Everyone in Domburgh knew how to play poker . Matilda drew the dealer's spot and became the house . When she played , she didn't bother with neat piles or strategy - she just tossed her cards out in a messy stack . She won the first round anyway , and the others craned their necks to see . " How the hell did you win with that mess ? What are those cards ? " Matilda frowned and slowly spread them out , lining them up in order . The table finally got it . " Oh , it's a straight up to the jack . " Matilda shot Allen a look of disbelief . She couldn't figure out how he'd managed to lose to these clueless kids . Allen knew exactly what that look meant . He gave a bitter smile and rubbed his nose . Round after round , Matilda kept winning . Before long , she didn't even bother looking at her cards and just played blind . A rich kid with a cigarette dangling from his lips slapped his cards on the table . " Pair of eights . " Without lifting her eyes , Matilda said , " Call ." " No way . You didn't even look . What are you calling with ? You really got a pair of eights ? " the man asked . Matilda calmly reached over and flipped the third card from the left and the fourth card from the right- dead on , a pair of eights . The corners of everyone's mouths twitched . Meanwhile , Allen was happily serving fruit and making coffee for her like a loyal assistant . When Matilda needed to use the bathroom , she had Allen fill in . The second the door closed , the players ' faces all dropped . " Come on , Allen . If we pissed you off , just beat us up or something . Why'd you bring in some poker shark to clean us out ? " one of them said . " I swear I didn't let her win , " another one groaned . " She's just unbeatable ." " She's scary smart . She can read every card we've got . Allen , watch out - she might end up running circles around you ," another warned . " I think Allen would love that , " one of them said with a knowing smirk . Allen didn't bother with their jabs . In a good mood , he pulled out his phone and transferred 3 million dollars to each of them . " Double the stakes . Send all the money to her account . Got it ? " 9:18 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 21 : " Holy shit ! That's a house in Maple Heights ! " one of them gasped . 95 55 vouchers " Never thought our straight - laced Dr. Saunders would throw away so much money just to make a pretty girl smile , " another teased . Allen let them talk . In truth , that money belonged to Matilda anyway . Brandon had spent 10 million dollars just last night trying to bury her trending post . Her account being banned for twenty days wasn't entirely bad either - it only made Brandon look more like a bully throwing his weight around . And now she still ended up with 10 million dollars . It was not exactly a loss . When Matilda came back , everyone fell silent . Allen frowned , looking pitiful . " I lost two rounds for you . " Matilda patted his shoulder . " It's fine . I'll win it back ." A rich kid twirling Ferrari keys sneered , " Losing to a woman - if word gets out , how am I supposed to show my face ? You guys still got the guts to play ? " The other two barked , " Who are you looking down on ? Of course , we'll keep playing ! " Matilda almost felt bad - it was like bullying them . So she tried to warn them kindly , " If you lose too much , your parents might cut off your cards . " " That'd just mean we weren't good enough . We deserve it . The question is , do you dare keep playing ? " one shot back . Matilda instinctively glanced at Allen . He leaned in and whispered so only she could hear , " Don't worry . They're all spoiled rich kids Jude has treated before . Money is the last thing they're short on . " Matilda smiled . She needed money more than anything right now . ***** Hot summer nights in early July made people irritable . Brandon stood on the balcony in loungewear , cigarette ash scattered at his feet . Greg hadn't found any hidden assets under Matilda's name . The clothes she wore might've been gifts from Tessa . And while Tessa's status wasn't high , she was still a Harrington daughter . It wasn't impossible she'd slipped Matilda some help behind Zack's back . But that messed with Brandon's plan - he wanted Matilda desperate enough to crawl back and beg him . Shelby came out of the shower in a thin camisole dress , skin soft and smooth , smelling faintly sweet . " Brandon ! " She stepped toward him but slipped on a toy Lola had left behind . She tumbled forward . Brandon caught her around the waist , eyes flashing with concern . " Careful " 9:18 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 21 Shelby nodded shyly . : Brandon let go , but Shelby cried out and staggered again . His hand went back to her waist . The feel of her soft curves made his head spin for a second . " Brandon , I think I twisted my ankle , " Shelby said pitifully . ( 95 ) 55 vouchers Brandon looked down and saw that her ankle was red . Bending , he scooped her up and carried her to the bed . Shelby clung to his neck and refused to let go . " Brandon , I'm scared . I can't sleep alone . I'll have nightmares ." As he bent over her , Brandon's eyes dropped to the line of her collarbone , her plunging neckline , and then the soft outline beneath her thin nightgown . She wasn't wearing a bra . The sight stirred something he couldn't ignore . For a moment , he remembered the night of the Serenity Group dinner , when he'd helped her change clothes . Back then , he'd only felt anger and guilt - he hadn't realized Shelby was no longer the little girl who used to trail behind him . She was a woman now . And he could no longer treat her as a child . His gaze darkened as he slowly lowered his head . Shelby shut her eyes , waiting for the kiss . But it never came . Instead , Brandon's low voice broke the moment . " Don't dress like this at home again ." Then he let her go and walked out . Shelby sat up , not angry at all . She could feel it - Brandon was attracted to her . That was a good sign . If he saw her as a woman , it was only a matter of time before he was hers completely . ***** Meanwhile , at the card club , Matilda didn't bother counting how much she'd won . She just kept accepting payments - when one app maxed out , she switched to another , then to bank cards . Staff brought in some fresh clementines , each box packed with ice . Matilda wasn't interested and didn't touch them . Allen figured her hands were busy , so he peeled one himself . He held out a juicy slice to her lips . The other players froze mid - game , leaning back in their chairs with grins , waiting to see a show . Matilda thought that Allen had been sitting by her all night , pouring water , dealing cards , running around for hours . If she let him be laughed at because of her , that wouldn't be fair . But Allen hesitated , worried he was putting her in an awkward spot . Regretful , he started to pull his hand back . 9:18 Mon , Oct 13 Chapter 21 That was when Matilda leaned forward and bit down . 95 55 vouchers She moved too fast , her red lips closing not just on the sweet clementine , but also on Allen's clean , cool fingertip .