Ragnar roared, his voice shaking with fury.
“Damn it, Alex! You screwed me over with that V?XEN Seraphine—using
camouge to make it look like a first-generation model! That''s cheating. This round is void!"
Alex Saint-ire didn''t flinch. He only smirked. "Really? You want to crawl back on your own words now?"
He tapped his bracelet, linking it to the stadium''s massive screen. The contract appeared in sharp detail for everyone to read.
"This man-Ragnar Eisenwall, heir of Duke Eisenwall-says he doesn''t want to pay his bet," Alex announced, projecting his voice across the arena. “People of Winchester, what do you think?"
The reaction was instant. Jeers erupted from every corner of the stadium, rolling like thunder.
Some people in the crowd-desperate to protect their bets on Ragnar—shouted for the race to be voided so they could get their money back. But their voices were instantly swallowed by the roaring stadium.
Most of the audience agreed: the document was valid. Ragnar had asked for the
race.
Ragnar had lost. Ragnar had to pay.
"One needs courage to win and courage to lose!" someone shouted.
"You dare to y but don''t dare to lose? What are you—a child who only epts victory and screams ''void'' when you fail?"
“I didn''t know Duke Eisenwall raised such an ungentlemanly son!”
"Shameless!"
Each insult mmed into Ragnar like a stone. He knew the Eisenwall family reputation was taking a hit—tens of thousands of eyes were watching him crumble.
But epting loss meant losing his car, arm and his heart. That was a price he would never pay. Not for anyone.
"No—I''m not backing down!" Ragnar snapped, voice cracking slightly.
"This is about principle! I refuse to be cheated. If you didn''t cheat, I''d pay you-hell,
I''d give you my head, not just my arms. Ask anyone who knows me!"
He puffed up his chest, trying to look righteous, trying to look like the victim.
"You cheated!" he barked. "I''m not going to be the idiot who lets himself yed!"
The stadium exploded into louder jeers, a tidal wave of contempt.
Everyone could see it clearly now-
Ragnar Eisenwall, the mighty duke''s son, was nothing more than a sore loser who didn''t have the spine to honor the bet he demanded.
Renata shot Ragnar a look full of contempt. "Ragnar, you''re breaking your promise. You disgusting, spineless idiot."
Countess Marlena stepped forward.
“Ragnar Eisenwell," she said, each syble sharp and unforgiving, "you are a damn coward. Everyone here heard you you begged for this race, you demanded the bet be made official, and you signed the document with your own hand. Eden Group is the official registrar for this match. Do you think we''ll stay silent while you disgrace the entire system?"
She moved closer, her gaze burning straight through him.
"I will ster your face across every newspaper and every holo-screen in the country. ''The Duke of Eisenwall''s Son-The Biggest Coward of the Year.'' Imagine that headline. Imagine the impact on your family''s oh-so-precious reputation." She didn''t blink.
“Or should I file a formal report with the jurisdiction? Do you think the government will let you run after you signed your name in ink?"
Ragnar''s face turned pale. The CEO of Eden Group looked ready to turn a spark into a wildfire-and burn him with it.
"Well, I suggest you go ahead and do it,” Renata said, smiling with pure satisfaction at Ragnar''s misfortune. "Let the whole Prussian Empire finally see the truth behind all those grand Eisenwall advertisements-strength, honor, responsibility. What a joke. Turns out the great Duke''s son is just a coward who can''t stand by a single damn word he says."
A few ssmates who''d always despised Ragnar stepped forward, their voices dripping with venom, eager to sink their teeth deeper into his humiliation. “Well, now we finally see his true face!"
"He''s nothing but a double-standard dog. If Alex had lost, Ragnar would''ve skinned him alive. But now that he''s the loser, he''s whining like a child."
"Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic."
"He talked big, bet big, and lost big."
Ragnar''s face shifted between green and red, twisted with humiliation.
Truth was, he had bought this V?XEN 6-series barely a month ago.
He''d paid over four million dors for the damn car-and the bet demanded his arm and his heart. No way he would hand all of that over to someone he considered beneath him.
"You cheated," Ragnar snapped. "I''ll see you in court."
"Perfect," Countess Marlena replied with a slow, amused smile.
"Then we''ll see your family name dragged all over social media and every newspaper. You''ll be the joke of the year. And your father, who has spent decades defending his dignity, will watch you tear it apart in one afternoon. His enemies will feast on this."
"I don''t care," Ragnar muttered stubbornly.
But then his bracelet chimed-loud, sharp, urgent.
He nced at the caller ID and froze. Cold sweat slid down his spine.
He tapped the bracelet. "Father."
The Duke''s voice boomed through the line, furious and controlled.
"What you''re doing is being watched by the entire country. People are already discussing the Eisenwall dignity you''re dragging through the mud. Whatever you bet -you will give. Uphold the family name."
“But Father.....” Ragnar''s voice faltered. He had always feared this man more than anyone. "My arm... my heart..."
"Even if it costs your life," the Duke snapped, every word cold as forged steel, "you will not stain the Eisenwall name. You give them what you bet—or I''ll take it from you with my own hand."
Ragnar''s stomach twisted hard. His father wasn''t just a patriot-he was a general, a man who lived and breathed honor. If Ragnar refused to pay the bet, the Eisenwall reputations their dominance their influence-would be shredded under the national spotlight.
And worse... his father would kill him without hesitation.
He had ten brothers waiting like vultures to take his position. If he defied the Duke,
he wouldn''t just lose the bet-he''d lose his status, his future, and his life.
He would be the real loser.
"Fine," Ragnar finally choked out. "The V?XEN 6 is yours."
"Good. You are truly an Eisenwall," Alex said calmly. "Now... what about your arm
and your heart?"
"I''ll pay with money," Ragnar snapped.
"Great. So you did read the contract well." Alex nodded. "For the arm, I''ll take half a million. For the heart, one million."
“Bullshit!” Ragnar exploded. "On the real market, an arm costs ten thousand dors, and a healthy heart is fifty thousand! Don''t treat me like an idiot!"
Alex''s smirk sharpened. “Wonderful. Since you know the prices so damn well, why not hand over your arm and buy yourself a new one afterward? Prussia''s healthcare will reattach it for free. Think of it as a smart financial move-you''ll save a fortune." "You—!” Ragnar roared, trembling with rage. "How dare you talk to me like that!" "Dare what?" Alex asked, unbothered. "I''m following the rules. ording to the contract, I get to choose whether your payment is epted in money. If I refuse your offer, you give me the real thing. Arm and heart."
Ragnar''s face flushed crimson. “One hundred thousand for the arm. Half a million for the heart. That''s my final offer."
"Well," Alex said, "I''m asking one
million for your arm and two million for your heart. Plenty of people would buy them-especially your father''s enemies. Imagine their heidsomsbeled with: The Arma and Heart of Ragnar Eisenwall.'' They''d pay very, very well?"
"How dare you raise the price!?" Ragnar shouted, voice cracking with humiliation.
"The price of your arm is now two million," Alex replied, smiling. “And your heart? Four million."
"Two million for an arm?! That''s extortion!"
Alex smiled, unbothered. “Extortion? Ragnar, please. I''m giving you a friend discount."
Ragnar blinked, confused. "A... discount?!"
"Of course." Alex''s tone was amused, almost yful. "If you weren''t an Eisenwall, I''d charge triple. Your rich enemies would kill for the chance to own a piece of you.”
Ragnar scoffed. "Enemies? I don''t have enemies!"
Alex let out a short, sharpugh. "Are you sure? Because from where I''m standing, you''re working really hard to grow the list."