Arden Wald's Questionnaire

I live in Lahaina, Hawaii, a place where the beauty of the ocean and the warmth of the community offer peace between my gambling pursuits. I’m not wealthy, but I don’t need much; just a simple one-bedroom apartment tucked away from the busier tourist areas. The walls are decorated with small personal mementos, and the furniture is basic but comfortable. Lahaina has a laid-back charm, which suits me. I can enjoy the quiet moments here, yet it’s easy to pack up and head out whenever the stakes rise somewhere else. My home is modest, but it’s a good base, a place to recharge before the next big gamble. Any other places though, I am willing to do so.

I make my money through gambling, mostly in the back room of a small Chinese restaurant. It’s an underground spot where the real players go, far from the glitz of casinos. The stakes are high, and the competition is ruthless, but that’s where I thrive. Luck and instinct are my tools, and sometimes a little charm doesn’t hurt either. What I win, I spend cautiously. Most of it goes to living expenses, rent, food, and the occasional repair on my old, reliable motorcycle. I don’t splurge much; I prefer to keep things simple, saving most of my money for the next big game.

I seeks a life of freedom and independence, untethered by the constraints of society or obligation. His ambition is to achieve financial stability through high-stakes gambling, where every game is a calculated risk, and every bet could shift his fortune. He's driven by the thrill of the unknown, the dance with chance, and the allure of the next big win.

To me, life is a gamble in itself, and I am willing to go as far as necessary to secure his success. I wouldn't shy away from killing if it meant protecting his hard-earned winnings or eliminating those who might cheat him. Risking my own life comes naturally; the closer he edges toward death, the sharper my focus becomes, seeing every narrow escape as proof of skill.

The most defining moment of my life happened when I was 22. I sat across from a man with dead eyes, in the back of a rundown Chinese restaurant. I had bet everything I had left on a single hand of cards, feeling the weight of my failures pressing down on me. When I won, the room went silent, and I felt this rush like I had beaten the odds not just on that table, but on life itself. It changed me. I stopped fearing loss. I learned to live on the edge and trust that I'd always find a way to win. That moment taught me the power of risk, and I’ve never looked back.

The closest person in my life, Nate’s a fellow gambler and my business partner, though we don’t call it that. He’s the kind of guy who can read a room as well as I can read a deck of cards. We’ve been running games together for years, keeping each other out of trouble and sharing the spoils. Nate's loyalty is something I trust completely, and in a world where trust is scarce, that makes him family. Valerie owns the Chinese restaurant where I gamble. She's more than just the proprietor of my favorite spot—she’s the one who gave me a chance when others wouldn’t. She’s sharp, tough, and always seems to know more than she lets on. Valerie is the gatekeeper to some of the highest-stakes games in the city, and if anyone controls the flow of information, it’s her. Marcus is an old rival. We’ve been circling each other in the gambling world for years. He’s more of a schemer than a straight player, always looking for an angle. We have a mutual respect, but I know if given the chance, he’d throw me under the bus to take a win. He keeps me on my toes and reminds me that not everyone can be trusted.

I grew up in a modest household. My parents, James and Clara Wald, were hardworking but simple people. My dad was a mechanic, and my mom ran a small tailor shop out of our house. They were good folks—practical, down-to-earth, and content with their routines. They didn’t understand my fascination with risk, though. My father believed in steady work, and my mother hoped I’d find something reliable, like a trade or a family business. But that life wasn’t for me. School? Yeah, I attended, but I didn’t fit in. While most kids were focused on grades or sports, I spent my time learning how to hustle. I’d get caught up in dice games behind the gym or find ways to make quick money, anything to get away from the dullness of schoolwork. I never saw the point of following the same path as everyone else. The system felt like a trap, and I was always looking for a way out.

Yeah, I’ve been in love. Her name was Mia. We met in the back rooms of a casino, naturally. She wasn’t like the others; she wasn’t there for the games. She had this quiet strength, working as a bartender but with a way of seeing through people, like she could read their intentions before they spoke. We were together for a few years. She grounded me, gave me a reason to step back from the constant hustle. But, like most things in my life, it didn’t last. My obsession with gambling grew, and she couldn’t handle the risks I kept taking. We drifted apart slowly, until one day she just left, no goodbye. Maybe she saw where I was headed before I did. I still think about her, but I know we were on different paths.