Ferdinand sat around the dimly lit poker table, a haze of smoke swirling in the air, as a tense silence settled over the room. The soft shuffling of cards and the clinking of poker chips were the only sounds breaking the stillness. His fingers tapped the tabletop nervously, his eyes locked onto his hand of cards.
The game had been going on for hours, and Ferdinand's luck seemed to have taken a nosedive. He had always considered himself a skilled poker player, but tonight, the cards had been anything but kind. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he surveyed the faces of his fellow players a motley crew of men with hardened expressions and unreadable eyes.
As the final card was dealt, Ferdinand's heart sank. He had a pair of kings, not a bad hand, but the stakes were high, and he knew he needed more than that to win. With a calculated expression, he pushed a handful of chips into the center of the table, his gaze never wavering from the others.
"All in," Ferdinand said with a bit of confidence.
One by one, his opponents folded their cards hitting the table with soft thuds. Ferdinand's pulse quickened as the tension in the room reached its peak. The last player remaining, an old man with a grizzled beard, smirked and matched Ferdinand's bet.
They revealed their cards, and Ferdinand's heart sank further. The old man laid down a flush a hand Ferdinand couldn't beat. Defeat washed over him, a bitter taste in his mouth. He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his thinning hair, his frustration palpable.
Pushing himself to his feet, Ferdinand nodded to the others, a forced smile on his face. He gathered his remaining chips and stood up from the table, his mind racing with a desperate idea. He knew he had to win back what he had lost he had to turn his luck around.
Ferdinand's eyes fell on a faded photograph of his daughter, Sofia, in his wallet. His heart clenched as he thought of her the light of his life, the reason he worked so hard and played even harder. An idea began to take shape in his mind, a reckless and dangerous gamble that he hoped would change his fortunes.
Returning to the table, Ferdinand cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the remaining players. "Gentlemen," he announced, his voice unsteady but determined, "I have a proposition. One last game, and I'm willing to bet... my daughter."
Gasps filled the room as his words hung in the air, a heavy silence descending upon them. The old burly man, the same one who had bested Ferdinand before, grinned maliciously.
"Your daughter, you say? Quite the bold move, Ferdinand," he sneered, revealing his yellowed teeth.
Ferdinand's heart raced, regret and desperation warring within him. He stole a glance at Sofia's photograph, his resolve hardening. "Deal the cards," he said, his voice steady now, his fate hanging in the balance.
The cards were dealt, and the game progressed with an intensity that bordered on madness. Ferdinand's hands trembled as he held his cards, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. Each round felt like an eternity, and with every bet, he risked losing more than he could bear.
As the final card hit the table, Ferdinand's breath was heavenly. He knew that this was his last hope because if he could not recover the dollars he had lost, he knew that he would lose his beloved daughter.
Two players are folded while the old man is still in. Time to show their cards.
When Ferdinand put down his cards, many people were happy, his cards were high. Hope can be seen in his eyes.
But little by little the whole area became quiet when his opponent showed his cards.
A Royal flush.
"Nice game, friend. Guess this game is over?" The old man said.
It was as if cold water had been poured on Ferdinand as he stared at the poker table. Little by little, the liquid in his eyes congealed and tears began to flow down his cheeks.
He loses everything, even his daughter. He fucked up. He gradually regrets what he did. His knees gave out, and he fell to the floor. The people around him could do nothing but look at him and pity him. He wailed loudly.
"I'm sorry my princess. I'm sorry..."
Sofia woke up and found herself on the sofa. She was waiting for her father because she hadn't come home yet and the sun was about to rise.
She rolled her eyes and slowly got up from lying down. She walked to the kitchen to drink some cold water. Even before she had finished drinking the water in the glass, she heard the door of their house open. It was a sign that her father was there.
She hurriedly ran to meet her father because she was used to her father always coming home drunk. It is noticeable in their house that they almost run out of furniture because they have sold almost all of their things just to pay off his father's debt but his father's debt is still not paid off because he continues to gamble.
"Dad, thank god you're here. Where did you go and why did you come home late? Have you gambled again?" Sofia asked. She hurried to help her father because his walk was in shambles. She was about to close the door when she saw a black van waiting outside. "Dad who are they?" She asked her father but he didn't answer and his face was emotionless.
