On the very eve of our engagement, my boyfriend, Daniel Roberts, married his female best friend, Rachel Moore, at a nightclub.

Daniel was completely nonchalant about it. "It's just a joke. We'll get it annulled tomorrow. Everyone knows Rach and I are just friends."

Rachel, however, seemed intent on provoking me. "Technically, we are married now, you know. Don't just sit there and watch the show. You gotta give us some wedding gifts."

Someone at the table laughed, "Sure. I've actually got a development project in the western suburbs I can put up as a gift. But standard drinking rules apply—if you want the deed, you have to win it at dice."

I remained silent, simply pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the table. Meeting Daniel's scowl, I offered a faint smile. "Didn't you say we're rolling the dice for wedding gifts? I'm in."

***

As I settled into my seat, everyone went quiet. Daniel immediately reached out, draping his arm around my waist. "Come on, Audie, knock it off. We're just having a few drinks and messing around. Go home and get some sleep."

I calmly leaned back, twisting out of his reach. My expression remained flat as I looked past him toward Rachel. "Don't touch me. She's your wife now."

Daniel's face darkened, his tone shifting to impatience. "I've told you a million times, Rach and I are friends. If there was actually something going on between us, I wouldn't be with you."

I didn't respond, for I'd heard that line too many times. He used it when he forgot our date because of her, when he left me stranded on the curb because of her, and when he cabbed at midnight to pick her up just because she was drunk. And now, this impulse marriage in a club. It always ended with the same explanation—"We are friends."

There was an awkward silence. Rachel broke the tension by leaning in and sitting on Daniel's lap. "Alright, that's enough."

She looked at me, smiling. "Audie, seriously, there's nothing going on between Dani and me. We just had too much to drink. We'll get divorced tomorrow. If it bothers you, I apologize."

As she spoke, she lowered her head and started swigging directly from a wine bottle on the table. Daniel immediately panicked. He snatched the bottle away, shouting, "What are you doing? You've had enough."

When he looked back at me, his expression darkened. "Audrey, don't push it."

I managed a wry, self-deprecating smile. "It's fine. I can take a joke. I don't have plans anyway, and you're always saying I don't socialize enough. So let's have some fun today."

The group paused, then quickly tried to smooth things over. "That's the spirit, Audie. We've been wanting you to hang out with us forever, but Dani always keeps you to himself."

The speaker was Henry Collins, Daniel's longtime friend. He jerked his chin at Daniel. "Dani, why don't you swap seats so you're closer to Audie?"

Daniel just let out a cold laugh. He leaned back against the sofa, pulled Rachel back onto his lap, and wrapped his arm possessively around her waist. "Stop staring at me. Tonight, Rach is my wife."

Seeing that I kept smiling without throwing a fit, the others started cheering. "Alright, congrats on getting married. What was the game again?"

Rachel was in her element. She laughed and explained, "Standard drinking rules, dice. But since 'Good Girl' Audie is here, she probably doesn't know our games. Let's make it easy for her—we'll just roll for the high score.

"The loser drinks, obviously. But since we're celebrating our marriage, we've got to raise the stakes."

The group immediately protested. "No way. Everyone knows you and Daniel are sharks at dice. If you two are playing as a couple, none of us stand a chance of winning."

Daniel kept his arm on Rachel's waist, never glancing my way. "Then just fold," he scoffed.

Henry immediately got riled up. He unclasped his Patek Philippe watch and set it down on the table. "I'll put this up as a prize to start. It just arrived last week."

The club music swelled, ramping up the atmosphere. Others started taking off jewels and watches. A girl named Zoe Morgan tossed down a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet. Without a word, Daniel unfastened his custom Hermès cufflinks and added them to the pile. I froze—they were the anniversary gift I had given him.

Rachel was still buzzing with excitement. She clung to Daniel's arm and cooed, "I want that bracelet, honey. Win it for me."

I quietly removed my diamond studs and placed them on the table. "Congratulations on getting married. I'm in."

For a split second, the air at the table went still.

Daniel's hand seemed to tighten around Rachel's waist. He frowned, his eyes fixed on me with annoyance and a clear warning.

Rachel looked surprised at first, but then she giggled and gave Daniel a playful shove. "All right. If Audie wants to play, let's show her a good time."

Henry quickly jumped in. "Right, right, the more people, the more fun! Audie, the rules are simple. We compare rolls. Whoever gets the lowest number drinks a shot and has to pick one of the prizes to give to the winner as a wedding gift."

He pointed at the pile of luxury watches and jewelry. "Of course, if you can't part with your item, you can just drink, but that's kind of a killjoy."

I nodded to show I understood.

A dice cup was placed in front of everyone.

Rachel shook hers with practiced skill, while Daniel gave his a casual rattle and slammed it onto the table, his eyes never leaving mine.

