Chapter 3: All-In for Everything

Soon, the dealer brought over an organ donation contract. I signed it, and the dealer gave me one crore in chips.

The pen shook in my hand, but I scrawled my name. The chips felt heavier than ever.

I pushed all one crore chips into the pot.

A gasp rose up. Even Kabir paused, measuring my resolve.

"Kabir, keep going. Do you still have money?" I mocked.

My voice was flat, but inside, I was shaking.

Kabir curled his lips into a vicious smile. "Chote, I’ll call your bet with two crore!"

He pushed his chips forward with a flourish, the sound echoing in the tense silence.

"You don’t have two crore in chips, do you?" I asked pointedly.

I watched his face carefully. His eyes flickered—caught.

Kabir turned to the dealer. "Dealer, main bhi khud ko girvi rakhna chahta hoon."

A ripple of shock ran through the room. Even his own mother gasped, clutching her gold chain.

"Your health isn’t as good—you can only get seventy lakh," the dealer replied blandly.

Kabir’s lips tightened, but he nodded, desperate to match me.

"We’ll girvi rakhna ourselves too!" Second and third cousin rushed up excitedly.

They pushed past the crowd, eager to be part of the drama, never mind the consequences.

"You two aren’t in great shape either. Altogether, the three of you can get two crore," the dealer said, tapping away at a laptop as he checked their medical records.

He flipped through the reports as if dealing with vegetables, not lives. Someone in the back snorted, "Dekh lo, ab kya drama hoga."

Seeing the three cousins join forces, I realised second and third cousin had been secretly involved all along.

Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, and suddenly everything made sense—the whispered conversations, the sly looks.

This whole family was plotting against us.

A chill ran down my spine. I remembered all the times my father had said, "Apne hi apno ko kaat lete hain."

Soon, the three cousins signed their own personal collateral agreements, and the dealer brought out two crore in chips.

The dealer’s assistants counted the chips twice, their faces impassive, used to such high-stakes drama.

"I’m all in with two crore!"

Kabir slammed his chips onto the pile, his eyes wild.

"I have three Aces—show your cards!" Kabir stood up and slammed his three Aces onto the table.

The smack of cards echoed like thunder. For a second, everything else disappeared.

The cards hit the table with a loud smack.

The bright red and black faces flashed in the tubelight, mocking me.

"Arre, three Aces!"

Someone shouted, spilling their chai in excitement. The elders leaned forward, craning their necks to see.

"What a hand—three Aces!"

The cousins gasped, their voices overlapping. Someone muttered, "Aaj toh Kabir ka din hai."

"That’s the best possible set!"

The whole family nodded, as if destiny itself had intervened.

"No way he can lose this round."

A few even started congratulating Kabir, already counting his winnings in their minds.

...The crowd was stunned by Kabir’s cards, many looking on with envy. With this round, Kabir would win over three crore.

The room buzzed with whispers, some already thinking of how to ask him for loans later.

My father forced a bitter smile and looked at the dealer. "Dealer, main bhi khud ko girvi rakhna chahta hoon—bas mere bete ko kuch behosh kar do."

He spoke softly, broken. My mother wailed, clutching the end of her saree as if to steady herself.

Hearing my father, I burst into tears.

Tears blurred my vision, but I wiped them away. I couldn’t afford to cry now.

Only now did I realise how much my father loved me. He’d suffered so much for me over the years. I swore to cherish him from now on.

I remembered the nights he sat by my bedside when I was ill, the time he sold his bike to pay my school fees. I promised myself I’d never forget this moment.

"Serves you right! You two brought this on yourselves with your arrogance and selfishness," my mother scolded us.

Her voice was sharp, but I heard the tremor underneath. She loved us, but didn’t know how to show it now.

The dealer smiled at my father. "Uncle, that’s not a problem, but in my opinion, your decision is a little premature."

He looked around, as if enjoying the chaos. Even the dealer had become part of the family’s drama.

My father just shook his head in silence.

His lips pressed tight, he slumped back, eyes fixed on the floor.

"Chote, let everyone see your cards," Kabir said, blowing smoke in my face.

He leaned forward, as if certain of my defeat, ready to celebrate.

I looked at him and sighed. "Bhaiya, I never imagined your scheme would be so elaborate, but in the end, you made one fatal mistake."

The crowd hushed, sensing something was about to change. My heart hammered in my chest. I took a deep breath and prepared to reveal my cards.

"Smack!"

I slapped my three cards onto the table.

My hand trembled as I revealed my cards, my breath catching. The moment hung, every eye in the room fixed on my trembling hands. Somewhere outside, a distant temple bell chimed, as if blessing my gamble. The cards lay face down, everyone leaning in—waiting to see if this was the moment our family’s luck finally turned.