Maya slowly raised her head. The hesitation in her beautiful eyes had completely disappeared, replaced by unwavering determination. Looking straight at Malrik, she spoke clearly, every word echoing throughout the banquet hall.
"I’m not willing to marry Malrik."
Her voice wasn’t loud.
But it was incomparably firm.
For a moment...
The entire hall fell silent.
No one had expected Maya to reject the marriage alliance so openly.
Not here.
Not in front of both families.
Not in front of so many influential guests.
Maya took a slow breath.
For so long...
She had endured.
She had remained silent.
She had accepted every arrangement her father made.
But today...
She refused.
She refused to let her entire life become nothing more than a bargaining chip used to save a company.
She was a person~an independent woman, a living, breathing human being with dreams, emotions, and the right to decide her own future.
She acknowledged everything her father had sacrificed.
Alexander had built the company from nothing.
He had struggled for decades, enduring countless hardships to create the company it was today.
She respected him.
She admired him.
But...
Why did everyone automatically assume she couldn’t build something even greater with her own hands?
Why did everyone believe the only way to save the Family was to sell both the company...
And her future?
The Reid Family called it financial assistance.
But in Maya’s eyes...
It was nothing more than beautifully packaged robbery.
They wanted control of the company.
They wanted control of her life.
And she refused to hand over either.
Even if everything collapsed...
At least...
She would have the courage to stand proudly and rebuild everything herself.
That was far better than living the rest of her life trapped in a loveless marriage.
Then...
Her eyes unconsciously drifted toward Lucas.
Looking at the calm smile on his face...
The emotions she had been suppressing for so long finally became clear.
Only now did she fully understand.
Somewhere along the way...
She had already fallen in love with him.
She had fallen for the man who possessed incredible wealth and influence...
Yet never once flaunted it.
The man who quietly stayed in the background while solving impossible problems one after another.
The man who always appeared whenever she felt completely helpless.
The man who gave her hope every time she thought there was none left.
She remembered that night...
When they had shared the same bed.
Lucas had every opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
Yet...
He hadn’t crossed the slightest boundary.
He had respected her completely.
That simple act...
Had left a deeper impression on her than countless sweet words ever could.
He was handsome.
Capable.
Gentle when he needed to be.
Domineering when it mattered.
Standing beside Lucas...
Malrik suddenly seemed painfully ordinary.
Comparing the two...
Was like comparing the brilliant moon hanging high in the night sky...
To a lump of mud lying forgotten on the roadside.
Once someone had seen true brilliance...
How could they willingly settle for mediocrity?
Without realizing it...
Maya stepped closer to Lucas.
Almost instinctively...
She reached out and tightly grabbed the sleeve of his clothes.
The slight trembling of her fingers betrayed the emotions she was trying so hard to suppress.
Lucas immediately sensed her nervousness.
Without saying a word...
He gently turned his hand over and held hers.
His grip wasn’t forceful.
It was warm.
Steady.
It was as if he were silently telling her...
I’m here.
No matter what happens...
You won’t face it alone.
The warmth flowing from Lucas’s hand instantly calmed Maya’s racing heart.
Seeing the two standing there...
Hand in hand...
In front of everyone...
Malrik’s expression completely twisted.
The veins on his neck bulged violently.
His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
His eyes burned with humiliation and rage.
"Maya..."
His voice was almost squeezed out through gritted teeth.
"You’ve got some nerve."
His chest rose and fell violently before he let out a cold, threatening laugh.
"Fine."
"Since you’ve chosen him..."
"Then don’t blame me for what’s about to happen."
He looked directly at Alexander before speaking each word slowly.
"Just sit back..."
"And watch your Family..."
"...wither away and die."
After saying those words, Malrik didn’t waste another second.
He pulled out his phone right in front of everyone and dialed one of his executives.
The call connected almost instantly.
"Terminate everything."
"I don’t care what contracts have already been prepared."
"Cancel every investment related to the Laurent Family."
"Immediately."
"And inform the banks working with us..."
"The Reid Group will no longer provide any financial guarantee for Laurent Group."
Without waiting for a reply...
He ended the call.
Click.
The silence afterward was suffocating.
Alexander’s face instantly turned pale.
His legs almost gave way beneath him.
"...Maya..."
His lips trembled.
"You..."
He wanted to blame her.
He wanted to shout.
Yet no words came out.
Only a long, powerless sigh escaped his mouth.
Malrik folded his arms and sneered.
"Chairman Alexander..."
"Don’t look at me like that."
"This wasn’t my decision."
He glanced mockingly toward Maya.
"This was your daughter’s choice."
"You should blame her."
He slowly walked forward.
His smile became even colder.
"Right now..."
"Several banks are already demanding immediate repayment of your loans."
"They’ve only been holding back because the Reid Group promised to invest."
"But now..."
"That promise is gone."
He shrugged.
"Without our one-billion-dollar investment..."
"I’m afraid Laurent Group won’t even survive this month."
Those words struck Alexander like a hammer.
His body swayed slightly.
The surrounding guests couldn’t help whispering among themselves.
Everyone knew...
Laurent Group was finished.
At least...
That’s what they believed.
Only Lucas remained calm.
Still holding Maya’s soft hand with one hand...
He casually reached into his pocket with the other and took out his phone.
His fingers moved rapidly across the screen.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
After a few seconds...
He looked at Maya.
"Maya."
"Check your phone."
"You should receive a message in a moment."
Maya blinked.
Confused...
She slowly took out her phone.
Almost immediately~
Buzz.
A banking notification appeared.
She froze.
Her breathing stopped for a second.
