A sharp, almost manic burst of laughter that sliced through the opulent hum of MegaBucks Casino Royale like a blade. Crystal chandeliers seemed to tremble with the force of it. The clatter of chips wavered, the murmurs of gamblers faltered. Eyes turned. Attention hooked. "You didn’t bother to inform me of any changes regarding my payment," Klaus declared, his voice raised just enough to carry. "It seems MegaBucks Casino Royale isn’t as reliable and legitimate as it claims to be." The casino had fallen into a peculiar silence, one where the hum of tension replaced the usual revelry. A woman in an emerald dress paused mid-sip of her martini, her gaze sharpening. A group of men at the roulette table leaned in, straining to catch every word. Anticipation crackled in the air. Randal, ever the professional, maintained his perfect facade, though a ghost of unease flickered in his sharp eyes. He despised public spectacles. They were bad for business. He offered a tight, practiced smi

Crane smirked as he placed a hefty bet before the flop. Klaus matched it, his expression unreadable. The dealer revealed the first three community cards: ace, five, jack. A promising start for Klaus. He had top pair, but he needed to be careful. Crane raised the stakes, the tension in the air thick enough to choke on. Klaus considered his options before raising even further. Crane, for the first time that night, hesitated. The turn card: a king. A dangerous card, opening the possibility of a straight. Crane exhaled through his nose, pushing forward another mountain of chips. Klaus felt his heart pound, but he kept his face smooth. He had to see this through. Then, the river. A queen. Klaus exhaled silently. Two pair. Not the best possible hand, but strong. Strong enough to challenge Crane’s confidence. He inhaled deeply and slid all his chips to the middle of the table. "I'm all in." Crane's eyes grew wide behind his glasses. He fixed his gaze on Klaus, attempting to interpr

"Everything is relevant when it involves my business, Randal," Klaus cut in sharply. He let the silence stretch, let the weight of his words sink into Randal’s already fractured psyche. Then he softened his tone, just enough. "But I’m a reasonable man. Give me everything you know on Jack—where he went, who he spoke to, what he was after—and perhaps we can work something out." Randal blinked. "Work something out?" Klaus offered a small, knowing smile. "I may be taking over MegaBucks, but I still need capable men. You’ve proven your loyalty in the past. Cooperate with me now, and not only do you keep your job—you move up. A promotion. Power, Randal. That’s what you want, isn’t it?" Randal’s breath hitched, his mind clearly racing. He nodded quickly. "Yes, sir. Absolutely. I’ll tell you everything." He hesitated, then added, "Jack was my lackey, my right-hand man in the casino underworld business. He did all the dirty work—enforcing, collecting debts, making problems disappear. I

"Just print it out and keep it in my safe. It's already signed by the former shareholder, Mr. Silas Crane." It was a curt explanation, deliberately vague. He wouldn't divulge the details of the acquisition, not even to Cassandra. The less she knew, the safer she was. “So…er anything else?” Klaus asked, sensing her lingering presence in the doorway. Cassandra hesitated. She undoubtedly had questions, but she was still new to working under him, only a few weeks into the job. She still didn't know he was under a disguise, but she was undeniably taken by his striking red hair and the commanding presence of a man in his early thirties. His piercing ice-blue eyes seemed to see right through her, a sharp contrast to the warmth in his tone. She found herself staring, caught in the intensity of his gaze. "Cassandra, what are you gawking at?" Klaus's voice, tinged with amusement, snapped her out of her reverie. "Erm... nothing, sir... nothing," Cassandra laughed nervously, a brittle

Just as he was lost in his thoughts, he heard a knock at the door, followed by it swinging open. "Sir, you need to see this," Cassandra, his sharp-witted assistant, reported. "Negative reviews have flooded our platforms. A high-profile blog is claiming we operate in unsanitary conditions. There are also rumors circulating about guests experiencing food poisoning." Klaus's expression darkened. He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "We’re under attack. This is coordinated." "What do we do?" Cassandra asked, concern lacing her voice. Klaus smirked. "We give them a show." In the weeks preceding this recent incident aimed at humiliating him, Klaus experienced a tumultuous ride. He was resolute in his decision to stand up to anyone who attempted to take advantage of him; he would never let a slight go unaddressed and always responded in kind. Even though this recent problem was quite frustrating, he remained determined to go to the prestigious event he had been in