Rebirth: My CEO Husband's Thoughts Are Too Shameless

By evening, Crimson Crest had come alive.

The luxurious casino and bar was packed with men and women eager to test their luck, indulge in expensive drinks, or lose themselves in the city’s most extravagant nightlife.

It attracted every kind of customer.

Influential businessmen arrived with glamorous companions on their arms. Wealthy heirs wagered fortunes without a second thought, treating gambling as little more than entertainment. Others, burdened by debt and desperation, clung to the faint hope that one lucky hand might change their lives forever.

Crimson Crest wasn’t simply the most renowned casino in the city.

It was the crown jewel of Karlo Morritte’s empire.

To the public, Karlo was a respected entrepreneur whose businesses flourished year after year.

Only a select few knew the truth.

Behind the polished marble floors, glittering chandeliers, and impeccable service lay a network of illegal operations carefully concealed from the outside world. Every transaction was meticulously planned, every secret heavily guarded, ensuring that no authority had ever managed to expose the organization.

That reputation was precisely why Crimson Crest remained untouchable.

”Quite a crowd tonight,” Luca remarked as he stepped beside his boss inside the private VIP lounge.

The room overlooked the casino through a floor-to-ceiling pane of one-way glass, allowing Karlo to observe every guest without being noticed.

Karlo took a slow puff from his cigar before exhaling a thin stream of smoke.

”It is,” he replied calmly.

Dressed in a tailored charcoal suit and dark sunglasses, Karlo carried the quiet confidence of a man who had spent years sitting at the top of the underworld. In his mid-thirties, he possessed wealth, influence, and connections that stretched far beyond the city’s borders.

As his gaze drifted across the gaming floor, nothing escaped his attention.

Every wealthy patron. Every familiar face. Every potential opportunity.

Luca stood silently beside him, already accustomed to his boss’s habit of observing the crowd before making a move.

After several moments, Karlo spoke.

”Have they arrived yet?”

Luca immediately understood who he meant.

”Not yet, Boss,” he answered. ”They should be here shortly.”

Karlo gave a slight nod before returning his attention to the casino floor.

The crowd continued to grow as music echoed throughout the lavish hall.

Dealers shuffled cards with practiced precision.

Waitresses weaved effortlessly between tables carrying expensive bottles of liquor.

Laughter mixed with the sounds of roulette wheels spinning and poker chips clattering against polished tables.

Then... Karlo’s gaze stopped. His lips slowly curved into a faint smile.

”There.”

Luca followed the direction of his boss’s finger, scanning the bustling casino below.

”What is it, Boss?”

Karlo didn’t answer immediately. His eyes remained fixed on a particular guest moving gracefully through the crowd.

A look of interest flickered across his face.

”I want to know who she is,” he said evenly.

Luca narrowed his eyes, trying to identify the woman among the sea of guests.

”Should I have someone look into her?”

”Yes.”

Karlo took another slow draw from his cigar before adding in a calm, unmistakably authoritative tone, ”Bring me everything there is to know about her.”

Without another question, Luca gave a respectful nod.

”Right away, Boss.”

As he turned to leave, Karlo remained standing before the glass wall, his gaze never leaving the mysterious woman below.

***

Back in Country P, Mark felt as though he had aged ten years in a single afternoon.

After much persuasion, Dominic had finally agreed to shop for Clara in person instead of making Mark buy everything alone.

At first, Mark had celebrated his small victory.

Now...

He deeply regretted it.

’God, why would You bless such a talented man with everything... except common sense when it comes to his wife?’ Mark cried inwardly.

His boss was a genius in the boardroom.

A visionary businessman.

The youngest CEO to turn Heaven International into an international powerhouse.

But the moment Clara entered the equation...

Every ounce of logic disappeared.

’Who buys an entire boutique because he isn’t sure whether his wife will like the blue dress or the green one?’

Apparently... Dominic Sterling did.

Correction. He bought the boutique because Clara might like everything inside.

Now Mark was left carrying shopping bags that seemed capable of opening a department store.

With great difficulty, he shoved the final mountain of bags into the trunk.

Thud!

He wiped the sweat from his forehead before taking several deep breaths.

”Finally...”

He leaned against the car dramatically.

”...the suffering is over.”

Feeling as though his soul had finally returned to his body, Mark climbed into the passenger seat.

He had barely closed the door when an inexplicable chill ran down his spine.

”...”

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Slowly... very slowly... he turned his head.

Dominic was sitting beside him in complete silence.

Only moments ago, his boss had been smiling to himself while reading Clara’s endless stream of messages.

”I miss you.”

”Have you eaten?”

”Reply when you’re free.”

”I miss you again.”

Those messages had somehow softened Dominic’s expression enough for Mark to survive the terrifying shopping spree.

But now... the smile was gone. His face was expressionless with his phone rested in one hand.

