Chapter 9
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Bryant’s POV
“Well, copying takes time,” I said. “Do you really think if we launch the product now, she’ll have time to flood the market before the bet ends?”
Mary’s eyes lit up, but then dimmed again just as quickly.
“But Mr. Blanton, to make this work, our tech has to shake the entire industry in a short amount of time,” she reminded.
I gave a small smile. “Who says it can’t?”
Two days before the bet’s deadline, we launched a groundbreaking tech product that took the entire industry by storm overnight. Just like that, Blanton Corporation’s name exploded.
Even the related concept stocks skyrocketed by the next morning.
Ellen was completely blindsided.
She’d been doing everything she could to steal from my company, but she’d never even heard of this technology.
Of course, she hadn’t. This was a secret project I’d developed with just two trusted team members. No one else in the company knew about it.
The profits we made in just two days completely erased the gap between us from the past
year.
But I wasn’t finished.
I also exposed Ellen’s fraudulent financial reports, and her company’s stock plummeted overnight, widening the gap even further.
The bet became binding.
We sat across the negotiation table once more.
Ellen looked pale and haggard, nothing like the smug woman from our last meeting.
“To avoid marrying me, you really went all out, didn’t you?” She gave a bitter, sarcastic smile.
I motioned to the legal team beside me.
“Everything’s notarized. Let’s finalize the bet. Did you bring the transfer agreements?”
Her hand trembled as she pulled out the contract.
Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang.
Mr. and Mrs. Olson stormed in, faces tear-streaked, and clung to me.
“Bryant! We watched you grow up! How could you be this heartless? Have you forgotten that we took you in when you didn’t even fill out a college application?”
The same parents who once bowed and scraped now acted high and mighty.
My own parents, who had always been submissive before, now spoke up firmly. “Mr. and Mrs. Olson, you took in our son because you saw his value. It was just business.
12:24 Sun, 13 Jul NO M
35%
Everything was written clearly in black and white. A bet’s a bet. If you lose, you honor the deal. Otherwise, we’ll settle this in court.”
Mr. and Mrs. Olson glared hatefully at my parents through their tears, then turned to me, their tone suddenly humble.
“Bryant… You can have Ellen’s new company, fine. But those original Olson family shares, those are our retirement funds. The two families used to have a partnership. Can’t you show some mercy?”
Ellen also turned to look at me.
But I replied coldly, “Here are your choices. Option one, I buy your shares at a reduced price. Consider it enough to cover your funeral costs. Option two, we take this to court. And with Olson Corporation’s stock still falling, by the time the court forces a sale, the payout will be even lower.”
At that, Mrs. Olson collapsed to the floor, sobbing.
I shot her a cold glance. “You’ve got three minutes to decide. After that, we go to court.”
Her sobs grew louder.
I looked down at her and said, “Crying still counts as time.”
Only then did she choke on her sobs and go silent.
In the end, Ellen, utterly humiliated, handed over both the transfer contract and the share sale agreement.
As such, I had won completely.
My parents rushed over, grinning from ear to ear, and hugged me tight.
“You’re amazing, son! We knew raising you would pay off!”
I exchanged a glance with Mary. She stepped forward and handed them a document.
They opened it happily, only for their smiles to freeze on their faces.
“A… severance agreement? Bryant, what is this?!”
“I told you,” I said calmly. “I’d repay everything you spent raising me, principal and interest included.”
I held up my bank card and continued, “This should cover it.”
“Bryant!” They panicked. “We’re your parents! Your flesh and blood! How can you just walk away now that you’re successful?!”
12:25 Sun, 13 Ju
