I Turned His Game Into His Ruin

My fianc Ethan Gray and his secretary were playing a game of strip billiards at the pool clublose a shot, lose a piece of clothing.

Before long, the secretary had stripped down to just her bra and panties. She leaned against the pool table, whining coyly:

Mr. Gray, I've lost everything. What should I take off next?

Ethan turned his gaze toward me with a smile:

"Natalie, you strip for her. And while you're at it, put up that villa under your name."

The people around us burst into laughter, waiting to watch methe good girlmake a fool of myself.

I said nothing. I just calmly took off my jacket, revealing the tight silk camisole underneath.

I picked up a cue stick and bent over the pool table, my body forming a perfect curve at the waist and hips.

"Sure. But we're changing the rules. For every shot I win, you two not only strip, you also put up shares in Gray Corporation."

Today, I guarantee I'll make you both lose everything.

Ethan laughed. He tossed the ball in his hand and said contemptuously:

"Natalie, have you lost your mind? You can't even hold a cue stick steady, and you think you can win shares in Gray Corporation?"

Melissa Moore's large chest shook with laughter.

"I had no idea you could play pool! If you're not careful, you might poke yourself in the face with the cue."

The rich playboys around us roared with laughter:

"So even the cold Natalie gets jealous!"

"Ethan, your fiance's got quite the ambitiongoing after Gray Corporation shares."

I ignored the grating noise.

"What's wrong?" I looked up, my gaze landing on Ethan's face. "Is Mr. Gray afraid to take the bet?"

The smile vanished from Ethan's face. He couldn't stand anyone publicly challenging his authority.

"Natalie, don't bite off more than you can chew. I brought you out tonight to do you a favor. You want shares? Fine. But what if you lose?"

I tapped the cue stick lightly on the floor.

"If I lose, I'll give you the villa under my name, plus the ten percent stake I hold in Sterling Group. All of it."

Everyone present fell silent, their eyes filled with shock.

Ten percent of Sterling Group was worth hundreds of millions. Add the villa, and that was nearly my entire fortune.

Even Ethan froze.

"Are you serious?"

"Actions speak louder than words." I pulled out my phone and called my personal attorney. "Mr. Brown, bring a betting agreement to Nightfall Pool Club. Ten minutes. I need to see the documents."

I hung up and walked to the bar to pour myself a glass of ice water.

Melissa fanned the flames from the side. "Mr. Gray, Miss Sterling isn't having some kind of breakdown, is she? Making a joke with this much money?"

Ethan snorted coldly and wrapped his arm around Melissa's waist. "Since she's so eager to hand over money, the Gray family has no reason to refuse."

"When I win her villa, I'll transfer it to your name immediately. Consider it your birthday present next month."

Melissa excitedly kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Mr. Gray. I knew you were the best to me."

Listening to their sticky conversation, I felt my stomach turn.

Ten minutes later, Mr. Brown arrived with the freshly printed temporary betting agreement.

Ethan signed his name with a flourish, putting up fifteen percent of Gray Corporation shares, his eyes full of the confidence of a sure winner.

He tossed the agreement on the table. "Natalie, you brought this on yourself. Don't come crying and running home to Sterling Manor when you lose."

I picked up the pen and signed my name.

"The rules stay the same."

I handed the agreement to Mr. Brown for safekeeping. "Lose a shot, lose a piece of clothing. One game decides it all. Whoever pockets all their balls first wins."

Melissa laughed coquettishly and picked up a cue. "Miss Sterling, I won't hold back then."

First game. Melissa broke.

She deliberately stuck out her rear, striking what she thought was a seductive pose in front of Ethan.

Ethan moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, guiding her hands to aim.

"Lower your waist. Don't shake your hand."

A sharp crack rang out, and two striped balls dropped into the pockets.

"Wow, they went in!"

Melissa jumped up.

Ethan lifted his hand and tapped her nose. "Not bad. You're improving."

Under Ethan's "careful guidance," Melissa sank three balls in a row.

