Chapter 231: A Rotten Choice
As soon as Vivian left the room, Max felt his blood boiling. Rage, disbelief, and frustration twisted together into something hot and uncontrollable. There were too many emotions to unpack, all surging through him at once.
Strangely, Chad remained quiet. Completely silent. Not a single word from the usually smug and smooth-talking cousin.
One hundred and three million dollars? Max’s thoughts screamed. This idiot started with a billion, just like me, and now he’s over a hundred million in debt? What the hell did he even do?
No matter how much Max hated Chad, for the way he’d always looked down on him, for being behind Dipter and the bullying, and ultimately being part of the reason Sam had taken his own life, there was still a small part of him, deep down, that considered paying the debt.
𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
If it had just been a few million, Max reasoned, I could’ve taken the hit. Just to keep the Black Hounds off my back, especially with everything else already going on.
But this wasn’t a few million.
It was a hundred million. That kind of payment would take a serious toll on his vow. It wouldn’t just weaken him, it would leave him vulnerable. He’d be risking everything, including his ability to stand against the Chalkline Boys or the Rejected Corps if something broke out.
"Well, what can we do?" Chad finally spoke, breaking the tense silence. "The situation is what it is. We’re just going to have to give them the money."
Max turned sharply, his voice rising with pure fury.
"What the f did you just say?" he snapped. "We’re going to give them the money? Why are you acting like it’s yours?!"
He jumped to his feet, putting distance between himself and Chad. His fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms. He wanted to hit him, badly. To punch him square in the face for everything. For Sam. For the pain. For dragging him into this.
But Max stopped himself. He knew that if he started, he might not stop. He might hit Chad so hard he wouldn’t get back up. And that wouldn’t help anything.