So, Ishri, why did you lock me up by your side?
What am I in your eyes?
——
Just as Isri had said, he did sit by Cesil's bedside all night, not even bothering to clean up the broken flowerpots by the door, and just quietly stayed there all night.
The heavy rain stopped in the latter half of the night, and the wind outside the window also subsided considerably. This was a stroke of luck for Isri, as Cesil had been holding his fingers tightly all night.
Only in this kind of weather does Ceshir's dependence on himself reach its peak. Isri seems to be a little fond of this weather, but only for a few seconds.
After all, he never wanted to see that fearful look in Cecil's eyes again.
When Cecil woke up, he was about to move his body when he suddenly discovered that the shackles on his feet were gone, and even the silver chains had disappeared without a trace.
Before Sehir could react from the shock, he saw Isri stand up, bow, and say, "Young Master, please wait a moment while I prepare breakfast."
Cecil gave a faint "hmm" and didn't say anything more.
Even during breakfast, he didn't say a word until Isri finally spoke first.
"Young Master, the Chamber of Commerce has made great profits this year. Would you like to go and take a look?"
Sehir simply picked up the handkerchief beside him and wiped his hands, then just hummed in agreement.
Seeing that Sehir had finished his meal, Isri had no choice but to pack his things up and turn to leave through the door.
Is he angry with himself?
Isri was clearing away the plates and thinking for a long time, but Isri wasn't feeling too down. Didn't this just prove that the young master cared about her?
-
The two barely spoke today. From getting dressed to leaving the house and on their way to the Chamber of Commerce, they acted like complete strangers.
Although to outsiders this was merely a matter of master and servant, only the two of them knew the truth: an unspoken rift had begun between them, one of which was Cecil's doing.
The Cretis family's business chain consists of only the simplest toys, but with just this one item, almost every merchant in every corner of the West Asian continent has toys produced by the Cretis family.
Cretis practically monopolized this market.
Since Isri often managed the business, the administrator also considered Isri to be a member of the Cretis family, and greeted him with a smile as soon as Isri entered.
What made you interested in coming today?
Isri smiled and was about to explain his purpose when his gaze suddenly fell on a person reading a newspaper in the distance. He then deliberately raised his voice by one decibel and spoke.
"I came today to see the results."
The administrator, bending over, quickly echoed, "You don't need to come all this way; we do everything according to the standards."
Seeing that the administrator and Isri were having a lively conversation, Ceshir didn't say anything. Indeed, as soon as they came in, a pair of eyes fell on him.
But as Isri interacted with the administrator, all the attention that had been on him shifted to Isri.
Sure enough, a few seconds later, after the administrator left, the person who was pretending to read the newspaper came over, glanced at Ceshir, and then met Isri's gaze.
"Sir, greetings. I am the commander-in-chief of the neighboring chamber of commerce. I would like to invite you to join a game between merchants tonight."
Chapter Forty-Four
Isri met the man's gaze and stepped a little in front of Ceshir: "What if we refuse?"
The commander-in-chief's lips curled into a smile as he surveyed the entire guild, his tone seemingly tinged with disdain: "Duke Cretis, don't you think your current position is precarious?"
"How so?" Isri asked, opening his mouth.
"You've won the Queen's favor with just one thing; it's hard for us to accept that," the man said, leaving no room for argument.
Because his voice was loud, several people around him turned to look and stared intently at Isri.
Isri's expression remained unchanged as he turned to look at Ceshir: "Are you going?"
Sehir looked up at Isri, feigning innocence in his eyes, and nodded at Isri with a slight smile.
In public, Sehir tried his best to appear naive to avoid being targeted by outsiders.
Sure enough, a hint of mockery flashed in the eyes of the so-called envoy towards Isri, and when Isri turned around again, the man's face broke into a smile once more.
What is your decision, sir?
“I will go,” Islam replied.
The man nodded slightly, took out an invitation from his chest, and handed it to Isri.
"I look forward to your presence tonight."
After the man left, Isri handed the invitation back to Sehir. Sehir glanced at the platinum-trimmed envelope and took the invitation out.
The lettering is also in gold foil, and the luxurious stationery is on full display.
"Dear guest, welcome to this quarter's Las Vegas casino event. We will bring you a brand new experience and you will enjoy unparalleled excitement. We look forward to your visit."
"Young master, are you going?" Isri asked tentatively.
Sehir frowned slightly, stuffed the invitation into the envelope, and said in a flat tone, "Go, I'll go with you."
Islam paused for a moment, then bowed and accepted the invitation from Sehir.
"I understand, young master."
Las Vegas is known to Cecil, as it is the most famous gambling venue in the Middle East, attracting all sorts of people, from royalty and the wealthy to beggars on the street.
Here, millions of dollars can flow through the market in a single night. A luxurious night can transform a king or nobleman into a street beggar, and a beggar into a millionaire.
