Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)

Chapter 2142

Sylvia picked up the smallest cards earlier, but this round she had hit the jackpot. Turning to Gabriel, she asked, "They're all different this time, you still in?"

Gabriel eyed her curiously, "Different how?"

She whispered, "None of the suits match."

Gabriel took a deep breath, leaned in closer, and patiently explained, "You only need to worry about suits when you've got a straight, like a 3-4-5 or 6-7-8. What you have is called a 'set'—all three cards have the same number."

Sylvia listened intently, murmuring, "Why didn't you teach me before?"

Gabriel said casually, "You need a strong mind to gamble, to control yourself. Otherwise, it's easy to lose your grip. You were too young back then, not ready to learn."

"But Nightingale learned," Sylvia whispered.

"Comparing yourself to her? She's single-minded, and you?" Gabriel chided coldly.

"I'm focused when I learn things. When have I ever gotten distracted?" Sylvia retorted, feeling indignant.

"Nightingale never talks back," Gabriel pointed out.

Sylvia fell silent.

Magdalen glanced over, smiling, "What's this secret chat about? Speak up, let us all in on it."

Sylvia looked up, her smile blossoming like spring, "He’s just saying my hand could go another couple of rounds."

She paused for effect before adding, "Could be a winner."

"That's the spirit." Magdalen tossed a chip into the pot, "I'm with you."

This round, nearly everyone followed suit.

After two rounds, Emily folded, Marina raised the stakes, and after exchanging glances, Estelle and Jonathan threw in their cards.

Two more rounds and only Marina, Evelyn, and Sylvia remained.

Carson threw in five chips with a laugh, "With cards this good, why not bet? What are we waiting for?"

Marina looked supremely confident, "Indeed, if I lose, it's Mr. Foster's loss, not mine."

Carson's smile froze for a moment, and the room erupted in laughter.

Marina folded, smugly reclaiming her five chips.

Magdalen, ever curious, leaned in to see - her card was essentially nothing.

She laughed so hard she doubled over, "Mr. Foster, that's quite the bold bluff."

Carson remained unfazed, "If she hadn't lost her nerve, I could have taken this hand to the bank."

Marina scoffed, "Even the bravest young masters don't have your guts."

Carson looked at her amusedly, "Is that an insult?"

Marina's smile was enigmatic, "Cultural references, huh? You got it."

And then it was down to Evelyn and Sylvia.

Jonathan pulled Estelle close, feeding her a piece of cake, chuckling, "This showdown's getting dramatic, isn't it?"

"Hmm?" Estelle glanced at him. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Jonathan looked down at her with a smirk, "Just enjoy your cake, sweetheart."

Evelyn held a strong hand indeed, so Timothy had been egging her on to stay in the game.

With only two players left, Timothy was keen to show off, tossing ten chips into the pot without hesitation.

Gabriel matched the ten.

Without missing a beat, Timothy pushed in twenty more, and Sylvia did the same.

Evelyn whispered to Timothy, "Do we keep up?"

Timothy looked across the table. Gabriel and Sylvia were unreadable, making it impossible to tell if their cards were genuinely strong or if they were bluffing like Mr. Foster had earlier.

With the hand Evelyn was holding, calling early felt like leaving money on the table.