The masked man drew a 15 in the opening round.
Coen, on the other hand, started strong with a 7.
The masked man opted not to draw another card, while Coen decided to take one.
Revealing his second card, Coen saw it was a 6, bringing his total to 13.
With a confident grin, he taunted the masked man, "The 6 you were hoping for is in my hand.
Looks like luck isn't on your side this round!" The man responded with a courteous smile and said, “Please, flip your final card first.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"1 If Coen's final card was an 8, victory was assured.
Taking his time, Coen reached for the final card on the table and flipped it over with a tic gesture.
It was a five.
His total now stood at nineteen, which was close to twenty-one.
The deck had few low cards left, minimizing the masked man's chances of winning.
Coen was unfazed.
"I have enough cards to beat you!" he declared confidently.
With a five and a six in his grasp, he felt victory was inevitable against the masked man.
Silently, the man revealed his next card.
It was a four.
Their totals matched at nineteen.
The round ended in a draw, nullifying the game.
This unexpected tie stirred a wave of anxiety in Coen, who had been certain of his win.
Impatiently, he yelled, "Deal the cards! What are you waiting for?" Lydia observed Coen's mounting frustration and leaned towards Hannah, whispering, "Do you think there's something off with him?" Hannah remained serene, her experience in the casino lending her insight.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe noted, "He's hooked on gambling.
This masked man knows how to make people want to gamble!" In subsequent rounds, the previously lively hall gradually descended into silence.
Despite numerous attempts, Coen never emerged victorious in any game.
It appeared as though fate and chance were in collusion against him, teasing Shim with near win's only to shatch them away at the final moment.
This relentless string of almost-wins drove him to the brink of madness, resulting in the loss of all his assets.
His company's assets, including liquid funds and the company itself, were all squandered in these few games. Seated across from him was the figure donning a rabbit mask.
"You've lost all there is to lose.
The gends here for you.
" "No! No! No!"