Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Betting II

The room hushed.

Ray stepped forward confidently, stretching out his fingers as he picked up three darts from the table beside him. He rolled them once between his hands, his lips tugging into a half-smile as the crowd leaned in with anticipation.

Then—thump! thump! thump!

Three darts flew through the air in quick succession.

They struck the board almost simultaneously, each one slamming into place with sharp, satisfying precision. And when everyone looked, they gasped.

The darts hadn’t just landed on target—they had formed a flawless triangle around the bullseye. So close, they nearly kissed each other’s feathers. Perfect control. Perfect spacing.

Nate, one of the boys from earlier, nodded in quiet respect. “Ray’s still a damn monster,” he muttered to no one in particular.

Ray turned and gave a small bow to the crowd, soaking in the applause and whistles. His eyes then shifted to Liam, calm and confident. “Your turn.”

Liam stepped forward.

He didn’t say a word as he picked up a lone dart lying on the table. His hand closed around the thin shaft, and he slowly lifted it, eyes fixed on the dartboard. Then, with a sudden flick of his wrist—whoosh—he released it.

Thump!

The dart struck the center—the dead center—piercing the bullseye as if it belonged there.

It didn’t just land in the bullseye. It cut through the invisible center of Ray’s perfect triangle, right between his three darts, as if Liam had drawn a crosshair in the air and said, here.

A stunned silence followed.

Then a few claps.

Then more.

Ray blinked, stunned for a moment, before grinning and slowly clapping his hands. “You’ve got some skills,” he said with a smirk. “Didn’t think you’d actually land it like that.”

Liam offered nothing but a slight smile in return, stepping back as the darts were retrieved and returned to the table.

Ray, not one to be outdone, picked up two darts this time. Holding them between his middle and index finger, he raised his arm and let both fly—simultaneously.

Thump-thump!

Both darts hit the board at the same time, sticking perfectly in opposite corners of the inner circle, barely an inch apart. It was insane. The kind of shot only a seasoned pro could even attempt.

The crowd erupted with gasps and cheers.

Phones were recording. Voices murmured in disbelief. It was like watching a magic show—but with real stakes.

Ray raised his eyebrows challengingly. “Let’s see what the golden boy’s got now.”

Liam didn’t even flinch.

He turned his back to the board, casually reached for a dart behind him—didn’t even look—and threw it over his shoulder.

Thump!

The dart buried itself perfectly in the bullseye. Right on top of the last one he’d thrown.

The crowd screamed. Even Ray’s mouth opened slightly, clearly stunned despite himself.

Lana, who had been watching quietly from the side, blinked.

She’d expected him to be good. Maybe decent.

But this?

This was… effortless.

She felt a strange flutter in her chest as she watched Liam step away, his expression still unreadable.

Ray gave a single clap, slow and dramatic. “Alright,” he said, his tone heavier. “Let’s get ready for the real deal. You’re good. It’s pointless to keep doing free throws.”

Liam just smiled faintly, rolling his wrist. “All I need now is a volunteer.”

He was confident in his aim. Not arrogant—certain. His heart didn’t even skip a beat.

But even with that, a small thread of worry tugged at the back of his mind.

Ray.

Ray wasn’t just good—he was intense. Competitive. And there was something behind his smirk… something that didn’t sit quite right. Liam wasn’t afraid of losing. He was afraid Ray might go too far—maybe not intentionally, but just enough to make a point. And someone could get hurt.

Ray turned to the crowd, arms spread wide as he scanned the sea of faces.

“Alright, beauties. Who’s ready to be my partner?”

Girls practically launched themselves forward.

Everyone wanted to be paired with Ray. Not just because he was good—but because this was Ray’s thing. He had the charm, the reputation, the fanbase. He’d been doing this since he was seven. People said he used to throw darts at stuffed toys in mid-air just for fun. And now? He was hitting apples off heads like it was muscle memory.

He chose a tall, sexy brunette named Zoe.

