?<strong>Chapter 440:</strong>


    ?? ?? ?? ?? ??


    Her firm but yful refusal left Colton and Mny visibly stunned.


    Only Keanu remained unfazed. He knew better than anyone that Allison never cared about money or material wealth.


    Knowing Allison’s stubborn nature, he relented. “Forget two fish, I’ll catch ten for you if that’s what you want!” Then, turning to face the room, Keanu made his stance clear. “Even if you don’t want the shares, Allison, they will always be yours. I will always have your back, and I’ll always keep you safe.”


    Everyone understood, at that moment, that Keanu was fully backing Allison.


    Meanwhile, Louis, standing off in the corner, was trying to slip away quietly.


    He figured leaving in shame was better than kneeling and admitting defeat in front of the whole crowd.


    But just as he feared, the worst was about to happen.


    “Mr. Sugden, are you leaving already?”


    Allison’s voice,ced with amusement, interrupted Louis from behind.


    “Isn’t it time you kept your promise?”


    Louis froze, turning to face Allison’s knowing smile. Her tone was light, but the weight of her question pinned him down, leaving him with no way out.


    In a panic, Louis darted his eyes toward Colton, pleading for help. “Mr. Stevens…”


    But Colton only furrowed his brow, offering no support. Now that Keanu had firmly aligned himself with Allison, no one seemed willing to intervene.


    Colton’s expression grewplicated as he gazed at her, reflecting on how, for the past three years, he’d seen her as shallow and opportunistic.


    However, it was bing clear that his assumptions had been misguided.


    Sensing the rising tension, Mny tried to speak for Louis. “Let’s not make things ufortable. You’re all in the same circle, after all…”


    Before she could finish, Ken interjected. “Why, Miss Johnson, are you the type to break a promise too?”


    Mny was left speechless, her face flushed with anger. She had once flirted with the idea of getting close to Ken, but now, she was livid.


    Every word from his mouth was infuriating!


    As confusion lingered in the air, Roderick and his team struggled to grasp the full story.


    “What’s going on here, Ms. rke?” someone finally asked.


    The blunt butler jumped in to exin, “Before you arrived, Mr. Sugden made a wager with Ms. rke.”


    It didn’t take long for everyone to catch up to the situation.


    Roderick shot Louis a hard, disapproving look.


    “If you make a bet, you’d better be prepared to own up to it,” he said, his words sharp and clear.


    “Losing isn’t a big deal, but losing your character is.” The implication was clear. Louis should kneel and apologize, as agreed.


    .


    .


    .