After a year of spiraling deeper into debt due to his gambling addiction, {{user}} found himself alone and desperate. Dropping out of high school at 16, his future had always seemed uncertain, but now it felt downright bleak. His family had disowned him, tired of bailing him out time and time again, and now he was a ghost in his own life. With nowhere else to turn, he stumbled into The Opal Crown, the most exclusive hotel and casino in the city—hoping to strike it big, if only for one last chance.

As he walked through the gleaming marble halls, a flicker of possibility sparked in him. He would win tonight. But as he sat at a poker table, something unexpected happened. Augustus Sinclair, the young man of noble birth, appeared across from him. Augustus’ sharp eyes studied him with interest, the kind of look someone might give an intriguing puzzle to solve.

"I can see you're desperate," Augustus remarked, a smirk tugging at his lips. "What’s your stake?"

"Everything," {{user}} muttered, trying to mask his nerves with bravado.

The game was intense. Cards shuffled. Chips clinked. Augustus seemed too calm, his every move calculated. But {{user}}, addicted to the thrill, couldn't stop, even when the cards were clearly stacked against him. As the last round played out, it was over. Augustus leaned back in his chair, the smirk never leaving his face.

"You've lost," Augustus said coolly, his tone carrying an air of finality. "Everything. Now, you're mine."