Chapter 14 You Can't Win

• There was a brief silence in the banquet hall, and then it exploded.
• "What? It's Petra?"
• "This can't be! How could it possibly be Petra?"
• "If it's Petra, then doesn't that mean we've lost the bet with Liam?"
• "It's over. My money is gone."
• Everyone was stunned. Liam, that useless country bumpkin, actually turned the tables?
• Some even began to panic, especially those who had placed their bets.
• Even if they didn't bet something as extreme as their arms or legs, 100 million wasn't a small sum.
• "How could this happen?"
• Philip's face was dark with disbelief. "Tyra, take another look! You must be mistaken! The person who answered all three questions correctly should be Osbert!"
• Everyone secretly sighed in relief. No need to panic—there was still Philip.
• As long as he was involved, even if Petra answered correctly, it wouldn't count!
• "Philip, are you so sure because you gave Osbert the correct answers?"
• Tyra's voice was enchanting as always and carried a hint of mockery. "Osbert did answer all three questions. And coincidentally, his answers match the ones I intentionally left behind.
• "Unfortunately, you didn't know those answers were wrong."
• "What? It's the wrong answer?"
• Philip's expression changed a little, but then he grew furious. "Tyra, are you trying to set me up?"
• "Philip, your accusation is laughable," Tyra's voice was laced with more disdain. "How could I have set you up without you bribing my team to steal the answers? And over the past four years, you've tried numerous times to seize my assets. Did you think I wouldn't find out?"
• Philip's face turned ashen.
• He never expected Tyra, who had only been awake for one day, to already know everything.
• "Tyra, this is a family matter. Let's discuss it privately," Philip's voice softened. "But today, you can choose anyone to partner with—except Petra!
• "Also, I don't believe Petra could have answered all three questions correctly. I demand we reveal the answers publicly so everyone can witness the truth!"
• "No problem." Tyra turned to Crystal. "Crystal, go ahead."
• Crystal nodded and pulled an envelope from her pocket.
• She declared, "Before we came, Tyra handed me this envelope, and I haven't opened it."
• Crystal tore it open and declared, "I swear on the reputation of the Hamptons that Tyra did not reveal the answers to anyone."
• Everyone in River City's high society knew that this beautiful doctor had a distinguished background.
• The Mallins, the Hamptons, and the Snees were among the three noble families of River City.
• Crystal was from the Hamptons.
• "The answer to the first question is Stormbloom.
• "The answer to the second question is Abyssal Waters.
• "The answer to the third question is that Thunderheart Pill doesn't exist."
• After reading out the answers, even Crystal was a bit stunned. How could anyone answer this?
• Unconsciously, she glanced at Petra. How did she manage to get this right?
• Petra, too, was staring at Liam. She was bewildered.
• How did he know the answers?
• "Tyra, there's no way Petra could have answered these!"
• Philip was fuming.
• But the next moment, Tyra held up Petra's answer sheet and said, "See for yourselves."
• "This ... this is impossible."
• Philip rushed over, disbelief etched all over his face.
• Petra's answers were almost identical to the correct ones.
• The first two answers matched exactly, while Petra had written the third question, "There is no Thunderheart Pill; it cannot be made."
• The meaning was the same. It was clearly correct.
• "Philip, do you have anything left to say?"
• With a gentle smile, Tyra declared, "If you have nothing to say, then I officially declare my chosen partner—Petra from the Snowdens!"
• "Thank you, Ms. Mallin!"
• Petra spun around and threw herself at Liam. "We did it, Liam! We actually won!"
• Petra was incredible thrilled, but Liam remained calm, having known the outcome from the start.
• Meanwhile, the others were ashen-faced, especially Osbert, Lizzie, Alex, and Sydney, whose expressions grew darker by the second.
• "You can't win, Petra!"
• Philip's voice roared across the room.
• In a flash, he grabbed Petra's answer sheet and tore it into pieces!
• "I now declare that Petra never answered the questions!"
• "Philip, who gave you the right to declare anything on my behalf?"
• Tyra's voice was cold, her presence suddenly overwhelming.
• "Tyra, I just want you to understand the consequences of choosing Petra!"
• Philip's face was grim as he declared, "We all have a bet with Liam. If you choose Petra, then Osbert will break his legs, Lizzie will have her face ruined, Alex will lose his hands, and Sydney and the others will owe that guy 100 million in cash!"
• "Philip, you forgot one thing: I'm going to castrate you," Liam added nonchalantly.
• Philip shot Liam a murderous look before turning back to Tyra. He pleaded, "Tyra, let me make this clear—if you insist on choosing Petra, you'll be making an enemy of not just me, but all of River City's elite families!
• "You've only just woken up from your coma. Are you sure you want to face such consequences?"