Winning

By the final race, Selena had lost enough to draw significant attention. The betting area was abuzz with chatter about her, anyone who lost the sum she did would cause them great pain and distress, while she did not bat an eye. Just who was this pretentious rich lady?!

At the counter, Selena placed her final bet on Shadowstride, a horse that had performed inconsistently in the past but showed promise under the right conditions.

"Shadowstride?" the clerk asked, raising an eyebrow.

Selena nodded, her tone light. "He has such a mysterious name. I think he'll surprise everyone."

Behind her, a group of nobles burst into laughter.

"Surprise us by coming in last, maybe," one man jeered.

Selena turned, her expression perfectly innocent. "Oh, but that's the fun, isn't it? You never know what might happen!"

The nobles shook their heads, muttering about how she clearly didn't belong there.