Secure Casino Gambling?

By Rebecca

Anya sat there, staring at that slot machine screen, almost immobilized with fear.

She felt as if even the air around her was a weight, smothering her, forcing her to make a decision, knowing what she had to do.

Ironically, this is where it all started, and eventually had to end.

Her mind started racing back, back to the beginning of this nightmare....

Anya  was engaged to a wealthy man. She knew he had many secrets, but never really concerned herself with the details. He was very secretive about his business.

She never knew where the money came from.

She only knew that she loved him and he lavished her with attention and gifts.  She awoke one bright sunny morning in his Beverly Hills mansion with a note, a single red rose and a plane ticket on the pillow beside her.

The note read

"My darling, the plane leaves at 1.pm. ,the limo will be at the airport awaiting your arrival"

She hopped out of bed and rushed to the airport.

True to his word, the limo was waiting. It took her to the most beautiful hotel she had ever seen.  When she walked into the room, she felt a chill go through her bones.

Furniture was overturned, a crystal vase lay shattered on the floor.

There was overwhelming evidence of a struggle. On the table by the bed were 2 notes.

One, a crumpled up love letter from her fiance and one written in a strange handwriting that said " Your husband owes us $100,000,000. Drop it off in the brown leather arm chair ,in the hotel lobby in a plain black bag at 9p.m., or you will never see him again"

Anya panicked. She had no idea where to get the money, no clue as to where her fiance kept it, she didn't even know the account numbers or which bank to go to for that matter.  She ran and picked up her purse, and the phone rang.

With shaking hands she picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" she said.

A muffled voice came on the line. It was a man's voice and he said

"Do you have the money?".

"Who is this, what is going on?" she said.

" Who we are does not concern you, your fiance's health should be your only worry right now. It seems your fiance has a bit of a gambling problem and he owes us quite a bit of cash" said the man.

"Look, I don't know where to get the money, please let me talk to him"

" No, have the money in the lobby at 9 p.m. sharp, or there will be no wedding day. After the pick-up, your fiance will be returned to you"

" Wait, wait" cried Anya into the receiver, but it was to late, the man had hung up.  Anya dropped to the bed, tears blinding her eyes. What to do??

She had no  money.

Her hands badly shaking she opened her purse. Looking for she knew not what. All she could find, was a five dollar bill that she always kept for an emergency. Then Anya remembered there was a Casino in the hotel lobby. She had never gambled before and was very against it. Her father was a gambler, and died broke and alone in me dirty back alley.

This seemed like it was the only way.  With a start, it dawned on her.

Her fiance's secretiveness, the lack of explanation of his wealth, in her heart she now knew.

He was a gambler.

He must have lost badly and had no way to get the funds.

He must have been scared to tell her about his problem, knowing how she felt about it.

" Mam, are you ok?" asked a passer by.

Shaken out of her memories, she looked up to the young man and said yes, thank you.

"This is it, all or nothing" she thought to herself as she put the five dollar bill into the machine.

Slowly she pulled the handle and watched the spinning start.

One treasure chest showed and her heart skipped a beat.

Another treasure chest showed and her breath caught in her chest.

Last, when she thought she could bear it no longer, the third spinner started slowing down.

She closed her eyes, afraid to see where it had stopped. All of a sudden, bells started going off everywhere! Startled she looked up and saw the red lights blaring from her machine.

She fell to her knees sobbing as though there were not enough tears. Tears of pure joy.

Workers from all over the casino rushed to her side. She had WON! She had won the million dollars!!!! She was in a complete daze as they led her to the office for payout.   Exactly at 9 p.m. she left the black bag in the lobby and returned to her room. She was sick with fear and lowered herself on the bed. Her eyes fixed on the clock. At 9:15 p.m., the door to her room opened. In walked her badly beaten fiance. She rushed to his side and they both fell to their knees.

"Why didn't you tell me" she cried in between kisses.

"My darling, I couldn't, I knew how you felt about gambling, and I couldn't risk losing you" he said.

"I'm just thankful to have you back" cried Anya.

"I don't know what I'd do without you". In tears she said

"Money isn't everything, you were worth more than that million dollars to me".

"Honey", said her fiance, "Never worry about money. I'm really a billionaire. I gamble on the side.

I only gamble what I can afford to lose, I just didn't have that much cash on me, and I keep my true identity a secret, for not only my safety, but for the safety of those I love. I'm so sorry you had to go through this.

From here on out, no more secrets."

She looked up at him in amazement. This was the true reason behind the secrets. She could not be mad. He did what he had to do to protect her and the others he loved.  The next month they were married, in a small private wedding ceremony on his private island. As the saying goes, they then lived Happily Ever After.

The End