The noise in the room died at once.

Everyone present understood what that meant. Only a few in Slomery ever set foot on the upper floors of the Gilded Spire, yet Evelyn was being taken there by one of the owner's men.

Attention shifted straight to her. No one knew who she was.

Kendra moved closer and held onto Cole's arm. "Cole, didn't he just call Ms. Fowler 'Mrs. Bennett'? Could he have gotten it wrong?"

That was when it clicked for Cole. Marc must have mistaken Evelyn for his wife, and that was why she was being treated this way.

As Marc started leading Evelyn upstairs, Cole and his friends tried to follow. They didn't get far. Bodyguards blocked them at the bottom of the stairs.

Panic showed on Cole's face. "That's my fiancée who just went up! Your boss must be expecting me as well."

The guards didn't react. "Sorry, but the boss only asked for Mrs. Bennett. You're not allowed upstairs."

Marc continued ahead and brought Evelyn to the third floor. "Sir, Mrs. Bennett is here."

Evelyn looked toward the table and saw two men playing. One of them had a scar across his face, and she guessed he was the owner of the Gilded Spire.

She walked over and stood beside Shane. He tilted his chin.

Standing nearby, Gavin Reed, Shane's assistant, spoke at once. "Mrs. Bennett, we've prepared a change of clothes for you. Please follow me."

"Alright," Evelyn responded, then followed him to the dressing room.

Even with the door shut behind her, their voices still carried inside.

Leland Barnett took out a cigarette and lit it. "Mr. Bennett, I won't make this hard. Beat me in one round here, and we'll talk about working together."

Shane raised his eyes and looked at him. "So you're trying something else since business didn't work for you."

Leland smirked. "What's wrong? Are you avoiding this because you think you'll lose?"

Silence settled outside for a brief moment.

The door opened, and Evelyn stepped out. A red dress rested on her shoulders, fitted at the waist and outlining her figure.

Tension still filled the space as she moved toward Shane.

At that exact moment, Leland placed his cards down and laughed. "6-7-8 straight. Looks like luck's on my side. If you want to win this, you'll need three of a kind."

His gaze shifted as he spoke, landing on Shane's face-down cards. "Something tells me those aren't big enough, am I right?"

Shane didn't respond. His eyes narrowed, and his finger stayed on the cards without turning them over.

Without warning, a hand reached in and pressed against the cards. After a short pause, it flipped them open.

Three Aces lay on the table.

Evelyn lifted her gaze and smiled at Leland. "Seems like luck's with me too."

Surprise showed in Shane's eyes as he looked at her. He knew these cards weren't Aces before.

Across from them, Leland's expression shifted. His attention stayed on Evelyn. "Let's raise the stakes. If you win, I'll sign the contract on the spot."

"Fine." Evelyn took a seat across from him. "What are we playing?"

With a tap on the table, Leland signaled someone over, and two dice cups were placed in front of them. "We'll keep it simple. Roll the dice. Highest number takes it."

"Let's start," Evelyn said.

"Hold on," Leland added. "We've only talked about what happens if you win. What do I get if you lose?"

Evelyn lowered her gaze, thinking. Before she could answer, Shane spoke beside her. "I'll hand over the development rights to the Eastbay District."

Leland brought his hands together with a clap, his mood lifting. "Now that's what I like to see. The bet's set."

Closing the distance, Evelyn leaned toward Shane until only a breath separated them. "You're not worried I might lose?"

His answer came without pause. "I believe in you."

He caught her scent, and something in his expression shifted. "Even if it happens, it's just one project. I can take that loss."

While they spoke, a mechanical sound rose around them as the glass panels on the third floor began to lower.

Below, the main hall broke into disorder.

The instant Leland confirmed the wager, a voice rang out across the space.

"The Sovereign Game has begun. Once the bet is placed, withdrawal means all winnings go to the other side."

Shock spread through the crowd.

Cole lifted his head, caught off guard. "The Sovereign Game hasn't been used in ten years. Why now?"

Kendra tightened her hold on his arm, confusion clear. "Cole, what is that?"

One of Cole's friends answered, "Every round involves stakes worth billions. Beat Mr. Barnett, and he'll agree to anything. But no one clears it. Over the past decade, only one person tried, and that ended in failure. Whoever started it now must be asking for trouble."