This afternoon...
Lucas had already transferred fifty million dollars to her as her salary.
She still remembered the account number.
Especially...
The last few digits.
Now...
The exact same account had transferred money again.
Her fingers began trembling.
She slowly looked at the amount.
Then...
Her beautiful eyes widened uncontrollably.
She couldn’t even breathe.
Alexander noticed her reaction.
Curious...
He leaned over.
"What happened?"
Maya couldn’t answer.
She simply handed him the phone.
Alexander instinctively read the number aloud.
"One..."
"Ten..."
"Hundred..."
"Thousand..."
"Ten thousand..."
"Hundred thousand..."
"Million..."
"Ten million..."
"Hundred million..."
His voice gradually became louder.
Then suddenly~
"...One billion..."
His eyes widened.
"...Two..."
"...Two billion dollars?!"
His scream echoed throughout the banquet hall.
"What?!"
The surrounding guests instantly turned around.
Several businessmen couldn’t help stepping closer.
Even Durnik’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Two.
Billion.
Transferred...
In a single transaction.
Alexander’s entire body trembled violently.
In all his years doing business...
He had never witnessed anyone transfer such an outrageous amount of money so casually.
Maya stared blankly at Lucas.
Her voice trembled.
"Lucas..."
"You..."
"Why..."
"I told you..."
"I don’t want your money..."
Lucas smiled gently. Before she could continue, he slowly raised a finger and lightly placed it against her lips.
"Shh."
The gesture was unbelievably gentle.
Then...
He looked directly at Alexander.
His expression became serious.
"Chairman Alexander."
"For one billion dollars..."
"You’re willing to sacrifice your daughter’s entire future."
Lucas slowly shook his head.
"I can’t understand it."
He pointed toward Maya.
"This two billion..."
"I gave it to Maya."
"It’s hers."
"If she wants to save your company..."
"That’s her decision."
"If she wants to start her own company..."
"That’s her decision."
"If she wants to spend every last dollar tomorrow..."
"That’s still her decision."
"I won’t interfere."
His voice gradually became firmer.
"I only want every single person standing here..."
"To understand one thing."
He looked around the banquet hall.
Then back at Maya.
"In my eyes..."
"Her value..."
"Can never be measured by money."
"Not one billion."
"Not two billion."
"Not even twenty billion."
His voice echoed powerfully through the hall.
"You all treat her like a bargaining chip."
"A business asset."
"A political marriage."
"But..."
"Has anyone..."
"Ever asked what she wanted?"
The entire banquet hall fell silent.
Nobody dared interrupt him.
Lucas tightened his grip on Maya’s hand.
"Today..."
"I simply want all of you to know..."
"Maya..."
"Is someone worth cherishing."
"And from today onward..."
"As long as I’m here..."
"Nobody..."
"Gets to decide her future except herself."
His words were firm.
Decisive.
Impossible to question.
The banquet hall became completely silent.
No one expected...
Someone would publicly challenge the Malrik like this.
No one expected...
Someone would casually throw out two billion dollars...
Just to protect a woman.
Meanwhile...
Lucas was practically laughing inside.
Two billion dollars.
This rebate...
Was going to be absolutely ridiculous.
Right on cue~
[Ding!]
[Qualified Target Spending Confirmed.]
[Amount: $2,000,000,000]
[Calculating rebate...]
A split second later~
[Congratulations, Host!]
[Rebate Received: $200,000,000,000]
Lucas nearly burst into laughter.
Two hundred billion dollars.
Just like that.
He suddenly understood why truly wealthy people always looked so calm.
No matter how hard they spent...
Their money somehow only seemed to multiply.
Maybe...
The biggest problem rich people faced every morning...
Was figuring out new ways to spend even more money.
Beside him...
Maya silently tightened her grip around Lucas’s hand.
His words...
Had completely shattered the last wall around her heart.
Her own father...
Had nearly sold her future for one billion dollars.
Yet Lucas...
Without asking for anything in return...
Had placed two billion dollars directly into her account.
No conditions.
No contract.
No expectations.
Only trust.
For someone as intelligent as Lucas...
There was no way he didn’t understand what two billion dollars represented.
With his business ability...
That money could easily have created countless profitable investments.
Yet...
He gave it away without hesitation.
The meaning behind that decision...
Spoke louder than any confession ever could.
[Ding!]
[Maya Favorability +10]
[Ding!]
[Maya Favorability +10]
[Ding!]
[Maya Favorability +8]
[Current Favorability: 98]
Feeling Maya’s fingers tightly intertwined with his...
Lucas smiled inwardly.
Ninety-eight.
She had completely fallen for him.
Looks like...
His charm really was unstoppable.
Across from them...
Malrik stood frozen.
His face had turned ashen.
He had prepared countless scenarios before tonight.
But never...
Not even once...
Had he imagined someone would simply crush his billion-dollar threat...
With two billion dollars.
Lucas looked at him calmly and raised an eyebrow.
"Emm Malrik."
"This little misunderstanding..."
"Surely isn’t enough to cancel today’s banquet, right?"
He slowly looked around the hall.
"So many distinguished guests came all the way here."
"It would be quite embarrassing if the host suddenly ended everything."
Malrik glanced around.
Only then did he realize...
Nearly everyone was watching him.
No matter how furious he was...
He couldn’t afford to disgrace himself in public.
Fortunately...
Every invitation had been sent out as a business banquet.
The engagement announcement hadn’t been printed anywhere.
Grinding his teeth...
He forced out a cold laugh.
"...Hmph."
"We’ll see."
Then he turned around...
And walked away.