Chapter 3: The Price of Betrayal

Silence swallowed the entire casino courtyard.

Not a single guard dared to breathe too loudly.

Miles lay on the cold pavement, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. His ears rang after Theo's punch. He stared at the mafia Don in disbelief.

"Your... your sister?" he stammered.

"That's impossible... Eva never told me..."

Theo looked down at him with complete disgust.

"She didn't tell you because I told her never to reveal our family's identity."

"People don't love money more than power, Miles. They love power because it brings money."

"I wanted my sister to have a normal life."

"Unfortunately... she chose to trust the wrong man."

Theo slowly removed his expensive leather gloves.

"And that man was you."

Miles scrambled backward until his back hit a black SUV.

"Don Crowe... please... I swear I didn't know!"

"If I'd known she was your sister, I never would've touched her!"

"Exactly," Theo replied coldly.

"You would've betrayed someone else's daughter instead."

Those words hit harder than any punch.

Snake remained frozen where he stood.

Cold sweat soaked the back of his shirt.

He had worked for Theo for only three weeks.

He had never even seen Eva before.

When Miles described his beautiful girlfriend, Snake simply thought she'd make a suitable 'gift' for the Don.

Now he wished the ground would swallow him alive.

"Boss..." Snake spoke carefully.

"I-I had no idea she belonged to the Crowe family."

"Neither did I," Theo answered without looking at him.

"Which is why you're still standing."

"For now."

Snake's knees nearly gave out.

Behind them, the casino's personal physician completed a quick examination.

"Don," the doctor reported respectfully.

"She's been drugged, but the dosage wasn't fatal. She'll recover within a few hours."

Theo let out the breath he had been holding.

He gently adjusted the blanket covering Eva before standing again.

The warmth disappeared from his expression instantly.

"Bring me every security recording from tonight."

"Every phone call."

"Every gambling record."

"Every camera inside and outside this casino."

"Yes, Don."

Within minutes, several guards hurried toward the surveillance room.

Theo walked back toward Miles.

"Tell me everything."

"Every lie."

"Every excuse."

Miles lowered his head.

"I owed twenty thousand dollars..."

"I thought... if I won enough at the casino..."

"Instead I lost everything."

"Snake's men gave me one week to repay it."

"Then Snake suggested..."

His voice became smaller.

"...suggested bringing Eva."

"Suggested?" Theo interrupted.

"Or did you volunteer?"

Miles couldn't answer.

Theo already had his answer.

"You never asked Eva for help, did you?"

"No..."

"Did you ever consider telling her the truth?"

"No..."

"Because your pride mattered more than her safety."

Miles broke down completely.

"I loved her!"

"I really did!"

"I just panicked!"

"I thought I could get her back afterward!"

"One night... that's all Snake promised!"

Theo's eyes darkened.

"You sold the woman you claimed to love."

"There is no panic that justifies betrayal."

"Only cowardice."

The courtyard fell silent once more.

One of Theo's bodyguards suddenly approached carrying a small velvet box.

"Don... we found this inside Mr. Carter's jacket pocket."

Theo opened it.

Inside rested a diamond engagement ring.

Miles quickly nodded.

"I bought that months ago!"

"I was going to propose after Christmas!"

"I swear I loved Eva!"

Theo stared at the ring for several seconds.

Then he calmly closed the box.

"Interesting."

"You had enough money to buy an engagement ring..."

"But not enough honesty to ask your girlfriend for help."

"Tell me, Miles..."

"Were you planning to marry her after selling her?"

Miles burst into tears.

"I made a mistake!"

"Please... let me explain everything to Eva..."

"She'll forgive me!"

"She always forgives me!"

Theo slowly smiled.

It wasn't a kind smile.

It terrified everyone watching.

"No."

"She won't."

"Because this time... you'll explain it to both of us."

At that exact moment, a weak voice came from behind him.

"Theo..."

Theo spun around immediately.

Eva's eyes had finally opened.

She looked pale, exhausted, and confused.

"Easy," Theo said softly as he hurried to her side.

"You're safe now."

She blinked several times before focusing on his face.

"Big brother..."

The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.

"He sold me..."

"I know."

Theo carefully pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner."

"No one will ever hurt you again."

Eva clutched his coat tightly.

"I heard everything..."

"Every word he said..."

"I kept wondering what I'd done wrong."

"You did nothing wrong," Theo replied firmly.

"His betrayal belongs to him—not to you."

Eva slowly lifted her tear-filled eyes toward Miles.

The man she had loved for two years looked completely different now.

There was no warmth.

No trust.

Only disappointment.

Miles crawled toward her desperately.

"Eva!"

"Please listen to me!"

"I love you!"

"Everything I did was because I was desperate!"

"Please... forgive me..."

Eva remained silent.

Then, with trembling fingers, she slipped the small silver promise ring off her left hand.

Miles watched in horror.

"Eva... don't..."

Without saying a word...

She dropped the ring onto the pavement between them.

Its soft metallic sound echoed through the silent courtyard.

"We're finished," she whispered.

"From this moment on... you mean nothing to me."

Theo looked at his guards.

"Take him downstairs."

"Tomorrow morning... he'll learn what betrayal costs in the Crowe family."

Miles' terrified screams echoed through the casino as the guards dragged him toward the underground level.