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 playerâs 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 didnât 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 opponentâs 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. âCatherine, looks like youâre pretending to be a noob. Youâre making fun of us, arenât you?â
Catherine raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a cold gaze, her tone devoid of warmth. âIs it necessary for me to do that to you?â
Her arrogant and self-important attitude made Tristonâs face turn red with anger. He couldnât help it, so he turned to Branden.
âMr. Duncan, do something. Look, sheâs bullying your friend!â
âWellâ¦â Branden chuckled lightly, his deep eyes carrying a cunning smile as he looked at Triston. âBullying? Is that so? She was telling the truth, wasnât she?â
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 Catherineâs public display of affection all night long, but he also had to endure Brandenâs humiliation.
With no one to rely on, Triston could only seek comfort from his good friend on the side. âAidan, these two people keep mocking me! I canât stand it!â
Facing Tristonâs complaint, Aidan snorted coldly. âHmph!â He pushed Triston away with a disgusted look on his face.
âMr. Lambert, I advise you to keep your mouth shut, or youâll humiliate yourself!â
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.
âMiss Swann, your intelligence is beyond comparison. Youâre already so skilled after just a few rounds. From now on, besides Mr. Duncan, it seems weâll have another person to add to our poker blacklist!â Aidan said, trying to please her.
Seeing Aidanâs flattering demeanor, Triston felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. Why didnât 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, âHow much are these worth?â
Branden knew what she was asking and gestured a number to her. âTen thousand?â 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 didnât 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 Catherineâs attire, she should be a student. Yet, when she knew she had won over a million in this game, she didnât seem surprised. And she didnât show any signs of excitement either. Her calm demeanor was quite rare.
Indeed, a woman who could catch Brandenâs attention was not simple. Triston glanced at the chips piled on Catherineâs table and approached her with a sly smile. âCatherine, youâve won so much tonight. How about you treat us to a meal?â
Catherine looked at him with confusion, showing no politeness.â Why should I treat you just because I won?â
Considering Tristonâs 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 Catherineâs opinion, this game was Aidanâs 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. âMiss Swann, youâre truly amazing!â
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, âDo you want to leave?â
Catherine didnât respond to Branden but looked up at Triston. âI wonât treat you to this meal, but can I treat you to something else.â Hearing that Catherine was treating, Triston immediately looked excitedly at her.
âWhat are we going to eat? Is it delicious?â he asked. A faint smile flickered in Catherineâs cold eyes. âYouâll figure it out when we get there.â
Branden held Catherineâs 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 Tristonâs expression, Aidan knew something interesting must be happening. Despite Tristonâs 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 Roninâs 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!
Roninâs face instantly darkened the moment he saw this. âBoss, who are these people?â Roninâs 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 didnât expect it to be a barbecue.
Seeing Tristonâs excited expression, Aidan quietly mocked, âAre you a goddamn country bumpkin? Why do you always get so excited at the sight of a barbecue?â
Triston disdainfully glared at him. â Shut up!â