Love and Fortune A Gamble for Two (Angela and Chester)

Love and Fortune: A Gamble for Two

Chapter 1

Angelina Ashbourne woke up to a mess all around her. She sat in the middle of a pile of designer handbags, her mind foggy and her body stiff. She nearly tripped over a bag as she stood and took a few steps. Catching herself against the doorframe, she barely managed to steady her balance.

She had somehow ended up inside the pages of a romance novel she'd been reading-right in

the shoes of the novel's most hated character. The female side character of the book shared her name-Angelina. The similarities ended there, though, because the female side character was anyone's nightmare.

The original Angelina was born into poverty, but she spent her life dreaming of marrying into money. To get ahead, she painted herself as a helpless and sweet girl in front of the wealthy Whitmore family, winning their pity and support

She played her part so well that the Whitmores took her under their wing, gave her financial security, paid for her college tuition, and even set her up with a job after graduation.

But that wasn't enough for her. She convinced herself she deserved a bigger slice of the pie, believing she was practically a member of the family. In her eyes, the Whitmores owed her a stake in their fortune. Too cowardly to confront them directly, she set her sights on their son, Chester Whitmore.

Using her close connection to the family, she drugged Chester and seduced him. She had spent months preparing for this, even going so far as to get her health in peak condition to ensure she could get pregnant.

Her plan worked, and she was pregnant with Chester's child. It gave Chester no choice but to step up. While he was uneasy about their complicated relationship, he took responsibility and treated her well after learning about the baby.

The female side character used the pregnancy as leverage, pressuring Chester into marriage. If anyone crossed her, Chester was there to protect her.

But when she was eight months pregnant, disaster struck.

The Whitmore family's business went under, leaving them on the brink of bankruptcy.

Before Chester could sort through the mess, the female side character realized her dreams of being a rich man's wife had crumbled. She decided to cut her losses, opting to get an abortion instead of tying herself down.

Chester tried to reassure her, promising, "I'll work harder, I'll rebuild everything. You and the

baby will never be lacking."

But she didn't buy it and said with a scoff, "You think I'm going to stick around for your sob stories? I'm not living the broke life with you. Get out of my way.

П

When he tried to stop her, she slapped him and shouted, "This house? These bags? These clothes? They're all mine. Get lost!"

The female side character didn't stop there. She quickly moved on to other men, chasing her next big opportunity. Her reputation fell apart as she became known around Brookhaven as a gold-digger. She eventually died penniless, infertile from too many abortions, and sick from

AIDS.

Chester, on the other hand, was devastated. Her betrayal fueled his determination, and he clawed his way back to success, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest men in the country.

Now, as Angelina stood there, hesitating, her gaze dropped instinctively to her pregnant belly. Around her, the room was a mess-clothes, bags, and shoes scattered everywhere. She took a sharp breath, realizing she had returned to this exact moment.

Just yesterday, Chester had laid everything bare. After resolving the company's final crisis, he brought her the remaining money and calmly told her, "There's no saving the company anymore. From now on, we won't have much, but I'll make sure you're taken care of first." The female side character had flown into a rage then. "You've ruined my life! You destroyed/ my dream of being a rich wife! Chester, you useless coward! What good are you to me? What

think I'll suffer with you? Dream on! Get out! Just get out!"

makes you

In her anger, she slapped him hard across the face. "Everything in this house belongs to me! These bags, these clothes-everything is mine! Now, get out! Go!"

According to the novel, she had already made arrangements with a hospital for an abortion.

Suddenly, the front door creaked open. A man stood there, his expression cold as he scanned the chaotic room and the woman inside it.

Angelina froze under his gaze, her mouth opening and closing as she stumbled for words." You... You're here..." She forced an awkward smile.

Thinking about the female side character's actions, especially how quickly she turned on Chester after his bankruptcy, the real Angelina felt a wave of disdain. She hated this character when reading the novel, convinced she deserved everything that happened to her. And now, she had somehow become her. Angelina's smile was more pitiful than cheerful.

Chester looked away, his expression indifferent "The divorce papers are ready. Come take a look."

Angelina carefully stepped over the mountain of designer clothes and bags, making her way to the living room.

Dunte

The Angelina in the novel was accustomed to a life of luxury and couldn't accept the reality of Chester's downfall. When she first heard the company was in trouble, she assumed it was just a test-a challenge to prove her loyalty. She even volunteered to move into a shabby apartment, putting on a performance of humility as she was convinced he'd come for her any day. But it wasn't a test. He wasn't joking

"My parents don't have much money, so they're going to work odd jobs. I can't leave them with nothing, so I've set aside 50 thousand dollars for them as emergency funds. The remaining 68 thousand dollars is yours," Chester said, glancing toward the mountain of designer items cluttering the room.

"You can deal with your things however you want. As for the baby..." His voice trailed off as his gaze lingered on her belly, heavy with emotion he couldn't hide.

Angelina instinctively placed her hands over her stomach.

He finally said, "Angelina, I want the baby. Can you keep it?"

In the novel, Angelina pounced on him after hearing his words, scratching his face and screaming, "You? A penniless beggar like you wants me to have your baby? Do you even know what you look like right now? Do you think you're still the heir to the Whitmore family fortune?

"You're a joke! You ruined me! You don't deserve this child! Just go to hell already!"

Chester had only ever seen her as a younger sister, but after what happened between them and with the baby on the way, he couldn't just walk away. Even without love, he still took responsibility. He was a man who stood firm even when life crumbled around him. The room fell silent after he spoke, and Angelina found herself unable to respond.

When the quiet stretched on too long, Chester said softly, "My parents and my sister... They're all really hoping for this child. We can go back to the way things used to be, as a family. That is, if you're willing..."

He had already asked her this yesterday and been rejected. Yet here he was, trying again. He had cast his pride aside.

Angelina lowered her head, unable to look at him. She thought to herself, "I can't act like the female side character did. I can't only think about money. I can't be that selfish."

Angeline thought that this crisis was just a test. In the novel, Chester eventually made a comeback, and it didn't even take that long. Who in Brookhaven could possibly outshine him in the end? Even without love, he'd been so generous to the female side character. What if she chose to stand by him and help him rise again?

The thought sent a surge of excitement through her, and she decided to place her bet on this."

Chapor

I can't do it."

"What?" Chester's cold voice carried a hint of surprise.

"I can't bring myself to give up this baby. I want to keep it," Angelina said, taking a deep breath and looking him straight in the eye. "Chester, let's get rid of this apartment. I'll move in with your parents. We'll get through this crisis together as a family." Chester's expression remained blank, but his fists were clenched tightly.

"What's gotten into her?" he wondered. "What a shocker! She actually agreed? No, it can't be real. This woman only cares about money. She doesn't have a heart."

Everyone said so. Angelina's intentions were too obvious. In the early days, she begged the Whitmore family to help her with her education. It was clear she had been scheming from the

start.

Just t

yesterday, she slapped him and screamed at him for ruining her life. "A useless man like you can't give me the life I deserve!" she yelled.

He said stiffly, "Angelina, I promised I wouldn't let you live in hardship, but I need to make one thing clear-I can't give you the life you had before."

"That's fine." Angelina met his gaze. "We'll make money together. Once the baby's born, I'll find a job."

"And the baby?"

"I'll find work that lets me take the baby with me. I'll figure it out."

She turned to look at the piles of luxury goods in the corner. "I can sell all of that. We can use the money to buy your parents' apartment unit. I'll stay with you and start over."