Sofia just closed the door and immediately supported her father so that he could sit on the sofa. Sofia stared at her father's face. She noticed that his eyes were red, seems like he had finished crying.
A few seconds later, someone knocked on the door of their house. Sofia immediately went to see who it was. From the small hole, he looked to see who was outside.
He saw a bunch of men outside and an old man wearing jewels, if he wasn't mistaken this was their boss.
"What do you need from us?" Sofia asked.
"Your father and I are friends," answered one. "we have important things to discuss with you."
Sofia slowly turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door.
The old man entered first before the men with him. The old man turned his eyes to the whole house.
"Sit down," Sofia offered, and she sat next to her dad.
The old man sat across from them while his fellow men remained standing behind him.
"Your daughter is very beautiful, amigo." The old man said, he snapped his finger and one of his boys lit it with a cigarette. "This is the most worth it prize I have won in gambling." The old man laughed out loud.
Sofia was very confused now, she started to sweat because she knew that the old man's companions had guns. She knows that they are in the middle of danger, if anything happens inside their house, they will have nothing to do because even if they scream and ask for help, no one will hear them because they don't have neighbours around where their house is located.
"Do you mind explaining everything to your daughter?" The old man asked his father.
Sofia turned her gaze to her father and waited for him to speak, but after a few seconds, not a single word, came out from his father's mouth.
"Fine. I'll explain it." The old man said. "Your father is crazy, she bet you in a gamble and he lost."
"What! Dad! Is this true?" Sofia was shocked. There was a trace of surprise on her face. His father was speechless, but she could see the liquid slowly forming in his father's eyes.
"You probably know why we are here... To claim my prize." The old man said while staring at Sofia.
"Maybe there is another way for me to pay everything, Mr. Fablo." Sofia stared at his father when he started to kneel in front of the old man.
"And how can you pay me in that situation?" The old man pulled out a gun. "Well, I'm easy to talk to..."
Sofia almost stood up in shock when the old man pointed the gun at her father.
"Please don't!" Sofia shouted while her whole body was shaking. Her tears began to flow. "Please don't kill him. I'm coming with you, just please leave my father alone!" She said, and the man looked at her and slowly lowered his hand holding the gun.
"NO! Sofia, don't go with that old man!" Her father said. But Sofia didn't seem to hear anything.
"Leave my father alone, and I will go with you," Sofia repeated.
"Well, I think the discussion is over. Let's go." The old man adjusted his collar and then went out of the house first. While his fellow men left the house holding Sofia's hands.
Sofia glanced at her father for the last time. Her father was trying to chase Sofia until she got into the black van and it slowly drove away from where her father was.
Sofia was silent while inside the black van and the old man who was now busy fiddling with his phone was next to her. She had no idea where they were going now, her mind was still blank as she watched the scene outside the van. She doesn't know what happened to her next.
God if this is her last day she wishes she will go to heaven to meet her late mother.
Her mother died when she was 13 years old, her mother was the sweetest and perfect mother for her. When his mother left her, it was like she didn't want to live anymore. Sofia and his father were the only ones who sympathize in life, because of his father's grief over his late wife, he started gambling until they were deeply in debt.
And here she goes. She couldn't believe that her father could bet her on gambling.
"Life is unpredictable isn't it?" Sofia returned to reality when the old man spoke.
Her whole body trembled and slowly looked in the old man's direction. The old man looked out the other window of the van.
Sofia remained silent.
After a while, she was surprised when the old man suddenly reached out his hand.
"I'm Ronan Fablo." Sofia just stared at the old man's hand while wondering if she would take it. "C'mon, I won't bite." The old man added.
Sofia eventually shook hands with the old man. She was a little less nervous when the old man did that.
"What are you going to do to me?" Sofia stuttered. She knew she wasn't in a position to ask but she braced herself to make sure she was safe.
"I want you to be my son's maid. I want you to accompany him to his house and serve him, many have tried to be my son's maid but none of them lasted long."
What a relief! It was like a thorn was pulled out from Sofia when Mr Fablo said that.
"How long will I serve to your son to pay off my father's debt?" Sofia plucked up the courage to ask that matter.
"Maybe 2 years... After that, you can go back to your father."
Sofia regained hope. She hopes that her future boss will be kind to her.
"Why doesn't a single maid stay with your son?" Sofia asked.
Mr Fablo smiled a bit. "Well, my son is... a beast."
