All-In: Rise of the Humiliated Gambler

Chapter 4: The Delivery Boy’s Bet

“You?”

The single word rolled off Tom West’s tongue slowly, like he was tasting it. The entire underground casino erupted into laughter again. “A delivery driver wants to gamble?”

“This is the funniest thing I’ve seen all year.”

“Did the beating scramble his brain?”

Mark stood quietly beside the gambling table, hands in his pockets, his soaked delivery jacket still clinging to his shoulders. The bruises on his face made him look even more pathetic.

Which made the scene even more ridiculous. Tom leaned back in his chair, shaking his head with amusement. “You know,” he said, “people usually beg for mercy in this room.”

His eyes swept over Mark. “You’re the first person who begged for a gambling seat.”

Mark shrugged. “I’m not begging.”

Tom raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Mark pointed toward the deck of cards. “I’m offering to beat you.”

The laughter stopped again. Kitara slowly turned her head toward Mark, studying him more carefully now. He didn’t look confident. He didn’t look arrogant either. If anything, he looked… calm. Too calm.

Leo stepped forward angrily. “This is insane!” he snapped. “Boss, don’t let this idiot ruin everything!”

Kitara didn’t answer immediately. Her eyes stayed on Mark. “You really think you can win?” she asked.

Mark met her gaze. “I know I can.”

The answer came without hesitation. Something about the certainty in his voice made the room feel strangely heavy.

Tom tapped his fingers against the table. “Let’s pretend for a moment that I’m entertained by this idea,” he said. “There’s one small problem.”

Mark tilted his head. “Which is?”

Tom spread his arms slightly. “Gambling requires money.”

He leaned forward with a faint smile. “How much does a delivery driver make?”

More laughter. Someone in the crowd shouted, “Probably enough for a bus ticket!”

Another voice added, “Maybe he can bet his bicycle!”

Mark ignored them. Instead, he looked at Kitara. “I’ll play for her.”

Leo’s head snapped toward him. “Are you insane?!”

Kitara narrowed her eyes. “You want to gamble my money?”

“Yes.”

“And if you lose?”

Mark didn’t answer right away. For a moment, his gaze drifted toward his parents. His mother still knelt on the floor, clutching his father’s arm tightly. Fear filled her eyes.

His father looked defeated. Broken, Mark felt a familiar weight press against his chest. All his life, he had watched them struggle. Working endless hours. Borrowing money they could never repay.

Enduring humiliation just to survive. And now they were here. Begging for their lives. Because he had been too powerless to help. Mark slowly turned back toward the table. “If I lose,” he said quietly, “I’ll stay here.”

The room went silent. Tom leaned forward slightly. “Stay here?”

Mark nodded. “As your slave.”

A murmur spread through the crowd. Kitara frowned. “You don’t even know me,” she said. “Why would you risk that?”

Mark gave a small shrug. “You already tried to help my parents.”

“That’s enough for me.”

For a brief moment, Kitara didn’t speak. She simply looked at him. Trying to understand the strange delivery driver standing in front of her.

Tom suddenly clapped his hands once. “Well!” he said cheerfully. “Now this is interesting!”

He pointed at Mark. “I like you.”

Then his tone shifted slightly. “But courage doesn’t equal skill.”

Mark walked toward the empty chair across from him. “I guess we’ll find out.”

The chair scraped softly against the marble floor as he sat down. The dealer hesitated. He looked at Tom. Tom gave a small nod. “Deal.”

The cards were picked up again. But this time, something had changed. Mark leaned forward slightly, watching the dealer’s hands. His eyes moved slowly. Calm and Focused.

Years ago, the old gambler who trained him had said something important. Most gamblers watch the cards. Professionals watch the hands.

The dealer began shuffling. Smooth, Clean, and Perfect. But Mark’s eyes followed the tiny movements others couldn’t see. A shift of the thumb. A subtle pressure on the edge of the deck. A nearly invisible tilt of the wrist.

There it was again. The same trick. The deck had been prearranged before the shuffle. Mark almost smiled. Tom watched him carefully now. “You look very serious,” Tom said.

Mark glanced up. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About how badly you’re going to lose.”

Gasps spread across the room. Leo whispered to Kitara urgently. “This guy is going to get himself killed.”

But Kitara raised a hand again. “Wait.”

Her eyes were fixed on Mark. The dealer finished shuffling and placed the deck down. “Place your bets.”

Tom leaned back comfortably. “Since you’re new,” he said to Mark, “I’ll let you choose the stake.”

Mark didn’t hesitate. “One hundred million dollars.”

The room exploded. “WHAT?!”

Kitara’s head snapped toward him. “Are you crazy?!”

Even Tom looked surprised for the first time. Mark looked at Kitara calmly. “Do you trust me?”

Kitara stared at him. Her mind raced. Ten million was already painful. One hundred million could cripple her company. But the strange thing was, Mark didn’t look like a man gambling recklessly.

He looked like someone who had already calculated the outcome. Leo stepped forward again. “Boss, this is madness!”

Kitara stayed silent for a long moment. Then she turned to one of her men. “Bring the money.”

Leo stared at her in disbelief. “Boss”

“Do it.”

The room buzzed with excitement. Within minutes, several large cases were carried into the casino and placed beside the table. One hundred million dollars.

All resting on the outcome of a single game. Tom stared at Mark with new interest. “You’re either very brave or very stupid.”

Mark simply gestured toward the cards. “Let’s play.”

The dealer began dealing again. The cards slid across the table. One by one. The tension in the room thickened. Everyone leaned closer. Watching, Waiting.

Kitara’s heart pounded slightly as she watched the game unfold. Mark barely looked at his cards. Instead, he kept studying the dealer. The rhythm of the shuffle.

The placement of each card. The hidden pattern in the deck. Got it. Mark slowly picked up his cards. Then he smiled faintly.

Across the table, Tom West narrowed his eyes. Because for the first time since the game began The undefeated gambling king had the strange feeling that something had just gone terribly wrong.