Chapter 138

Joe was accustomed to being scrutinized, but found it particularly distasteful when other men assessed him in the same way.

“Isn’t Paul the only one by your side? When did you get a beautiful secretary?” Rowan thought Joe was deceiving himself. He suspected Joe's sudden acquisition of a beautiful secretary was suspicious, likely a carefully concealed romantic affair.

Among the group, only Rowan and Joe were truly close friends; the other three were less comfortable speaking freely with Joe.

Ethan quickly pulled the female star to her feet to make room for Joe. “Joe, care to join us for a few rounds?”

Lukas and Mark silently cursed Ethan’s quick thinking.

Knowing Joe disliked poker, Rowan said, “I know you don’t like to play; just sit and let your little secretary play.”

Joe asked Skylar, “Do you know how to play? If you win, it’s yours. If you lose, it’s on me.”

Skylar’s eyes brightened at the prospect of winning. She replied humbly, “I can play, but I’m not very good.”

“It’s fine,” Joe said, his tone softer than he realized.

Mark raised an eyebrow and gave Skylar a pointed look. He concluded that Skylar's ability to accompany Joe to social gatherings and receive such gentle treatment meant she possessed considerable skill, or talent, in bed. This sparked his curiosity; he wondered what it would be like to have someone who held Joe's interest.

Rowan teased, “As long as you can play, it doesn’t matter how well. Your boss is rich; he can afford your losses! I can’t pass up a chance to win his money.”

Skylar sat down, her heart settling after a long absence from the game. She often played with Viola.

Seeing Skylar’s serious demeanor, Joe softened. “Don’t worry about losing.”

Skylar leaned in and whispered, “If I win, will it really be mine? Do I really not need to worry? Will your friends be upset if they lose?”

Even before the game began, Skylar’s anxieties surfaced. Joe, in an unusually good mood, reassured her, “Don’t worry.”

The private club setting allowed for relaxed play, free from the usual business world machinations. “Okay,” Skylar replied, her smile making her eyes sparkle.

Chapter 138

Joe was mesmerized.

Their whispers and closeness surprised everyone. They sensed a more complicated relationship than it appeared; no one believed Skylar was merely a secretary. Moreover, they couldn’t recall Joe ever being so close to a woman before.

Their unspoken understanding confirmed that her "secretary" role was a façade.

As the poker game intensified, the staff brought in a birthday cake, though it barely registered amidst the excitement.

An hour later, Joe, looking at the thick stack of cash before him, realized Skylar had worried he wouldn't keep his word if she won. Even Rowan, a frequent gambler, couldn't compare to her.

Lukas and Mark had initially underestimated Skylar, assuming a gentle woman like her wouldn't be shrewd. They'd played out of respect for Joe, but within an hour, they'd lost several hundred thousand dollars!