Chapter 37 Why Don't You Just Drop Dead

Joseph pulled out a remote and gave it a light press. Nicholas, just about to place his bet, froze. Suddenly, he couldn't see the numbers on the dice anymore.

'What the heck?' He adjusted his glasses, but still couldn't see the numbers. He thought about taking off his glasses but didn't want to draw attention in the casino. People around him were getting impatient, urging him to bet.

With no other option, he placed his bet, but this time, he was way more cautious than his usual cocky self. And just like that, he lost a big chunk of his chips. Sweat started to bead on his forehead, and his bets got even more careful.

Joseph grinned and whispered into his earpiece, "Let him win a few."

Soon enough, Nicholas started raking in the wins, getting totally sucked into the game, not caring if he won or lost. But it didn't take long before he lost everything.

Desperate, Nicholas kept borrowing money from the casino, only to lose it all again and again. "I need more..." Before he could finish, he got slapped hard.

"Cheating, huh?" The casino manager glared at him and pinned him down.

"I didn't cheat," Nicholas stammered, remembering the guy who owned the glasses said they were undetectable. He figured if he just denied it, they'd have no proof. So he struggled and said, "You think I cheated? Prove it."

The manager yanked off Nicholas's glasses and sneered, "This is your proof."

Nicholas's face went pale, and he kept insisting, "I didn't cheat."

The manager smashed the glasses, revealing the high-tech gear inside. Nicholas knew he was screwed. He was forced to kneel, unable to move.

A crowd gathered to watch the drama unfold. Nicholas had never felt so humiliated. He kept his head down, hoping no one would recognize him. But someone did. "It's Nicholas from the Jackson Group!"

"What a disgrace! If Brandon finds out, he'll lose it. Brandon's all about his reputation."

Nicholas wished he could disappear, but he was stuck. The manager sneered, "Take him away!"

Nicholas was dragged into a back room. He felt a tiny bit relieved, thinking he could call Abigail to bail him out. She always had his back.

"Alright, show's over. Our turn now," Joseph said coolly.

"Got it," Emily replied softly.

Nicholas was still kneeling, anxiety all over his face. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw Emily. That was when it hit him—he'd been set up. "You witch! You set me up!"

Emily tilted her head and used a fruit knife to lift his chin. "Set you up? If you weren't so greedy, you wouldn't have fallen for it. This is on you."

Feeling the cold blade on his chin, Nicholas didn't dare move. He was terrified that even the slightest move might make the knife nick his artery, ending his life right there. So, he just glared at Emily with pure hatred and spat out, "You bitch, why don't you just drop dead?"

Joseph's face darkened. He snatched the fruit knife from Emily and plunged it into Nicholas's thigh. Nicholas screamed in agony, rolling on the ground.

"Say one more word, and the next stab won't be in your leg." Despite Joseph's good looks, he could be downright ruthless when needed. He hadn't climbed to his position by being soft.

Nicholas clutched his bleeding thigh, wailing, "I won't, I won't." He didn't even dare to look at Emily anymore.

"Alright. Now, make a choice: your life or your wallet." Joseph stabbed the knife into the ground right in front of Nicholas.

Nicholas, driven mad by the pain, trembled and said, "My life."

"Good, then pay up! One hundred million dollars. How are you gonna do that?" Joseph demanded.

"What? Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?" Nicholas's eyes widened. He had only borrowed a few million.

Joseph laughed casually. "Do you think you're not worth One hundred million dollars in ransom?"

Seeing Joseph's smile, Nicholas screamed in fear, "I'll call my family right now."

Joseph sneered and tossed a phone to Nicholas. Nicholas first tried Olivia, but she didn't pick up. Desperate, he called Abigail. As soon as the call connected, Nicholas wailed, "Mom, help me!"

Abigail was getting a facial treatment. Hearing Nicholas's screams, she immediately sat up, startling the staff around her.Nicholas's screams were too real, not like his usual fake ones. Abigail's heart skipped a beat. She tried to calm herself and urgently asked, "Nicholas, what happened?" Her voice was shaky, filled with anxiety.

On the other end, Nicholas's cries were broken and barely coherent, "Mom, they caught me, they want..."

Before he could finish, there was a commotion on the phone, followed by Joseph's cold voice. "Abigail, I think we need to meet and discuss Nicholas's situation."

Hearing this, Abigail's face turned as pale as a ghost. Worried sick about Nicholas, she trembled as she replied, "Okay, tell me where. I'll be there right away."

After hanging up, Abigail rushed to the casino. On the way, she was a bundle of nerves. Soon, she arrived at the casino. Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car and walked in.

Inside, the casino was dimly lit, filled with smoke, and buzzing with noise. Abigail weaved through the bustling crowd, her heart pounding with unease. She looked around and, guided by a casino attendant, arrived at a relatively quiet, private room.

Taking another deep breath, she gently pushed open the door. Inside, Joseph was lounging on a sofa, swirling a glass of red wine, his eyes radiating authority.

Abigail didn't recognize Joseph. Forcing a smile, she walked up and asked, "Where's Nicholas?"