The world of extravagance and debauchery always captivated them, and it was there that they would see the darkest aspects of human nature. It was much easier to leave such a place to Islam than to handle it themselves.
——
Isri was already tall, and when he changed into another outfit, he looked perfectly at home with nobility; the awe-inspiring aura he exuded seemed to be innate.
When the two arrived that evening, a large number of nobles had already gathered outside, each dressed in unparalleled luxury, their bodies adorned with more jewels than the gold they carried.
The daytime man, upon seeing Isri, put on a fake smile and walked towards him, seemingly deliberately raising his voice: "Your Excellency Cretis, welcome."
Instantly, everyone around turned their gazes toward him, scrutinizing Isri from head to toe, as if they wanted to see right through him.
Unfazed by the stares of those around him, Isri smiled and nodded at the man before turning to lead Ceshir inside.
"Sir, may I ask you a question? Is this yours?" The man's gaze fell on Cecil.
“My personal possession.” Isri pulled Sehir to his side and gently ruffled Sehir’s hair.
The speaker looked Sehir up and down, a slight smile playing on his lips, and addressed Isri.
"I'm not interested in your game, but if you go in, your toys might attract unwanted attention."
Isri glanced at the gate in the distance, his voice indifferent: "Thanks for the reminder, I'll be careful."
-
The interior of Las Vegas is extremely luxurious. As soon as you enter, crystal bead curtains cascade down, and behind the curtains, someone is playing the piano while wearing a veil. The sides are brightly lit, and directly in front of you is a white wall built on the water, about two meters high. The word "luxury" is not enough to describe this place; it is simply like heaven on earth.
But this is just a deceptive tactic; the thick carpet and dim lighting in the depths make people unable to resist indulging in the ambiance and enjoying the family bliss it brings.
"Sir, this way please." A croupier walked over and bowed to show him the way.
The dealer was referring to the innermost part, which seemed to be another world altogether. Behind the door inlaid with thorns and roses was a paradise for nobles, where all kinds of games were available, and some places even catered to the absurd and perverse desires of some nobles.
Some people had already started placing their bets, and some rushed forward as soon as they saw Isri enter.
"Your Grace, would you mind playing a game with me?"
At first, Isri refused because he hadn't fully grasped the situation and might fall into someone's trap if he rashly agreed.
In the end, almost everyone's eyes were focused on Isri, as if they were looking at something out of place.
"Your Grace, this isn't fun at all. Why don't you play a game with me?" A voice suddenly came from afar.
Cecil remembered this man; he was a close confidant of the Queen, named Cole. Cole had prepared everything to win the title of the first nobleman, but Cecil stopped him. Cecil remembered this incident very clearly.
Some of the nobles present knew that the two families did not get along, and now that they were dealing with the matter separately, no one around them dared to interfere.
Isri remained calm and met Cole's gaze.
He sat casually in his seat, with a man and a woman beside him, both wearing heavy collars around their necks. They looked at Cole nervously, not daring to breathe loudly.
"What do you want to play?" Isri asked, remembering the man's earlier suggestion, and moved closer to Ceshir.
Cole rubbed his hair, glanced around the gambling table, and a playful glint appeared in his deep brown eyes: "How about we play Blackjack?"
In an instant, some of the people present gasped and looked at Cole with tense expressions. Blackjack explained that it was simply blackjack, a game that gamblers often played.
There wasn't a big problem, but BlackJack was a piece of cake for Cole. He was like someone born with a lucky key in his mouth, and he had never lost.
Just as Isri was about to speak, Cole opened his mouth again, his eyes filled with even more amusement: "Isn't it a bit boring to play this without betting something?"
As he spoke, Cole turned his gaze to Cecil.
Chapter Forty-Five
Cole's gaze swept over Cecil, a hint of wicked amusement creeping into his eyes.
Cecil was dressed very simply tonight, in a gray-black fitted suit that accentuated her not-so-curvy figure almost perfectly, even revealing a hint of her slender waistline.
When he met Cole's gaze, Cecil pretended to be a little scared, awkwardly tugging at the corners of his mouth, his body involuntarily leaning against Isri's back.
Cole felt he had teased enough, so he turned his gaze back to Isri.
"How about it? Want to play?"
"What do you want to bet on?" Isri pulled out the stool next to him and sat down.
If there hadn't been a gambling table between them, they probably would have already started fighting in the eyes of onlookers.
Cole raised his hand and tapped the table absentmindedly for a while before speaking again: "How about we bet first? I can afford to lose."
Although he could afford to lose, there was no emotional fluctuation in Cole's eyes, as if the outcome was already decided.
-
Isri remained silent, implying that he had tacitly agreed with Cole's meaning.
The dealer standing by the gambling table wore a dark black vest over a white short-sleeved shirt, and bent over slightly to accentuate his perfect waist-to-hip ratio.