"Oh my god! 1.5 billion dollars? Who can just transfer that much cash on the spot?"
Everyone at the dinner gasped in shock.
Rowan wiped the cold sweat off his forehead.
He answered a call, said a few words, then switched on the speaker.
The voice Thea recognized came through clearly. "Mr. Falkner says he won't let Ms. Clara lose. The Falkner family will cover all of her stakes today."
Every word hit everyone like a hammer.
"The Falkner family? You mean that Falkner family?"
"Who else could pull out 1.5 billion dollars? Mr. Falkner isn't like Thea's fiance. He's a true big shot!"
"Thea, you'd better give up. The Falkners don't just have money. They hold grudges. If you cross them, life will get rough."
Thea's ears buzzed as she stared at Leonard.
He just smiled like it didn't concern him while watching with genuine amusement as Clara's tears dissolved into a smile.
He was staring at her as if she were a piece of prey.
Thea felt the whole thing was ridiculous.
She put down the title deeds of her two courtyard houses. "I'm in. 1.6 billion dollars."
Within five minutes, another 200 million dollars was transferred into Clara's account.
The Falkner family could have crushed Thea immediately, but they seemed to enjoy tormenting her with just a slight edge.
Thea finally broke.
Her voice was hoarse as she demanded, "Is Mr. Falkner not going to give me a way out today?"
Leonard seemed to come to his senses only then, realizing he was Thea's fiance.
He wrapped his arm around Thea's shoulders with an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Thea. I'm just an ordinary guy. I don't have the means to provide your stake. Since this whole mess started because of me, I'll talk to Clara and cancel the bet."
Thea trembled with rage.
He didn't have the means?
The man in front of her was responsible for how things turned out.
Whether as her fiance or the enigmatic Mr. Falkner, Leonard seemed determined to trample her pride underfoot.
Thea struggled to stand. "I'm not giving up. It's just a stake. I'll keep raising if I have to."
Frowning, Leonard grabbed her arm. "Thea, don't act on impulse. No point risking everything just for some pride."
Thea shut her eyes tight.
Actually, the Larkin family's wedding gift of money was already in her hands.
If she gave it all up, even Leonard couldn't stop her. But that would reveal she was taking Clara's place to marry into the Larkin family.
Still, no matter what, she couldn't lose this bet.
Before she could say more, Penelope spoke up. Her gaze was complicated as she reprimanded Clara, "Enough, Clara. Don't be ridiculous. Leonard's right. It's not fair to Thea if I just hand you the bracelet. I'll keep it for now.
"Since the wager is no longer valid, this entire bet is void. I'll treat this as nothing more than a joke between sisters. Take back your stakes."
Leonard raised an eyebrow.
Thea caught a hint of regret in his eyes. She shook off his hand and dug her nails into her palm.
Along with the humiliation came deep regret. She never should have agreed to bind with the system.
Letting Leonard die in that alley would have been better for all of them.
After dinner, Thea refused Leonard's company and walked home alone. She didn't want to face anyone's pity or mocking looks.
At the riverside, the system spoke up. "Thea, Leonard and Clara are on the other side."
"Oh, yeah? What are they saying?"
The system kindly helped listen in.
Leonard quietly asked Clara, "Do you regret breaking up with me back then?"
"What difference does it make whether I regret it or not?" Clara's voice was cold and harsh.
"You're about to marry Thea, and I'm to be wed to a dying man from the Larkin family. We have no future left."
Leonard's voice took on a coaxing tone. "If you admit you were wrong, I can fix both things."
Clara sneered. "You're just an ordinary guy. As if your words matter. You really think you're Mr. Falkner? If it weren't for him tonight, I'd have made a huge fool of myself. Leonard, you caused all this. I hate you."
Thea fell silent.
Leonard had fixed the problem, but didn't tell Clara. He even played the devoted lover to the very sister she loathed most right in front of her.
All of it was to make Clara give in and get her to apologize.
Thea was just the sacrificial pawn in Leonard and Clara's game.
Suddenly, she didn't want Leonard to reveal the truth. She grabbed her phone and dialed a number. "Leonard, I want the chowder you make. Where are you?"
