Chapter 1

My fiancé Ethan Gray and his secretary were playing a game of "strip billiards" at the pool club—lose a shot, lose a piece of clothing.

Before long, the secretary had stripped down to just her bra and panties. She leaned against the pool table, whining coyly:

"Mr. Gray, I've lost everything. What should I take off next?"

Ethan turned his gaze toward me with a smile:

"Natalie, you strip for her. And while you're at it, put up that villa under your name."

The people around us burst into laughter, waiting to watch me—the good girl—make a fool of myself.

I said nothing. I just calmly took off my jacket, revealing the tight silk camisole underneath.

I picked up a cue stick and bent over the pool table, my body forming a perfect curve at the waist and hips.

"Sure. But we're changing the rules. For every shot I win, you two not only strip, you also put up shares in Gray Corporation."

Today, I guarantee I'll make you both lose everything.

Ethan laughed. He tossed the ball in his hand and said contemptuously:

"Natalie, have you lost your mind? You can't even hold a cue stick steady, and you think you can win shares in Gray Corporation?"

Melissa Moore's large chest shook with laughter.

"I had no idea you could play pool! If you're not careful, you might poke yourself in the face with the cue."

The rich playboys around us roared with laughter:

"So even the cold Natalie gets jealous!"

"Ethan, your fiancée's got quite the ambition—going after Gray Corporation shares."

I ignored the grating noise.

"What's wrong?" I looked up, my gaze landing on Ethan's face. "Is Mr. Gray afraid to take the bet?"

The smile vanished from Ethan's face. He couldn't stand anyone publicly challenging his authority.

"Natalie, don't bite off more than you can chew. I brought you out tonight to do you a favor. You want shares? Fine. But what if you lose?"

I tapped the cue stick lightly on the floor.

"If I lose, I'll give you the villa under my name, plus the ten percent stake I hold in Sterling Group. All of it."

Everyone present fell silent, their eyes filled with shock.

Ten percent of Sterling Group was worth hundreds of millions. Add the villa, and that was nearly my entire fortune.

Even Ethan froze.

"Are you serious?"

"Actions speak louder than words." I pulled out my phone and called my personal attorney. "Mr. Brown, bring a betting agreement to Nightfall Pool Club. Ten minutes. I need to see the documents."

I hung up and walked to the bar to pour myself a glass of ice water.

Melissa fanned the flames from the side. "Mr. Gray, Miss Sterling isn't having some kind of breakdown, is she? Making a joke with this much money?"

Ethan snorted coldly and wrapped his arm around Melissa's waist. "Since she's so eager to hand over money, the Gray family has no reason to refuse."

"When I win her villa, I'll transfer it to your name immediately. Consider it your birthday present next month."

Melissa excitedly kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Mr. Gray. I knew you were the best to me."

Listening to their sticky conversation, I felt my stomach turn.

Ten minutes later, Mr. Brown arrived with the freshly printed temporary betting agreement.

Ethan signed his name with a flourish, putting up fifteen percent of Gray Corporation shares, his eyes full of the confidence of a sure winner.