The Greatest Gamble

Bet Eleven

I jolt awake to the sound of the car door slamming. My heart races as I look around for the source.

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you?" a voice says to my right.

I glare at the person.

The woman looks around my age. She has dark green hair, and deep brown eyes, and is wearing a long, black dress, with a white apron on top. Her mouth is in a firm line, and her gaze looks annoyed.

I sit up in my chair and peek at my phone. It's 6:22. How long was I out? I look back at the woman. "Where am I?" I ask, now feeling more confused than angry.

"In my way. I was asked to clean the car, so unless you want to be in the bin with the rest of the trash I suggest you move."

I take a deep breath and move, opting not to make an enemy in an unknown environment. I am surrounded by tall trees and am staring at a three-tiered fountain. It also appears that I am standing on a full driveway that circles in front of the entrance for easy entrance and exit. I return my attention to the entrance and see it's a tall dark, brown double door. The columns are black with gold lines traveling up the sides, which surround the house. My jaw drops as I realize I am staring at a mansion. Where the hell is Andrew? I slowly bring my hand up to my ear and hold the small device inside. "Hey, Drew? Where are you?" I barely manage to squeak.

After a few seconds go by, I hear some static and then clear as day, "Oh, you're up! Hope you had a good nap! Want to meet me in the office?"

I don't respond, only because I don't know what to say.

"Do I need to send someone for you?"

"I...uh...yes," I finally manage to say.

He laughs. "Okay. One second."

I stand in shock trying to make sense of everything. A tap on my shoulder brings me out of my trance, and I look in its direction. Green hair is back and looks just as upset as she did earlier.

"Are you going to be my personal pain in the ass as long as you're on the premises?" she asks with a huff.

"I'm not too happy to be escorted by you either," I retort, folding my arms.

"I really don't know what he sees in you." She walks past me and up the marble, black stairs. "Follow me."

I can't think of a clever enough response in time, so I stay quiet and do what I am told. She presses a button on the intercom located by the doors, and they both open up revealing two grand staircases that lead upstairs and to two open halls along the sides. I fail at hiding my amazement. The stairs are pure white and have a red carpet resting in the middle, all the way up. The banister is solid black, wood, and runs along the open hallways upstairs. One large chandelier is in the center, with two smaller ones beside it.

"Hey!" A familiar annoying voice calls. I follow it and see she has stepped off to the side, entering a hallway with an arch and darker floorboards. "I don't have all day."

I hurry up and walk past a formal dining room, which has multiple cabinets full of Fine China, and meet up with the woman at a large door at the end of the hall. She knocks and says, "Mr. Galavan, I've brought your...guest."

"Please come in!"

She pushes the door open and we step inside. Drew is sitting behind a dark, brown desk in a cozy-looking chair. Two of the walls are covered from ceiling to floor with a variety of books, with a ladder with wheels resting on one side. The wall in the back is a giant window, with a red curtain tied open, letting natural light in. The last wall is all grey brick, with a fireplace at the bottom. A royal blue rug rested in the middle of the room, along with two chairs identical to Drew's, and some tables next to them.