“Even poker requires a brain. And you… do you even have one?”
“…”
“Of course you do. Just not much of one.”
After the taunts, Theodore picked up the hoe and put it back where he found it.
“What’s going on? I take a quick nap, and you all start bullying my guest?” Anna Flores emerged from the house, yawning. Seeing Zebulon’s state, she sauntered over.
“Your guest? We’ve shown him plenty of respect. Mr. Stapleton himself personally played several hands with him,” Simon said, seemingly joking, but secretly signaling to Anna with his eyes.
Anna laughed. “That’s what I call bullying. Who in their right mind would dare play cards with Mr. Stapleton? That’s just asking for punishment!”
“He insisted on playing!” Michael chimed in.
“Oh, well then, you can’t blame anyone but his own clueless brain!”
Anna’s comment made everyone laugh. She walked over and pulled Zebulon to his feet. “It’s chilly out here. Why aren’t you wearing any clothes?” she said, trying to help him get dressed.
“He lost another round! He still hasn’t taken off his underwear!” a bystander shouted, and others chimed in, insisting that if you play the game, you have to accept the consequences.
“He still has to take something off?” Anna smirked. “You guys really want to see that?”
“Yeah, we do!” someone yelled, and the crowd laughed again.
“I want to go home,” Zebulon whispered to Anna, his face flushed with shame.
Anna glanced at his pathetic state with a flash of disgust but said, “You can leave whenever you want. These guys aren’t thugs; they won’t force you to stay. But you’d better think carefully. Is the Stone Group really willing to give up on the Zenith Group project?”


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