It wasn't until the fourth ball stopped at the pocket's edge due to a bad angle that it became my turn.

I pushed the cue forward, but the cue ball slipped.

Not only did it miss my target ball, it actually knocked in one of Melissa's balls for her.

"Ha ha!"

Laughter erupted again.

"Did I see that right? That was a gift. Did Miss Sterling practice with a mop?"

Melissa doubled over laughing, tears squeezing from the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, Miss Sterling, you're too kindhelping me sink balls!"

She walked up to me with a look of someone enjoying the show. "According to the rules, shouldn't you strip now?"

Ethan stood nearby with his arms crossed.

"Natalie, a bet's a bet. Don't waste everyone's time."

Without expression, I raised my hand and removed the diamond earrings from my ears, tossing them onto the pool table.

The diamonds glinted harshly under the lights.

"First piece."

I spoke.

Melissa wasn't satisfied. "Hey, we said clothes. What are you doing bringing out jewelry?"

"What's the rush?"

I picked up the chalk and leisurely rubbed it on the cue tip. "The rule is lose a piece. No one said it couldn't be jewelry. Besides, these were the engagement gift your boss begged me to accept. Taking them offperfect timing."

Ethan's expression darkened.

"Natalie, cut the sarcasm."

I didn't look at him anymore. I stepped back. "Your turn, Miss Moore."

Melissa strutted forward smugly and continued shooting.

Because of my "mistake," the table layout favored her greatly. Soon she'd cleared all but her last two balls.

My ballsnot one had moved.

Ethan's friend Derek Chase started cheering from the sidelines. "Ethan, the villa's about to be yours."

Ethan's lips curved upward, his eyes scanning me up and down without disguise.

"Natalie, if you're willing to bow your head and admit you were wrong now, kneel down and beg me, I might still leave you some dignity."

I looked at him. "Ethan, don't speak too soon. The game isn't over yet."

Melissa said sweetly, "Mr. Gray, ignore her. Watch how I deal with her."

She bent down and aimed at the second-to-last ball.

If this one went in, then she'd sink the eight ball, and I'd lose.

Everyone's eyes focused on Melissa.

The cue struck. The target ball rolled straight toward the corner pocket.

Ethan was already preparing to applaud.

But just as the ball was about to drop, it bounced lightly off the pocket's edge and stopped.

Just that tiny bit short.

A wave of disappointment swept through the room.

"Oh no, so close!"

Melissa stamped her foot in frustration.

She turned her head and glared at me viciously. "Consider yourself lucky."

I walked to the table, looked at the scattered balls, and smiled.

Time to close the net.

I picked up the cue and walked to a position with a tricky angle.

The cue ball was blocked by two of my opponent's balls. The target ball was at the far diagonal corner pocket, with several obstacle balls in between.

Anyone who knew anything about pool could tellthis shot was basically unsalvageable.

The playboy Derek Chase shook his head from the side. "No way. Even professional players would have a headache over this shot, let alone a beginner."

Ethan walked up beside me, speaking in a tone of charity.

"Natalie, stop struggling. There's no way you can make this shot. Just hand over the villa keys now, take off your jacket, and we'll call it even for today."

Melissa chimed in. "Exactly, Miss Sterling. Dragging it out just makes you look worse. Why bother?"

I didn't look at them, just quietly stared at the table.

I calculated the angle, force, friction, and every possible trajectory after ball collision in my mind.

Three seconds later, I straightened up.

"Ethan, aren't you celebrating too soon?"

I walked to the other end of the pool table and changed positions.

This time, I dropped all pretense.

An aura belonging to a top-tier player made all the surrounding noise die down.

Derek froze for a moment and rubbed his eyes. "Holy shit, that stance... why does it look familiar?"

Ethan frowned too, but then sneered. "Putting on airs. You think striking a pose will bring a dead ball back to life?"

I blocked out his voice and adjusted my breathing.

My gaze locked on the four o'clock position at the lower right of the cue ball.

English, draw shot.

"Crack!"

A clear, penetrating strike rang out.

