Chapter 1

In the dimly lit corners of Smith Casino, where the smoke hung heavy in the air like a veil of secrecy, and the clinking of coins and chips created a symphony of risk and reward, Alice stood by the slot machines, her eyes wide with both fascination and trepidation. Her father had always been a gambler, chasing the thrill of the next big win while leaving a trail of unpaid debts in his wake.

Alice watched as her father's face lit up with a fleeting smile as he placed his bets at the card table, his eyes sparkling with a mix of hope and desperation. She felt a knot tightening in her stomach, a familiar pang of worry that had become a constant companion since her mother had passed away, leaving them drowning in financial turmoil. The weight of their debts hung heavily on her slender shoulders, pressing down on her like an invisible burden that threatened to suffocate her at any moment.

As Alice observed her father's reckless behavior at the card table, a mix of anger and sadness washed over her like a tidal wave crashing against the shores of her resilience. She clenched her fists, feeling the weight of responsibility for his actions as if each card dealt was another nail in the coffin of their financial ruin.Alice couldn't bear to watch as her father's luck dwindled, the desperation in his eyes growing more pronounced with each hand of cards. She could almost taste the bitter tang of regret that lingered in the air, mixing with the acrid smoke from the cigarettes that dangled lazily between the fingers of the other players. The tension in the air grew thicker with each passing moment, wrapping around Alice like a suffocating shroud. She could feel her pulse quicken, the erratic beats drumming in her ears like a haunting melody of fear and uncertainty.

Then, seemingly materializing out of thin air, an imposing man in a suit approached her father. Hispresence exuded an aura of authority that seemed to swallow the room whole, casting a shadow of foreboding over the casino floor.

His steps were deliberate, each footfall echoing like a ominous drumbeat in the hushed atmosphere of the dimly lit establishment. Alice's heart raced in her chest, anxiety coiling like a viper as she watched the scene unfold before her.

The man in the suit stood tall and imposing, his icy gaze fixed on her father with an intensity that sent shivers down Alice's spine. She could see the beads of sweat forming on her father's brow, his hands trembling ever so slightly as he struggled to maintain his composure under the weight of the man's scrutiny.

He spoke in a low, menacing tone that seemed to reverberate through the very walls of the casino, sending a chill down Alice's spine. "Mr. Thompson, it seems your luck has run out once again," he said, his voice as cold as ice. "You know the terms of our agreement, Mr. Thompson," the man in the suit boomed, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. Alice could feel her father's unease palpable in the air, a heavy cloud of fear that enveloped them both in its suffocating embrace. She clenched her jaw, a mix of anger and helplessness churning within her like a stormy sea threatening to consume her fragile resolve.

Her gaze shifted from her father to the man in the suit, his presence looming over them like a dark cloud ready to burst. Alice could feel the weight of their situation pressing down on her like an insurmountable mountain, each passing moment adding another layer of despair to her already heavy heart.

She stood frozen in place, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty as the man in the suit took her father by the arm, leading him towards a back room shrouded in shadows and mystery.

In the dark confines of the back room, the air was thick with tension and the faint scent of cigar smoke that lingered like a ghostly reminder of past deals struck in shadows. Alice's father stood before the imposing figure of Mr. Smith, his eyes downcast in a mixture of shame and resignation. The weight of his debts bore down on him like a heavy yoke, bending his spirit under its crushing burden.

Mr. Smith's gaze bore into Mr. Thompson with an intensity that seemed to strip away any facade of bravado he had left. The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, the silence punctuated only by the muffled sounds of the casino floor beyond the closed door. Mr. Thompson shifted uneasily on his feet, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead, betraying the anxiety swirling within him like a gathering storm on the horizon.


The menacing casino owner’s voice echoed in the dimly lit back room, each word dripping with a cold, calculated menace that sent a shiver down Mr. Thompson's spine. “I’m here to collect on your debt, Thompson. You remember our deal? Your collateral is sitting outside this room, waiting for you to return to her safely.” Alice’s father swallowed hard, the sound ringing loudly in the suffocating silence that enveloped them like a thick fog.

Mr. Thompson's hands trembled as he tried to find the words to respond to Mr. Smith's chilling statement. The weight of his debt, now his daughter’s life, bore down on him like a heavy anchor, dragging him further into the depths of despair. His gaze flickered towards the closed door, beyond which he knew his daughter, Alice, stood waiting with bated breath, unaware of the dangerous game her father had entangled them in.

Upon receiving nothing but silence, Mr. Smith commanded the man in the suit, “bring in the girl.”