A General's Daughter

Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

The Poker Game

May 14, 2011. Saturday. At around four o' clock in the afternoon, General Enrique Gonzales arrived at his casino in Maunni City with Enrico, Carlos, Giselle and Katherine. 

Katherine looked very lovely in a dark red cocktail dress and dark red peep toe pumps. 

They had been accommodated in a private poker game room. 

Their dealer was from Filipinas Gaming Corporation. The dealer wasn't informed about Katherine being on the line of such poker game. It only appeared to the dealer as a friendly game between two superb poker players. The dealer was paid equally by both parties. He was informed that General Enrique Gonzales and Mr. Frederick Zuñiga were to play a heads up poker. They were both provided with one billion pesos worth of chips. 

The game progressed for four long hours.  The two players were even for a long time. Whenever he won a round or two, her father would win on the other rounds. 

He could see the anxiety on Katherine's eyes. He was able to know all there was to know about her from the background check. Enrico and Carlos also talked to him a day before his scheduled one-on-one game with their father.  Her brothers wanted him to promise that their beloved sister would be taken cared of once he won over their father. He had known about their father's indifference toward Katherine. He was also promised to be provided with the lists of what Katherine liked and disliked and of Katherine's favorite if he won. 

He was surprised when Katherine came to witness the poker game between him and her father for herself. Anyway she was twenty-one and she was of legal age to enter any of his casinos.  He just hoped he could win in order to free Katherine from their father's heartless control. 

Finally General Enrique Gonzales put all of his chips. Derek felt his opponent believed he had the best hand. He also put on all of his chips. Everyone went tensed. Derek saw Katherine hyperventilating. She was led by Giselle on the veranda of the game room. She was pacified by Giselle and her two brothers.  The dealer didn't notice it because they were at his back. Their father didn't seem to care. General Enrique Gonzales really felt he would win. 

Katherine was already calm when their father showed his cards. Their father had a royal flush. Derek also had a royal flush. 

The dealer said, "The ordering of suits in poker from highest to lowest is spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds. Congratulations for winning, Mr. Z." 

General Enrique Gonzales' royal flush was in hearts while Derek was in spades. Their father looked upset but then his right hand was extended to Derek. Derek gladly accepted the old man's hand for a handshake. 

The dealer already left. The Gonzaleses were all about to leave when Katherine spoke out. 

She said, "I'll stay here. I won't go with you anymore, Daddy. I already belong to Mr. Frederick Zuñiga. I already instructed Yaya Letty to pack my bags if ever you were defeated."

Enrico, Carlos and Giselle were shocked but not their father. Derek wasn't shocked as well. He knew Katherine to have that stubborn side. 

Their father spoke out, "I will send for all your things tomorrow." 

The Gonzaleses had already left.  Derek just watched silently as everything happened. Ambrosio already left the room as well. The two of them were left. 

He only moved when Katherine's tears fell down from her eyes. He approached her and gave her a warm and gentle embrace. 

She comfortably cried on his shoulders, "How come I had a father like him? He never paid me any attention. He has always been cold towards me. I don't know why he never allowed any suitor to court me. If he hated me so much, he should just kill me when I was just a baby."