Chapter 4

The room was so quiet you could hear breathing, only the sound of my heels striking the floor.

I walked up to the eight ball and looked up at Ethan's ashen face.

"Mr. Gray, it seems your shares are in jeopardy."

Melissa's face was completely bloodless. She grabbed Ethan's sleeve.

"Mr. Gray... what do we do? She's going to win..."

Ethan stared at the solitary eight ball on the table, veins throbbing at his temples.

He couldn't have imagined that his usually gentle, docile fiancée was actually a pool shark in disguise.

"Natalie, you set me up."

Ethan's voice squeezed out between his teeth.

I chuckled lightly, but my eyes were cold. "Set you up? You signed the agreement yourself. You set the rules. What, can't handle losing?"

I held the cue and slowly walked to the optimal shooting position.

This was a simple straight shot with no difficulty whatsoever.

One gentle push and the eight ball would drop.

This bet would be over.

Fifteen percent of Gray Corporation shares would be mine, and Ethan and Melissa would be utterly humiliated here.

I bent down, positioned the cue, and aimed at the center of the cue ball.

Everyone held their breath, staring at my movements.

Melissa could barely stand.

"Wait!"

Just as the cue was about to touch the cue ball, Ethan suddenly slapped the bar and shouted.

The shout came so suddenly, carrying a desperate, frantic edge.

Everyone jumped.

My cue stopped less than a centimeter from the cue ball.

I slowly raised my head, my gaze falling on Ethan.

"What does Mr. Gray think he's doing? Interrupting the game means an automatic loss according to the rules."

Ethan panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot.

He strode to the pool table and glared at me.

"Natalie, you dare sink that ball and see what happens."

He pointed at my nose, his voice trembling.

"You really think winning this game means you can take Gray Corporation shares? Dream on."

"I'm telling you, if you dare to win today, our two families are done for good."

"Put down that cue right now. We'll call this game a draw."

I looked at his ugly expression and suddenly found it laughable.

This was the man I once wanted to spend my life with.

Arrogant when winning, throwing a tantrum when losing.

Seeing Ethan lose his temper, Melissa gained courage too and started shouting at me.

"Did you hear that, Natalie? Mr. Gray told you to stop. Don't push your luck. Gray Corporation shares aren't for you to touch."

"Tear up that agreement right now and get out of here. Mr. Gray might pretend today never happened."

The friends around us started whispering, advising me to quit while I was ahead.

"Natalie, just let it go. If you really push Ethan over the edge, it won't be good for you either."

"Yeah, we're all friends. No need to make things this ugly."

Everyone assumed I wouldn't dare truly offend Ethan.

In their eyes, I was ultimately just a woman who needed to depend on a man.

I slowly straightened up.

"Ethan, do you think I'm playing games with you today?"

I bent down again, the cue aimed at the eight ball, my eyes devoid of any warmth.

"This ball—I'm sinking it."

Crack!

A sharp, violent collision shattered the standoff.

The cue ball shot toward the eight ball without a shred of hesitation, without a hair's breadth of error.