Kael's demand left Eldrin momentarily stunned.
Explain himself?
That would mean humiliating himself in front of everyone present!
The grandmother leaned closer to Eldrin, whispering, "A real man knows when to bend! Just appease Kael, and he'll release the funds!"
Weighing his options, Eldrin gritted his teeth. Pride wasn't worth a dime compared to securing Kael's money.
Fine. Let his face hit the dirt—it was only family here anyway. He'd endure the shame now and repay Kael later.
Eldrin forced a smile, lowered his head, and said, "Kael, I was wrong today! Please, forgive my mistake. You're far more gracious than I deserve…"
But Kael shook his head.
"Get to the point, Eldrin. You haven't fulfilled the bet," Celeste interjected briskly, her tone almost gleeful.
Eldrin's composure nearly shattered. His forced smile twisted into something pitiful.
"Fine! I admit it—I lost the bet and failed to leave Port Avallon. I sincerely apologize, Kael. Please, let's move on from this."
He even bent in a deep bow.
Lyria, sensing things were escalating, interjected, "Kael, enough is enough. Let's not push this too far. Will you still lend the money to Grandma?"
"No," Kael replied firmly.
His blunt response drained the color from the grandmother's face.
She forced a smile, hoping he'd reconsider. But before she could say more, Eldrin's phone buzzed. He answered, and moments later, his face turned ashen.
Fumbling with his device, he glared at Kael. "You… You set me up!"
A video had gone viral, meticulously edited to capture Eldrin's initial challenge, his groveling apology, and his mortified expression—all in high definition.
The clip was trending, its views skyrocketing.
The grandmother's face contorted with fury. "Kael, how could you do this? He already apologized! Why keep twisting the knife? You're heartless!"
But Kael's calm retort silenced her.
"Two billion. Take it or leave it. With me, the Denvair family will flourish; without me, it will crumble."
He pointed at Eldrin, whose repeated schemes against him and Lyria had sealed his fate.
"Five billion," Kael added, his tone icy. "This is your one and only chance."
The room fell silent. The grandmother's face shifted between pale and flushed as she grappled with the weight of Kael's words.
And in that moment, a decision was made.