The target ball dropped into the diagonal corner pocket on cue.

The entire room fell dead silent.

Everyone's eyes widened, mouths hanging open, unable to say a word.

Derek's wine glass fell to the floor, the sound of shattering glass especially clear in the quiet pool room.

"Holy fuck, this... is this even humanly possible?"

The color drained from Ethan's face, his eyes filled with shock.

"Just luck..." He gritted his teeth, staring at the pocketed ball.

Melissa panicked too, her words stuttering. "R-right... it must be luck. How could anyone make such a weird shot?"

I slowly straightened up, resting the cue on my shoulder, looking at them.

"Whether it's luck or skill, you'll know soon enough."

The situation from here on was simple for me.

I didn't even pause for a moment. I moved quickly around the pool table, bending, strikingsmooth and fluid.

My movements flowed without a single wasted motion.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

The continuous sound of balls dropping, one after another, hammered on Ethan and Melissa's hearts.

In less than a minute, all my balls on the table were cleared.

Only the last one remainedthe eight ball.

The room was so quiet you could hear breathing, only the sound of my heels striking the floor.

I walked up to the eight ball and looked up at Ethan's ashen face.

"Mr. Gray, it seems your shares are in jeopardy."

Melissa's face was completely bloodless. She grabbed Ethan's sleeve.

"Mr. Gray... what do we do? She's going to win..."

Ethan stared at the solitary eight ball on the table, veins throbbing at his temples.

He couldn't have imagined that his usually gentle, docile fiance was actually a pool shark in disguise.

"Natalie, you set me up."

Ethan's voice squeezed out between his teeth.

I chuckled lightly, but my eyes were cold. "Set you up? You signed the agreement yourself. You set the rules. What, can't handle losing?"

I held the cue and slowly walked to the optimal shooting position.

This was a simple straight shot with no difficulty whatsoever.

One gentle push and the eight ball would drop.

This bet would be over.

Fifteen percent of Gray Corporation shares would be mine, and Ethan and Melissa would be utterly humiliated here.

I bent down, positioned the cue, and aimed at the center of the cue ball.

Everyone held their breath, staring at my movements.

Melissa could barely stand.

"Wait!"

Just as the cue was about to touch the cue ball, Ethan suddenly slapped the bar and shouted.

The shout came so suddenly, carrying a desperate, frantic edge.

Everyone jumped.

My cue stopped less than a centimeter from the cue ball.

I slowly raised my head, my gaze falling on Ethan.

"What does Mr. Gray think he's doing? Interrupting the game means an automatic loss according to the rules."

Ethan panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot.

He strode to the pool table and glared at me.

"Natalie, you dare sink that ball and see what happens."

He pointed at my nose, his voice trembling.

"You really think winning this game means you can take Gray Corporation shares? Dream on."

"I'm telling you, if you dare to win today, our two families are done for good."

"Put down that cue right now. We'll call this game a draw."

I looked at his ugly expression and suddenly found it laughable.

This was the man I once wanted to spend my life with.

Arrogant when winning, throwing a tantrum when losing.

Seeing Ethan lose his temper, Melissa gained courage too and started shouting at me.

"Did you hear that, Natalie? Mr. Gray told you to stop. Don't push your luck. Gray Corporation shares aren't for you to touch."

"Tear up that agreement right now and get out of here. Mr. Gray might pretend today never happened."

The friends around us started whispering, advising me to quit while I was ahead.

"Natalie, just let it go. If you really push Ethan over the edge, it won't be good for you either."

"Yeah, we're all friends. No need to make things this ugly."

Everyone assumed I wouldn't dare truly offend Ethan.

In their eyes, I was ultimately just a woman who needed to depend on a man.

I slowly straightened up.

"Ethan, do you think I'm playing games with you today?"

I bent down again, the cue aimed at the eight ball, my eyes devoid of any warmth.

"This ballI'm sinking it."

Crack!

A sharp, violent collision shattered the standoff.

The cue ball shot toward the eight ball without a shred of hesitation, without a hair's breadth of error.