She walked out of the crowd with a sway in her hips, all smiles, her long legs wrapped in a figure-hugging black dress. Her lips were painted a glossy red, and her confidence was as sharp as her heels. She looked like she belonged in front of a camera.

Ray gave her a wink and guided her to stand beside him.

Then the eyes turned to Liam.

He stood quietly, arms crossed, watching the crowd.

He didn’t say anything. Didn’t call anyone out.

But the girls looked hesitant.

They whispered among themselves. Some tilted their heads, weighing the risk. A few even stepped forward… then stepped back.

Sure, Liam had shown insane skill. But… their faces were their careers. One wrong throw, and everything they’d worked for could be over.

Liam was good—but was he safe?

And then, just as the room began to shift into quiet tension—

She stepped out.

Lana.

Her movement was graceful, unfaltering.

There was no hesitation in her steps, no flicker of fear in her eyes. She moved with quiet certainty, as if she’d already made up her mind before the thought had even fully formed.

The crowd went silent again.

Even Ray’s expression shifted.

And Liam?

His eyes widened.

He was stunned.

Speechless.

He stared at her as she came to stand beside him, her long hair flowing over her shoulder, that same calm glint in her emerald eyes.

“You…” he started, trying to find the words. “You’re sure?”

Lana just nodded once, simply and elegantly.

As if the question didn’t even need an answer.

Zoe stepped forward, her heels clicking lightly against the polished floor. She held the apple delicately in her hand, turning toward the crowd with a playful wink before placing it carefully on top of her head. Her long brunette hair was tied up now, exposing her neck and shoulders, drawing more eyes to her confident posture.

Then, with a smooth pivot, she stepped in front of the dartboard and stood tall. Her back was straight, chin slightly lifted, the apple perched perfectly still.

She glanced toward Ray and gave him a flirtatious blink.

Ray smirked, dramatically puffing out his chest as if he were a performer taking center stage. Then he leaned forward and blew her a kiss.

Zoe caught it with an exaggerated hand motion, laughing softly as her cheeks flushed with color.

The crowd cooed and chuckled at the exchange.

Liam, standing off to the side, simply stared with a raised brow.

Why the fuck are they all so cringe? he thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. It felt like he was watching a circus act—not a dart game.

Ray took his time picking up the dart, holding it with practiced ease. Then, turning to the crowd, he extended his arm outward in a dramatic gesture as if inviting applause. And the crowd gave it to him. Loud, excited, like he was some kind of local champion.

Ray gave them a cocky grin.

Then—swish—in one fluid, effortless motion, he threw the dart.

Thock!

The dart flew across the room and slammed into the apple.

A perfect hit.

The apple bounced off Zoe’s head and dropped cleanly to the floor.

The crowd went wild.

Zoe shrieked in delight, pumping her fist into the air as she did a little spin. “Yes!” she squealed, her voice practically drowning in cheers. Her eyes locked on Ray, glowing with admiration.

Ray strode up to his friends, raising both hands for high fives. They smacked palms loudly, like it was already over. Like the victory was sealed.

To everyone else, it was thrilling.

But Liam just stood still, hands in his pockets, the faintest of smiles tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Because he saw something none of them did.

For a second—just a brief moment—Zoe had flinched.

It was subtle. Most wouldn’t catch it. But Liam did. Her left eye had closed half a second early. Her jaw had tightened. Her shoulder twitched—not much, but enough to betray what she truly felt in that moment.

Fear.

Zoe wasn’t fully confident in Ray.

She trusted his aim… but not his control.

And that was a huge difference.

Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly.

It wasn’t about showmanship. It wasn’t about flair or drama or flirtation.

This was about control.

Precision.

And most of all… trust.

He turned his head slightly to the side, where Lana was waiting, the apple in her hand. She didn’t say a word, didn’t smile, didn’t perform for the crowd. She just stood there, quietly waiting for her turn.

His gaze lingered on her for a moment.

No fear.

No hesitation.

She trusted him completely.

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