Chapter 908 Reversal
Counter-offers were frowned upon, almost taboo. Once a contract was accepted, backing out wasn’t just a matter of pride; it carried consequences. While assassins technically could drop a mission, doing so would leave a permanent mark on their record, tarnishing their reputation and casting doubt on their reliability.
For professionals in this line of work, reputation was everything. That’s why most would rather die trying to complete a mission than abandon it and risk being branded untrustworthy.
As the weight of Hera’s offer sank in, the assassins found themselves wavering. The thought of jeopardizing future missions warred with the undeniable allure of a fortune. They were stuck, caught between greed and the code they lived by. Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, the leader stepped forward and tested the waters, his voice laced with mockery and menace.
"So what if we were paid a hundred million to kill you?" he said casually, trying to rattle Hera and reassert control, though a flicker of hesitation betrayed him.
But Hera didn’t even blink. "A billion dollars, then. Deal," she said calmly, as if she were negotiating a business merger and not her own life.
The leader visibly faltered, momentarily caught off guard. A billion wasn’t just tempting, it was staggering. Even Alexandre turned to look at her, a flicker of conflicting emotions passing through his eyes. No matter how wealthy Hera’s background might be, no one threw around a billion dollars lightly. At this point, it didn’t feel like an assassination attempt anymore; it felt like Hera had deliberately turned it into a ransom negotiation.
And if that was the price to keep her alive, Alexandre was already prepared to pay it. Unbeknownst to him, Xavier was thinking the same thing.
Hera, meanwhile, calculated quickly. Whoever ordered her assassination likely assumed she was just an ordinary civilian, powerless and vulnerable. The only reason they might’ve offered a large sum was out of fear that the Arnault family would insert themselves in the equation. But even then, she doubted they would offer more than a hundred million.
Assassins, no matter how ruthless, were professionals. They wouldn’t spike the price mid-negotiation just to bleed her dry. This was business, and Hera could see it in their eyes. Despite their feigned indifference, her offer had landed. Hard.
With an offer that large, even with over a dozen of them, each assassin could walk away with at least fifty million or more, and if the leader took the lion’s share, then others could get less. But opportunities like this didn’t come often. Assassination jobs that paid this much were usually reserved for high-profile targets like world leaders. And yet, here they were, likely thinking they were hired to eliminate an ordinary woman.