Even if one could remember the entire sequence of the cards and knew what cards the opponents were holding and what cards were yet to be drawn, it still didn’t guarantee a win. Poker was not only about skills but also about human nature.
Everyone who played poker had their preferences to some extent. Remembering the opponent’s preferences and knowing what combo they liked to win was tough.
Triston looked at Catherine in astonishment, his eyes almost popping out of his head. “Catherine, looks like you’re pretending to be a noob. You’re making fun of us, aren’t you?”
Catherine raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a cold gaze, her tone devoid of warmth. “Is it necessary for me to do that to you?”
Her arrogant and self-important attitude made Triston’s face turn red with anger. He couldn’t help it, so he turned to Branden.
“Mr. Duncan, do something. Look, she’s bullying your friend!”
“Well…” Branden chuckled lightly, his deep eyes carrying a cunning smile as he looked at Triston. “Bullying? Is that so? She was telling the truth, wasn’t she?”
This was just like a game, and Triston was miserably defeated! He deeply regretted that he had sought help from Branden. Not only did he have to watch Branden and Catherine’s public display of affection all night long, but he also had to endure Branden’s humiliation.
With no one to rely on, Triston could only seek comfort from his good friend on the side. “Aidan, these two people keep mocking me! I can’t stand it!”
Facing Triston’s complaint, Aidan snorted coldly. “Hmph!” He pushed Triston away with a disgusted look on his face.
“Mr. Lambert, I advise you to keep your mouth shut, or you’ll humiliate yourself!”
It was no use reasoning with a person like Branden. Branden was famous for being protective of his loved ones. No one dared to offend his woman. Aidan had a deep understanding of this since childhood and always adhered to it.
After teaching Triston a lesson, Aidan counted the number of chips he had lost and respectfully handed them to Catherine with a warm smile.
“Miss Swann, your intelligence is beyond comparison. You’re already so skilled after just a few rounds. From now on, besides Mr. Duncan, it seems we’ll have another person to add to our poker blacklist!” Aidan said, trying to please her.
Seeing Aidan’s flattering demeanor, Triston felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. Why didn’t he learn anything from Aidan, an expert in flattering?
Catherine turned her head towards Branden, who was tidying the table beside her. She pointed to the chips on the table, asking, “How much are these worth?”
Branden knew what she was asking and gestured a number to her. “Ten thousand?” Catherine asked. Branden nodded in agreement, confirming her guess.
One chip was worth ten thousand, and Catherine was faced with a stack of chips. It seemed that she had already won over a million. The value of the chips didn’t make Catherine change her expression. She showed no signs of being shocked.
This piqued the curiosity of Aidan, who had been quietly observing her. Based on Catherine’s attire, she should be a student. Yet, when she knew she had won over a million in this game, she didn’t seem surprised. And she didn’t show any signs of excitement either. Her calm demeanor was quite rare.
Indeed, a woman who could catch Branden’s attention was not simple. Triston glanced at the chips piled on Catherine’s table and approached her with a sly smile. “Catherine, you’ve won so much tonight. How about you treat us to a meal?”
Catherine looked at him with confusion, showing no politeness.” Why should I treat you just because I won?”
Considering Triston’s wealth, the amount of money he spent on this outing was much more than this. He asked just to tease Catherine. Unexpectedly, she was so impolite.
In Catherine’s opinion, this game was Aidan’s doing. If she treated them, it would be disrespectful to Aidan. Besides, who said the winner had to treat?
Aidan, seeing Triston being shut down again. clapped his hands happily. “Miss Swann, you’re truly amazing!”
Branden remained seated, his gaze gently falling on Catherine. While she shone brightly like a star, he concealed himself in the darkness like the sun but always present.
After playing a few rounds of poker, Catherine started to feel tired. When her eyebrows furrowed, Branden immediately sensed it and asked proactively, “Do you want to leave?”
Catherine didn’t respond to Branden but looked up at Triston. “I won’t treat you to this meal, but can I treat you to something else.” Hearing that Catherine was treating, Triston immediately looked excitedly at her.
“What are we going to eat? Is it delicious?” he asked. A faint smile flickered in Catherine’s cold eyes. “You’ll figure it out when we get there.”
Branden held Catherine’s hand and stood up. The two of them left without even saying goodbye, walking with a confident stride.
Seeing them leave, Triston quickly followed. Following Catherine and Branden were much more interesting than staying here. After all, it was rare for them to be willing to take him along.
Seeing Triston’s expression, Aidan knew something interesting must be happening. Despite Triston’s seemingly unrefined appearance, he was quite shrewd behind the scenes. Only by following Catherine and Branden could he have a share of the spoils.
Immediately, Aidan left behind a room full of friends and followed the three of them. Left behind in the room, everyone could only watch with envy as the four people walked out of the private room. They all wanted to tag along with Catherine and enjoy the good food and drinks!
Catherine brought the three of them to Ronin’s house. Ronin had received the news before Catherine arrived. When he heard the doorbell ring, he rushed to open it. A playful smile appeared on his face, but it instantly froze after he opened the door.
He thought it was Catherine alone coming to see him, but who knew she would bring along men?
And there were three men!
Ronin’s face instantly darkened the moment he saw this. “Boss, who are these people?” Ronin’s disdain was palpable in his tone.
Catherine gave Ronin a cold glance, and he quickly lowered his head, like a child voluntarily admitting his mistake. Then, he stepped aside and respectfully invited them inside. Aidan had initially thought it would be something fun, but he didn’t expect it to be a barbecue.
Seeing Triston’s excited expression, Aidan quietly mocked, “Are you a goddamn country bumpkin? Why do you always get so excited at the sight of a barbecue?”
Triston disdainfully glared at him. ” Shut up!”
