Chapter 533

Daniela laughed lightly. "I didn't expect you'd all agree on this. Bruno it is."

Bruno was the second most powerful figure in the commerce association.

Raised in poverty, he relied on borrowed money to complete his education. When the internet boom hit,he was among the first to seize the opportunity,securing his initial fortune.

He later married into an influential family in the tech industry, using his father-in-law's connections to ascend the social ranks quickly.

Before his father-in-law's passing, the old man entrusted the internet company to his daughter-Bruno's wife. But within a few years, Bruno manipulated events, stripping his wife of control and claiming the company for himself.

The moment he solidified his position, he discarded his wife without hesitation.

Back then, Bruno had masterminded a horrifying event-having a group of men raping his wife,leaving her emotionally shattered.

The very next day, she had taken her own life, leaving behind one chilling statement-Bruno would pay for his actions.

Years went by,yet Bruno continued to rise, backed by Hackett's support.

Bruno once smugly declared on camera, "Justice? It doesn't exist. It's just another luxury for the wealthy."

Having clawed his way up from nothing, Bruno had no qualms about resorting to dishonorable tactics. He valued money more than anyone else in the room.

So,when Cedric demanded a hundred billion,Bruno was the first to crack.

The eight remained seated in the cafe.

Bruno slammed his fist on the table. "Are you all just going to sit there while Cedric walks all over us? I'm telling you, a hundred billion dollars would ruin me!Forget it-I'm not handing over another cent!"

Hackett sighed,his brows furrowing. "Bruno, you're as impulsive asever. We haven't even decided if we'll pay."

Fuming, Bruno planted his hands on his hips. "We have to get rid of Cedric. I've had enough of his arrogance.No one has dared challenge me like this in years. It's infuriating."

Bruno grabbed his glass and downed the water in one go.

Winslow, leaning back, spoke with quiet composure."If you ask me, just pay and move on. Whether we like it or not, Daniela is recognized as the world's richest person. A hundred billion is a steep price, but with new members constantly joining the association, we'll make it back in time."

Winslow wasn't like the others. He had crossed paths with Elite Lux before. He didn't know them personally,but he recognized that Daniela wasn't just there as Cedric's plus-one.

"Winslow, if you're just going to bow down, then keep quiet!" Bruno spat.

Winslow might've been ranked lowest among them,but he was the most calculated. When he spoke,there was usually a reason.

Hackett shot Winslow a hesitant look, reluctant to part with such a large sum. "Why don't we hold off a little longer?"

Winslow gave a casual shrug before standing up. "I won't argue. If we're paying, just give me a heads-up so I can plan accordingly. But if you're thinking of going against Daniela or Cedric, don't count me in. I've got family obligations, so I'm out."

With that, he walked away.

Bruno scowled at Winslow's retreating figure, seething."Spineless coward! It's just Daniela! What's there to fear? Look at him scurrying away like he's being hunted! Afraid of a woman? Pathetic!"

Hackett ran a frustrated hand through his hair."Enough about Daniela-she's irrelevant. Cedric is the real problem here."

The others murmured in agreement and launched into quiet deliberation.

Bruno headed back to his newly acquired villa.

By his side was his latest conquest-a second-rate celebrity barely clinging to fame.

She exuded a captivating, seductive energy.

Just as Bruno was about to indulge, his phone buzzed.

Irritated, he picked up. "This better be important!"

His secretary's frantic voice crackled through the line."Mr. Deleon! We've had several major order cancellations tonight! You might need to come immediately!"

Holding the woman close, Bruno scoffed, "So what? The company's thriving, and our new game is about to drop. A few cancellations aren't the end of the world.Stop overreacting."

And with that, he ended the call.

Bruno's secretary stared in horror at the crashing player count for the new game, his anxiety mounting with each passing second.

He didn't dare call again, opting instead to flood Bruno's inbox with updates.

Bruno,too preoccupied,ignored his phone the entire night.

The sleepless secretary watched the game's numbers nosedive, a sinking sense of doom settlingin.

Five billion dollars had been poured into this game.

It was supposed to be their gateway into the international market.

But with such dismal engagement, they'd have to give it away for free just to get players.

The next morning, Bruno finally showed up at the office.

A crowd had formed outside his office door.

The tech,marketing, and PR teams were all clustered anxiously outside.

"What the hell is this?" Bruno eyed his secretary's exhausted face and sneered. "You look like the world's ending. What's with the long face?"

Trembling, the secretary lifted his gaze to meet Bruno's.