This was something I’d never experienced in my previous e, not even after winning three Best Actress awards. “At the end of the day, it’s all about controlling the resources,” I mused, raising my glass of red wine with a wry smile.
Rachel turned to me, giving me a once–over.
“How is it that you’ve only been gone for four years, yet you seem like you’ve matured by a whole decade?”
“Well, isn’t it normal?” I replied. “At eighteen, I could get away with acting recklessly and blaming it on youth and ignorance. But now that I’ve graduated, if I want to show my fangs, I at least need to fake some decorum first.”
With that, I raised the paddle in my hand.
“Four hundred thousand dollars.”
Sitting in the front row, Linda whipped her head around to look at me.
Alec, seated beside her, also turned, his gaze meeting mine,
For a moment, his expression flickered, almost distracted.
I caught a glimpse of the faint scar on his forehead, and the sight amused me more than I expected.
Π
“…Four hundred and thirty thousand dollars,” he quickly countered, raising his paddle without hesitation.
I knew this diamond–encrusted bracelet was a gift he was determined to win for Linda. Her birthday was just a few days away.