People stretched to see what was happening upstairs.

Moments later, the voice sounded again.

"Verification complete. The opposing stake is the Eastbay District development rights."

Cole stopped where he stood, and his face changed at once.

One of his friends glanced at him and spoke without thinking. "Eastbay District... isn't that tied to your father's illegitimate son?"

A shadow crossed Cole's face, and the friend beside him immediately went quiet, not daring to continue.

From within the crowd, a sharp gasp suddenly broke out.

"Hey, look! The third-floor glass panels are lowering!"

Everyone turned their attention upward, and Cole followed their line of sight. The moment he recognized the figure at the poker table, his eyes tightened in shock.

Slowly, the towering glass walls around the third floor descended, while the entire platform shifted forward and hovered at the center of the hall.

At that table sat a woman in a striking red dress, and it was Evelyn.

For a brief second, Cole could only stare at her, his thoughts completely blank.

Noticing his reaction, Kendra pressed her lips together. "Cole, don't tell me Ms. Fowler is doing something this extreme just to provoke you?" she said.

Anger surged through him. Raising his voice, he called out, "Evelyn! You don't even understand dice, so get down here right now!"

Standing nearby, someone tried to calm him. "Forget about her, Cole. She's clearly just trying to get your attention."

"Let her embarrass herself. After she loses Shane's development rights for that project, let's see how she fixes it."

Tension showed in Cole's clenched hands as they trembled slightly. His gaze remained fixed on the two figures above, his thoughts clashing wildly.

Part of him wanted Evelyn to fail. Yet another part of him wanted to rush up there and question her about Shane. The mix of emotions left him struggling to steady himself.

From above, Leland glanced down at the crowd with a faint smile and brushed his chin. "One round to settle everything. What do you say?" he said.

A calm smile appeared on Evelyn's lips. "That works for me."

Before anyone could react, Leland had already grabbed the dice cup. Both hands moved swiftly as he shook it, his motions so quick they blurred together.

Excited murmurs and gasps spread through the hall.

"It's been ages since we've seen Mr. Barnett use that move! She's definitely going to lose!"

"Five years ago was the last time he lost at dice. Since then, no one has beaten him. She doesn't stand a chance!"

With a sharp sound, the dice cup struck the table. Leland then gestured toward Evelyn, signaling her turn.

Lowering her eyes, Evelyn focused on the cup before her. Then she tapped the table with a quick motion, sending the cup flying upward as it flipped over.

Before anyone could even react, her hand moved up and caught it midair. The cup spun across her palm several times, steady like a top.

With a smooth flick, she tossed it again. The cup turned upright before landing neatly back in place.

Silence spread across the hall in an instant, as everyone stood frozen by what they had just witnessed.

Shock spread among Cole's friends, and one of them blurted out, "When did Evelyn get this good?!"

"I've never even seen her touch dice before..."

Cole kept his eyes locked on Evelyn, unable to pull himself away.

Watching him stare so intently, Kendra felt a mix of jealousy and irritation. "I used to think Ms. Fowler was quiet and well-behaved. I never imagined she'd be this capable."

One of Cole's friends gave a mocking laugh. "That innocent act is just for show. Who knows what she's really like when no one's watching?"

While they spoke, Leland's dice were revealed on the platform above. At the same time, the result appeared on the large screen below.

The outcome showed four sixes and a five.

That result meant Evelyn would need five sixes in a single roll to win.

A wave of murmurs filled the hall as people shook their heads. "It's over for her. Getting five sixes isn't easy."

Leaning forward, Leland rested his chin on his clasped hands, confidence written all over his face. "What a waste. The Eastbay District project is huge, and you're about to lose it just like that."

Turning slightly, Evelyn glanced at Shane beside her. "Shane, would you say luck favors you?" she asked.

Shane lifted a brow with calm assurance. "Luck's always been on my side."

"Then I'll leave the reveal to you." She rested her cheek against her hand and gave him a playful wink. "Looks like everything depends on chance now."

Shane caught on right away. Without hesitation, he placed his hand over the dice cup.

Gasps rose from the crowd below.

"Has Mr. Bennett lost his mind? How can he trust her with something like this?!"

Leland turned toward Shane, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "So even the undefeated Mr. Bennett is ready to accept defeat today," he remarked.

