The Ibarra Legacy: Raising the Stakes

Raising the Stakes by Elise Estrella The Ibarra Legacy: Raising the Stakes
Written: 2009
Released: 2009

“Alam mo, gusto ko lang ikasal. Gusto ko ’yung wedding gown, ’yung flowers saka ’yung guwapong groom. Pero ayoko n’ung what comes after. Madali ang ikasal, pero mahirap ang mag-asawa.”

Matagal na tahimik si Benedict bago nagsalita, “Will you marry me?” Napakurap siya. “Sabi mo, you want a wedding but not a marriage. I can give you that. We’re here in Vegas. We can have a fake wedding,” paglilinaw nito. “See? The wedding without the marriage. Para ma-experience mong magpakasal.”

Katuwaan lang nila iyon, dala lang ng alcohol na nainom. Akalain ba naman nina Benedict at Sabrina na legal at binding pala ang kasalan nila?

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Trivia:

The Ibarra Legacy series originally ended with Anton’s story which is why his epilogue did not include Benedict.

Benedict’s original name was “Bennet”. He was based on Robert “Mac” Blade from Nora Roberts’ The Winning Hand and Andy Garcia’s character, Terry Benedict, in Ocean’s Eleven.

Research materials for this novella include: Lonely Planet Las Vegas, The Unofficial Guide: Las Vegas 2006, Frommer’s Las Vegas, and Las Vegas Weddings.

I downloaded a casino application from the iTunes store for my iPod to be able to write about Blackjack because I don’t know any card game.

There was an error in the book that I overlooked, when Sab was playing Blackjack. Anne said Sab got a Blackjack when she drew an ace of diamonds. To get a Blackjack, the player has to get a total of twenty-one, meaning a face card and an ace, on the first draw, rather than with a third card.

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2 Responses to “The Ibarra Legacy: Raising the Stakes”

CrystalJade says:

December 8, 2009 at 8:19 pm

I’m currently reading this, and I love it! The book makes me feel like I’m really in Las Vegas with an Elvis Presley look-alike crooning Can’t Help Falling in Love With You behind me. LOL. Great job.
Elise Estrella says:

December 9, 2009 at 11:14 am

Awww. Thank you! Kinilig ako sa comment mo LOL I loved writing this story because I loved researching Las Vegas. Siempre love ko si Benedict because he’s mine Thanks CrystalJade!