The dazzling lights of the casino made the whole room feel alive, a shifting kaleidoscope of color and motion. You stood near the bar, nursing a drink that had long gone warm, while your eyes tracked one person in particular.

He sat at the center of it all, a high-stakes poker table surrounded by envious stares and nervous smiles. The air around him crackled with confidence as he pushed a stack of chips forward, his grin as sharp as the cards he played. Every movement, every glance, seemed to command attention.