Chapter 101
101:
Brenna looked at him in silence, a cold look on her face. When she saw his hesitation, she snorted and said, “You don’t want to give up the status and luxury that come with being a Harper, huh?”
Rosie, unaware of the full details of the agreement, instantly sensed something was wrong from Ernst’s reaction. She grabbed a copy from his hand, scanning the terms. The moment she reached the section concerning herself, her voice rang out in protest, sharp with outrage. “Why should I lose my shares and be cut off from my allowance if I lose the bet?”
If this agreement were enforced and she lost the bet, she would have no further claim to the Harper family’s wealth. Every privilege she had enjoyed would be stripped away.
Her future would rest entirely on her own abilities.
That was unacceptable!
“Grandpa, Grandma!” She hurriedly handed the document to Luther. “Look at this! Uncle Shepard and Aunt Giselle are being completely unreasonable. What right do they have to take everything from me?” She couldn’t accept it—losing everything she had was out of the question.
Luther read the agreement carefully. After a while, he spoke, his tone firm. “This agreement is fair. This is exactly how it should be. You were quick to argue that Brenna is an adult and doesn’t need financial support from the family. But you are an adult, too, aren’t you? Plus, you’ve been working for two years. You shouldn’t need financial support from the family, either. This is final. Regardless of how this wager plays out, all allowances for adults in this family will be discontinued.”
Turning to Ernst, he said icily, “Sign it.”
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Ernst hesitated briefly but ultimately pressed the pen to paper, signing all three copies with such force that the paper nearly tore.
Despite her unwillingness, Rosie had no choice but to sign as well.
Later that evening, Brenna returned to her room. After taking a shower, she settled at her desk, turning on her computer to continue working on a design. There was still an issue with the cargo ship’s advanced power system; it needed refining.
As she concentrated on her work, a knock sounded at the door. Without turning to look, she called out, “Come in.”
Assuming it was a servant delivering a late-night snack, she added absentmindedly, “No need to bring me snacks anymore. I’m not exactly a huge fan of them.”
A scoff broke the silence, followed by Rosie’s mocking voice. “Already diving into your design? How ambitious. But it’s pointless. I’ve seen what you designed for the Barrett family before—it was awful. The Harper Group’s design competition attracts top-tier professionals from all over the world. Do you seriously think you can win first place? You’ll be lucky to even get an honorable mention.”
Earlier, she had fretted over the possibility of Brenna actually winning, but Ernst had reassured her. And now, standing here, she realized her concerns were ridiculous. Brenna simply lacked the talent. Even though she had signed the agreement, it didn’t matter.
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