Shane answered with a slight smile, "In my world, I don't lose. I only win."

The moment he stopped talking, Shane turned his wrist and raised the dice cup.

Everyone's eyes stayed glued to the massive screen as the dice came into view. When the result showed, it left no room for doubt. Five sixes.

The noise from downstairs died out in an instant. No one had seen that coming. Evelyn had really pulled off five sixes.

Leland brought his hand down hard against the table, then rose quickly from his seat. His stare locked onto Evelyn. "You're the Night Rose," he said, his tone firm with certainty.

Confusion spread among the crowd below. "What?! She's the Night Rose?"

"Didn't she leave the gambling scene five years ago after defeating Mr. Barnett? How is that even possible?"

Now that the truth was out, Evelyn didn't try to hide it. A faint smile formed on her lips. "A bet's a bet," she said.

Without hesitation, Leland lifted his hand and gestured for his men to bring the contract forward. "A deal's a deal. Sterling Reach belongs to you now."

Instead of keeping it, Evelyn slid the contract across the table toward Shane. "Shane, looks like you owe me one now."

For a brief second, something shifted in Shane's eyes as he looked at her. From across the table, Leland spoke again. "Ms. Fowler, the third floor of Gilded Spire will always be open to you. No strings attached. I'd like another game with you someday."

Evelyn gave a small smile. "I'm sure that'll happen."

Leland then turned his attention to Shane. "Mr. Bennett, should we move on to the next project?"

Right at that moment, Evelyn's phone started ringing. She pulled it out, and her expression changed the instant she saw who it was.

"Shane, I need to step away. Something came up," Evelyn said.

He gave a short nod. "Alright."

Evelyn put some distance between them before answering the call.

The moment the line connected, Sallie Fowler's voice came through, sharp and direct. "Sharon told me what happened at the wedding. You've always been the sensible one. What were you thinking?"

Something tightened in Evelyn's throat before she could get a word out. "Mom, I—"

Before she could continue, Sallie spoke over her. "Do you even realize what this will do to our family's name, and yours?"

Another voice slipped into the call, soft and sweet. "Mom, could it be that Evelyn betrayed Cole? Is that why she ran off from the wedding?" Lilian Fowler, the Fowler family's adopted daughter, spoke.

Right away, Sallie's voice turned sharp. "Evie, you will not bring shame to this family. Tomorrow, you're going to Cole's family and you're apologizing."

Brandon Fowler, Evelyn's elder brother, grabbed the phone from Sallie, his voice sharp. "Evelyn, did you plan this just to mess up Lilian's birthday and make things hard for us?! I wouldn't have let Mom take you back if I knew you'd bring this kind of trouble! You can't turn a country bumpkin into a proper lady no matter what!"

"Brandon, don't say that," Lilian said in a soft tone. "I'm sure she meant to come celebrate my birthday. It's just unfortunate that her wedding ended up on the same day."

A short laugh came from Brandon. "She did it on purpose. She didn't want to show up for your birthday, so she picked the same day out of jealousy."

At that, a cold smile appeared on Evelyn's lips. It wasn't even Lilian's birthday today. She had only said she wanted to make up for the one she missed last year.

In the end, every single one of them chose to leave her wedding behind just to take Lilian to Fledmery for a delayed celebration. Now they were placing all the blame on her.

Brandon spoke again, his tone leaving no room for argument. "No matter what happens, you're going to the Bennett family tomorrow and you're getting their forgiveness. Our family won't take this kind of humiliation."

When she heard that, Evelyn's gaze turned cold. "Cole was the one who walked out of the wedding. If anyone should feel ashamed, it's the Bennett family."

"Evelyn, fix this with the Bennett family before we return," Brandon warned, his voice turning sharp. "If you don't, I'll make sure Dad deals with you under the family rules. Let's see how you handle that when he's done."

He didn't wait for her answer and ended the call.

The phone stayed in her hand as her grip slowly tightened. A faint smile crossed her lips, though it carried no warmth. To them, nothing mattered except Lilian and that hollow idea of reputation.

"Evelyn!" Cole's voice rang out with anger as he closed the distance between them. The moment he reached her, his hand clamped around her arm. "So this was your move? You handed the Sterling Reach contract to Shane just to get back at me?"

Evelyn turned to Cole, her expression hard. "Take your hand off me."