Chapter 183: Start With A Bang
When the head of the Billion Group finally showed up, late, of course, most of the students had already started whispering among themselves.
Some thought he might’ve bailed. Maybe the pressure had gotten to him, and he’d staged this whole thing just for attention, only to vanish when it really mattered. But the moment Max stepped onto the court, those rumors dissolved.
The way he walked, deliberate, head high, and the confidence radiating off him made it obvious. This wasn’t someone scared of a fight. Max was calm, composed, and ready. He hadn’t come here to run. He had come here to make a statement.
Even before the rest of his group reached the basketball court, which was surrounded by a tall, metal cage, Max was already moving. He walked straight up to the door and pushed it open without hesitation, stepping inside alone.
"Stay back," Max said over his shoulder, his voice steady.
Once he reached the center of the court, he paused, slipping a hand into the inside of his sleek jacket. From it, he pulled out an envelope and held it high in the air for everyone around to see. The envelope caught the attention of every pair of eyes watching from behind the fence.
On the other side, the members of Clapton High shifted on their feet, some of them clearly tempted to rush in.
But Rick raised a hand, stopping them. "Stay back," he said firmly. "Not in front of everyone. We’re not doing it like that. Let him say what he’s here to say."
Seeing Max step in alone had been tempting, a clear shot to catch him off guard before the others joined. They could’ve ambushed him, overwhelmed him fast. But Rick didn’t roll like that. No matter what anyone thought of him, he had his own sense of fairness.
"I’m sure you’ve all heard about the little wager placed on today’s event!" Max called out, turning in a slow circle so everyone could hear him. "Inside this envelope is the PIN number to the card that was handed over to Rick earlier."
Then, without breaking stride, Max began walking toward the north side of the court, toward Print and Erik, who stood just outside the boundary line.