The atmosphere in the grand living room of the Lynn Family estate had shifted from jubilant relief to a suffocating, awkward silence. The air was thick enough to choke on. Just moments ago, they were celebrating their miraculous salvation from bankruptcy, their greed sated by the twenty million dollars in cash sitting in silver suitcases on the coffee table. But now, Conrad Stone had dropped a conversational grenade that sucked the oxygen right out of the room.
The bet.
It was the elephant in the room that everyone had desperately hoped would remain invisible. A week ago, in a fit of arrogant certainty, Caroline Lynn had wagered her dignity against Conrad’s success. She had sneered, mocking him, claiming that if he managed to save the family, she would serve him tea on her knees and act
