Calliope nced at Lisette, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "Luck''s always been on my side, you know. I just hope you don''t back out when you start losing!"


    Lisette rolled her eyes, trying to sound tough. "Don''t worry about me. As long as you keep ying, I''m in. I''ll stick it out till the end!"


    She didn''t believe for a second that Calliope could keep winning. Honestly, Lisette was just waiting for Calliope to get greedy and then lose everything so she could swoop in and win big.


    Calliope justughed. “You all heard her, right? She says as long as I don''t quit, she''ll keep ying!"


    A few people around the poker table nodded, but their expressions were mixed- some impressed, some skeptical. They thought Calliope might be getting a little too cocky. After all, she''d only won one round so far.


    The cards kepting.


    One hand. Two hands. Three hands...


    And each time, Calliope went all in—and each time, she walked away with the pot. By the third hand, she''d doubled her stack of chips.


    Lisette''s confident smile had faded. She stared at Calliope, almost in disbelief, her voice shaky. "No way. One more round. I''m not done yet!"


    Calliope shrugged, cool as ever. "Sure. As long as you''ve got chips, I''m happy to take your money."


    With a frustrated huff, Lisette pushed all her chips into the middle-close to three million. She gritted her teeth. "Let''s see if you''re good enough to take all of this."


    Calliope grinned and started stacking her chips. "Don''t worry, they''re practically already in my pocket."


    The crowd murmured, some shaking their heads, others watching wide-eyed. Calliope did seem a little full of herself, but after the way she''d been ying, no one could really me her. She was on fire.


    Anyone who knew poker could tell it wasn''t just luck. Calliope was just in better than Lisette. Even the folks who didn''t know a flush from a full house could see she was something special-she just had this quiet confidence, like she''d done this a thousand times before.


    Jett and his wife, Mrs. White, stood at the back, watching the drama unfold.


    Jett nudged his wife. "Honey, she reminds me of you back in the day. That same cool confidence. That same swagger."


    Mrs. White raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You think so?"


    He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Totally. Blythe takes after you, but she''s still got a ways to go before she''s like that."


    Mrs. Whiteughed. "Don''t let Blythe hear you say that! She''ll never forgive you for doubting her skills."


    Jett grinned. “Alright, alright, my lips are sealed."


    Back at the table, Calliope and Lisette were still at it.


    People whispered among themselves, eyes glued to the action.


    "She''s wiping the floor with Lisette!"


    "She''s about to win three million in one night!"


    "Not just that—she''s already won back everything Lisette''s friend lost, and then some."


    "I think Lisette''s about to lose her mind."


    "Why doesn''t she get someone to help her?"


    "Maybe she doesn''t have anyone who can match Calliope.”


    Blythe, who''d been watching from the sidelines, had expected Calliope to get crushed by Lisette. But it was the offer way around Lisette was losing, and badly Blythe couldn''t


    stand it anymore.


    She strode up to the table and looked Calliope straight in the eye Lisette can y for her friend, there surely I can y for mine, right?"


    She shed a challenging smile. “What do you say, Calliope? Mind ying a couple of hands with me?"


    Calliope smirked. "Well, Ms. White, if


    you''re here to donate some chips, I


    won''t say no. But do you even have


    any to y with? No chips, no


    gange I''m not betting on anything else."