The atmosphere inside the car instantly dropped several degrees.

Mark swallowed. ”B-Boss...”

No response.

Trying to ease the tension, he forced an awkward smile.

”Did... we forget to buy something for Madam?”

Silence.

Mark immediately regretted opening his mouth.

A few seconds later...

”Mark.”

Dominic’s deep voice finally broke the silence.

”Y-Yes, Boss?”

Without looking away from his phone, Dominic asked calmly,

”What is Clara doing at Crimson Crest?”

”...”

Mark’s brain completely shut down.

For several seconds, he simply stared blankly at his boss.

Crimson Crest...?

How...

How did he know?

A thousand thoughts exploded inside Mark’s head.

Then his eyes unconsciously drifted toward Dominic’s phone.

The screen displayed a live location.

A tiny blinking dot. And beneath it...

Clara Sterling.

Mark’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

’Boss put a tracker on Madam’s phone?!’

His soul immediately left his body.

’I’m dead. Madam is going to kill me. The boss is going to bury me. I’m not surviving today.’

Dominic finally lifted his gaze.

His expression remained unreadable.

”So...”

He slowly locked the phone.

”...would you like to explain?”

Mark laughed nervously.

”Haha...”

”...”

”...”

”...No?”

Dominic raised an eyebrow.

”I’ll ask again.”

His voice remained perfectly calm.

”What. Is. Clara. Doing. At Crimson Crest?”

Every word landed like a judge delivering a death sentence.

Mark felt tears threatening to spill. There was no escape.

No excuse. No miracle.

Taking a deep breath, he raised both hands in surrender.

”B-Boss...I can explain.”

”I’m listening.”

Mark scratched the back of his head before forcing an innocent smile that looked more painful than cheerful.

”Before I start...”

”Yes?”

”If I tell you everything...”

”...”

”...could you promise not to fire me?”

Dominic looked at him without the slightest change in expression.

”I’ll consider the firing part. But I plan to do something else to you, Mark.”

”...”

Mark nearly cried.

’That wasn’t the answer I was hoping for.’

***

Back inside Crimson Crest, a new topic of gossip quickly spread across the casino floor.

It all centered around one unfamiliar woman.

”Who is she?” a glamorous woman whispered to her companion. ”I’ve never seen her here before.”

She was a model who had been having an affair with a wealthy businessman nearly twice her age. Having frequented Crimson Crest for months, she was familiar with most of the regular faces.

But this woman...

She was new.

And what irritated her even more was that the stranger wasn’t just beautiful—she was remarkably skilled.

”Maybe it’s her first time here,” another woman murmured. ”But look at the way she’s playing. It’s unbelievable.”

The spectators around the poker table couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

Even the veteran gamblers sitting across from the mysterious woman wore expressions of disbelief.

Poker was never a game anyone could dominate with certainty.

Luck played just as important a role as skill.

Winning and losing were both part of the game.

Yet despite facing experienced players, the newcomer continued collecting pot after pot with astonishing ease.

One victory.

Then another.

And another.

Finally—

Bang!

A middle-aged man slammed both hands onto the poker table, startling everyone nearby.

”This is impossible!” he shouted.

The entire table fell silent.

The women who had already been envious of Clara immediately exchanged meaningful glances.

”She’s cheating.”

The man glared at Clara across the table.

”How else do you explain this? You keep getting winning hands over and over again!”

Clara calmly looked up from her cards, completely unfazed by the accusation.

”What makes you think that, Mister?” she asked with a composed smile.

”I’ve been playing fairly this entire time.”

The man clenched his jaw.

His name was Finn, and unlike everyone else at the table, he wasn’t gambling for entertainment.

His business was collapsing.

Creditors were demanding payment.

The money on this table was his last hope of paying off at least part of his debts.

But Clara’s continuous victories had shattered that hope.

His gaze shifted toward the mountain of chips in front of her before dropping to his own nearly empty stack.

A cold sweat formed on his forehead.

That’s it...

I’m almost out of money.

If I lose this hand too... I’m finished.

Panic surged inside him, but he refused to let anyone notice.

Instead, he decided to turn the crowd against Clara.

”Playing fairly?” Finn scoffed loudly.

”Oh, come on.”

He pointed accusingly at her.

”Nobody wins this many hands on luck alone. You’re obviously cheating.”

The accusation immediately sparked murmurs among the surrounding spectators.

”I’ve seen Mr. Finn play here many times.”

”That’s true.”

”He’s won plenty of tournaments.”

”Exactly.”

”There must be something suspicious if someone like him is losing this badly.”

The whispers spread from one table to another.

Seeing the crowd beginning to doubt Clara, a smug smile slowly appeared on Finn’s face.

That’s right, he thought triumphantly as he looked at her.

I’m not letting you walk away with all that money.