Speaking the Unspoken

A few quiet chuckles surfaced around the table.

Elise raised a brow, her tone light—but unmistakably probing.

“Hm. Is that so?” she said. “And why is that? You think I can’t take a fair loss?”

Roth froze.

“No—no, that’s not what I meant,” he said quickly, hands lifting as if to physically stop the misunderstanding. “I—I didn’t mean it like that at all. I just—”

His words tangled, panic setting