Have you ever tried gambling?
Have you ever had that feeling of adrenaline as you watch the numbers fall into place?
That sudden thrill when a machine lights up and you realize you’ve just won thousands in a blink.
How about losing?
That sinking feeling when the luck fades, and slowly you watch as your hard-earned money slips away, bit by bit. They disappear until all that’s left to you is the disappointnt of loss.
Then you slowly wonder.
Why do you keep gambling?
Why do you keep betting?
For the poor, the answer was pretty simple.
It was never just about the money. It was also about escape.
For them, gambling was a way to have fun. It was a brief break from the harshness of reality. A small rebellion against a life that gave them so little.
They put down what they could. Then they hope and pray that this ti, maybe, luck would finally look their way. They wished that a single jackpot could change them and turn their lives around, overnight.
However, that wishful thinking?
Most of the ti, it never arrived.
Most of the ti, they just kept on losing and losing, until they burned deeper into the pit they couldn’t climb out of anymore.
And by the ti they realized how far they had fallen into that pit, it was already too late for them to turn back.
However, for Leonard?
He was different.
"You fools! The night is just starting! Let’s play again! One more round!" A loud voice echoed in the four corners of the room of a casino.
Leonard was a wealthy man. But he wasn’t always like that.
He grew up poor, like most people who tried their luck at the tables. He knew what it ant to go hungry, to be holess, to work with nothing, to dream of more but have so little in his hands.
Yet through gambling, Leonard rose through the ranks.
"Guys, what are you? Pussies? Our bets are so low today! Let’s start with $100,000!"
He was one of the few who actually succeeded in this career.
"You know what’s better? Double or nothing!" Leonard roared again as he pushed his mountain of chips into the center of the poker table.
The dealer raised a brow but gave a nod. He shuffled once more before dealing out the cards. Two slid neatly across the table toward Leonard. It was his hole cards. He peeked at them, and a slow grin spread on his face as he saw a pair of kings.
The ga started. Bets were placed, chips clinked, and tension built. The dealer burned a card, then revealed the flop: three cards face-up. A seven. Another seven. And a four.
The table murmured. Soone pushed more chips forward. Leonard also made his bet but kept his cool.
Then another seven ca, followed by a two.
Leonard smirked at it. By that ti, a player had already quit the bet. The two others didn’t look that confident too. He knew it was ti to end it.
With a dramatic snap of his wrist, he slamd down his card for everyone to see.
"Full house," he announced, savoring the words on his mouth.
The crowd broke into applause.
"Another win!"
"Leonard! You won again!"
Because of gambling, Leonard’s na spread everywhere.
He made friends—many, many friends. So admired his boldness, others followed his charm, but most were drawn to his wealth.
People loved being around Leonard, and Leonard loved the attention.
But where there is fortune, there is also envy.
For every friend he made, he also gained an enemy. n who cursed his wins, who hated his laughter, who wished to see him fall.
So envied his success, others despised the way he carried himself.
"Damn him, does he never lose?"
"He wins so much. I hate it."
"Mark my words, he’ll fall. They’ll all fall."
Still, despite the comnts, the night went on.
Hand after hand, Leonard kept stacking his chips higher. The more he won, the louder the cheers grew around him. So shook their heads in disbelief, others clapped and laughed like they were watching a good show on TV.
"Another round for everyone!" Leonard shouted, waving at the waiter. "Drinks for everyone! Put it all on my tab!"
"As expected from Leonard!"
"Go, Leonard!"
"Win more!"
The room was filled with drinking and laughter. And as always, Leonard was in the center of it. He was living the dream most n could only imagine.
By the ti the night ended, Leonard had doubled his fortune again.
It was nights like these that reminded him of how far he had co.
From a boy with empty pockets to a man who could buy anything he wanted. All because of gambling. He had turned his life around, and he never planned to stop.
Finally, after a few hours of playing, he stood up and brushed off his jacket.
"Okay, guys, that’s enough for tonight. I’ll take the rest tomorrow." He gathered his winnings, nodding to the crowd as they cheered him out of the room.
The casino lights flickered bright as he stepped into the lobby. People whispered his na as he passed by the crowd, so with admiration, others with envy.
Leonard paid them no mind. He simply lit a cigar and playfully grinned as he walked toward the exit.
Outside, the cool night air greeted him. He loosened his tie and waited as one of the staff hurried to bring his car around.
But then, instead of hearing the sound of the car engine, he heard footsteps. Loud and clear footsteps.
Before Leonard could turn, a masked man rushed forward at him.
Stab!
The knife buried itself deep into his side.
Leonard gasped, his cigar dropping on the ground.
"Wha—" Before he could say sothing, the man stabbed him again... and again... and again.
Stab!
Stab!
Stab!
Pain spread on his body, his knees wobbled, and the world seed to blur in his eyes.
After a second, the masked man threw the knife sowhere and said nothing. He simply turned around and vanished into the dark, leaving Leonard to bleed alone.
Leonard collapsed on the cold ground. His hand weakly reached out for help, but his strength was gone.
Blood pooled around, and his vision slowly dimd.
"W-What is happening? W-Why did... that... happen..." That was his last words before everything went dark.
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