I turned my face away to escape his burning stare. My grip on the dice cup felt foreign, clumsy even. Between the pulsing beats of the music, the whispers drifted over to me. "Audrey's such a goody-two-shoes. Why is she even here? She's a total buzzkill."

"She came to stake her claim, but Daniel isn't giving her the time of day."

My face drained of color. Rachel chuckled softly, "Audie, do you want me to show you the proper form first?"

I ignored her, doing my best to mimic the motions I'd seen the others use. I gave the cup a few awkward shakes and set it down gently.

"Open it."

The cups were lifted.

Rachel had a five and a six—eleven.

Daniel had two fives—ten.

The others revealed mixed scores, some high, some low.

Finally, it was my turn. I lifted the lid—a one and a two. Three total.

The table instantly erupted in laughter.

"Three? That's rock bottom!"

"Oh, Audie, your luck is tragic..."

Henry, suppressing a laugh, slid a glass of liquor toward me. "Take the loss. Drink up, and..." His eyes flicked meaningfully toward the earring lying on the table.

Daniel finally spoke, his voice cold and unyielding, "If you don't know how to play, don't force it. Just drink."

Rachel leaned into his embrace, flashing a bright smile. "Oh my, such a low score on the very first round. Looks like this 'congratulatory gift' is going to cost Audie. The quality of these earrings is stunning; I'll be happy to take them off your hands."

I stared at the drink, then at the earring—a pink diamond Daniel had spent a fortune on at an auction last year.

Back then, he told me he wanted to give me the best things in the world. With a self-deprecating smile, I pushed the earring toward the center of the table, right to Rachel.

"I'll take the loss."

I looked up, my voice flat. "It's yours."

Daniel's expression darkened instantly. Rachel laughed softly, reaching out to admire the earring under the dim lights. "Thanks, Audie. It's really pretty."

Henry hurriedly chimed in, "Alright, come on! Round two, round two!"

The game went on.

Rachel rolled a nine. It wasn't particularly high, but Daniel, playing immediately after her, rolled a twelve. A perfect score. He had beaten everyone.

"Wow! Honey, you're amazing!" Rachel cheered.

The crowd joined in the noise. Henry laughed and explained, "House rules, a perfect score takes all. You can pick any prize currently on the table."

Daniel didn't look at me. He just held Rachel closer. "I'll let my 'wife' for the evening choose. What do you want?"

Rachel's gaze swept over my side of the table before settling on the unassuming platinum bracelet on my wrist. "I think Audie's bracelet is quite unique. How about that?"

My hand, clutching the wine glass, froze.

That bracelet was a keepsake from my grandmother. I never took it off, and Daniel knew that.

The table went quiet for a moment, but Rachel spoke up again, "What's wrong? Didn't we agree that anything could be a prize? Audie isn't being a sore loser, is she? Or..."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Daniel cut me off coldly, "Rules are rules. You lost. Audrey, bring it here."

My head snapped up.

My eyes burned, hot tears threatening to spill. I had tolerated him favoring Rachel, but I never expected him to humiliate me like this.

A flash of impatience crossed Daniel's face, but he kept his hand outstretched. Even Henry sensed the line had been crossed. "It's just a bracelet, Rach. I'll buy you two more."

Rachel's face went icy. "Didn't we agree before we started? If you can't stomach the loss, you shouldn't be playing."

Daniel let out a cold laugh. "Audrey, I told you to go home earlier. You're the one who wanted to play.

"I said, bring it here."

My hands trembled as I fought back the tears and unclasped the bracelet. Daniel didn't even look at it; he just tossed it to Rachel like a piece of trash. She inspected it under the light and curled her lip. "Actually, it's nothing special."

She tossed it onto the table. At that exact moment, someone bumped the table, knocking over a glass. Red wine flooded over the bracelet. I clenched my fists, a heavy, suffocating pressure settling in my chest.

Rachel broke the silence, urging us on with her sweet voice. "Continue! Why is everyone freezing up?"

Third round. I rolled a seven—average.

Rachel rolled a nine. Daniel rolled two ones. The lowest score possible.

Rachel laughed, "Honey, your luck is terrible tonight."

Daniel ignored her and lowered his head to drink the penalty wine, but Rachel beat him to it. She guided his hand and drank the wine for him, winking. "Well, we are a couple tonight, after all."

Watching the crowd cheer them on, I felt increasingly numb.

For several rounds, I kept losing every single hand. I drank glass after glass, losing almost every piece of jewelry I was wearing.

Even the new Chanel clutch I had brought with me was lost to Rachel.

My cheeks were flushed, my eyes unfocused, and my hands shook as I gripped the shaker.

To everyone else, it looked like I was losing control.

Another round. Henry, acting as the banker, switched up the rules. "Just comparing numbers is boring. This round, we bet on points! If you think you can roll higher than an eight, double the bet. We need to raise the stakes; small bets are dull."

Rachel responded immediately, "I'm in. I bet my boutique in the city west."

She owned quite a few properties, and that boutique was valuable.

The crowd gasped. The gambling had officially escalated.

Daniel glanced at me and said flatly, "I'm in. I bet the D&A Yacht under my name."

That yacht was worth over a million dollars. More importantly, it was named after our initials.

The pressure shifted to me.

Everyone was watching.

"Audie," Daniel finally spoke up, unable to hold back. "That's enough. You can go home now."

Rachel scoffed immediately. "Dani, if she can't handle it, she shouldn't play. But maybe Audie feels lucky."

As if triggered by her words, I snapped my gaze to her. "I'm in! I bet my apartment at Azure Bay!"

Even Daniel looked stunned by that wager.

That apartment was one of the most significant assets my parents had left me. It was a prime location, and its market value far exceeded that of Rachel's boutique.

The dice cup was back in play.

Rachel went first—nine.

She raised an eyebrow, looking triumphant.

Daniel followed—seven.

I took a deep breath, my hand trembling slightly as I gripped the cup. I lifted it to reveal the result. Three and five—eight.

I had lost by a single point.

My strength seemed to drain away, and I slumped back against the sofa, Rachel's cheers ringing in my ears. She leaned in close, whispering so only I could hear. "How does it feel to lose? I'm going to take everything you have."

I looked up. My cheeks were flushed from the alcohol, but my eyes were clear and bright. "Again."

Once the high-stakes betting began, there was no stopping it.

Over the next few rounds, the wagers quickly escalated to substantial assets.

I lost minor jewelry and small investments, then got lucky and won some back. I played the part of the hooked gambler to perfection—pale and anxious when I lost, manic with excitement when I won. Between the alcohol and the thrill of the game, I looked like I was losing all control.

Daniel tried to intervene a few times but was blocked.

His frown deepened. I laughed bitterly to myself; he probably thought I was just making a scene, waiting for me to come running back to him for help, just like always.

The game had turned into a cutthroat conflict. When I narrowly won one of Rachel's media companies, she finally lost her patience. "Not bad, Audrey. Do you have the guts to play for something real?"

I lifted my glass and drained the rest of the wine. The alcohol burned my throat, washing away the last of my hesitation.

"Why not? You name the terms."

Daniel started to speak, but Rachel held him back. "One round. We go all in! I'm betting all my shares and real estate under the Moore Group! What about you? Are you in?"

The room went deathly silent.

We were betting our entire fortunes.

Everyone stared at me, waiting for my answer.

I lowered my gaze and let the silence hang for ten long seconds.

"Fine. I'm in. I bet every asset in my name."

The entire booth fell quiet.

Daniel shot to his feet. "Audrey, are you insane? Do you have any idea what you're saying?"

I gave a soft laugh. "Daniel, there are no jokes at the gambling table. Are you scared?"

Rachel stood up too, grabbing Daniel's arm. "Dani, if she wants to give it all away, why shouldn't we take it? Do you still care about her?"

She turned to me. "Audrey, words aren't enough. Get your lawyer to prepare the documents right now! We'll do the same."

"Done."

I answered without hesitation. In front of everyone, I called my private lawyer and instructed him to bring the relevant deeds and titles, along with a drafted temporary agreement, immediately.

Daniel gave me a cold look. "Don't regret this."

Then, with everyone watching, he sat down next to Rachel. His choice was clear, and the final trace of hope I'd held onto slipped away.

The lawyer arrived quickly, and the three of us signed the agreement. Everything would be decided by a single game of dice.

The cup was placed in the center of the table again.

"One round to decide it all," Henry said, his voice tense. "Highest roll takes everything."

Rachel grabbed the cup first—five and six. Eleven.

A massive score.

Daniel took the cup next. No fancy tricks, just a clean shake and a slam onto the table.

He lifted it—two sixes. Twelve.

A perfect score.

"Whoa!!!"

The room erupted in disbelief.

"A perfect score! It's a clean sweep!"

"They won! They definitely won!"

"How can she beat that? She'd have to roll a twelve just to tie!"

"Impossible! That's a perfect roll!"

Rachel threw her arms around Daniel, then smirked at me. "Audrey, it looks like even luck isn't on your side."

Daniel looked at me too, his expression conflicted. "Audie, if you forfeit now, I might consider returning what you lost earlier..."

I just looked at him quietly one last time. After all, starting tomorrow, we would be strangers. I took the dice cup without a word. No unnecessary movements—just a light shake, and then I slammed it down hard on the table. I lifted the cup. The whole room focused on that one spot, everyone holding their breath. After a moment of stunned silence, Rachel screamed, "How is that possible?"

There weren't two dice under the cup—there were three.

Two bright red sixes, just like Daniel's perfect roll, but sitting next to them was a third dice—a single red dot.

They'd beaten me by a point. Now I was turning that same point back on them.

Three dice. Total score—thirteen.