Chapter 17 She Offered Too Much Money

"It wasn't me! It really wasn't me!" Alex shook his head frantically. "Liam, you've got to believe me. I didn't push you! I swear it wasn't me!" "I-I don't even know who it was ... Ahhh!" Alex screamed as Liam grabbed one of his hands and twisted it sharply. "You know, when you're begging for mercy, you should at least be sincere and not play games," Liam said coldly, twisting Alex's other hand. "Just so you know in advance, once I break these, there's no fixing them. "If you still don't tell the truth, both of your hands will be completely useless!" "Liam, please ... you have to believe me ... I don't know." There were beads of sweat running down his face due to the pain. Liam snapped his other hand without hesitation. "It's fine if you won't talk. I'll figure it out myself," Liam said, straightening up, losing interest in wasting more time on Alex. He stood and scanned the group around him, his eyes cold and calculating. "Now, who's next?" Everyone instinctively stepped back, afraid to speak. This guy was a savage lunatic! And yet, Tyra stood by him! "Ms. Reid, there's no point in hiding. It's your turn." Liam's eyes locked onto Lizzie and she said, "You might as well come out and let Petra carve a little mark on your face." "Petra's not that skilled with a blade, so you might actually be lucky. But if you don't cooperate ... " His lips curled into a devilish grin. "Then I'll do it myself. And trust me, I'm really good with a knife. "With just one cut, I could turn your face into a spider web." "Don't ... don't do anything reckless." Lizzie's face paled. "I'll pay you. I'll compensate you just like the others. "I'll give you 100 million. Is that enough?" "Ms. Reid, why bother?" Liam shook his head and said, "I'm a fair guy. There's no way your face is worth that price. That's just ripping you off. "Let Petra cut you once. Then you can go get plastic surgery. It won't cost more than a few million, and you'll look even better afterward. It's a win-win, really." "My face is worth way more than 100 million!" Lizzie's anger flared. "Fine, Liam, if that's not enough, I'll add another 100 million!" "Ms. Reid, listen to me. Actually, Petra and I aren't exactly strapped for cash right now. I'm about to collect one 100 million dollars myself." Liam's voice was sincere as he continued, "It's not really about the money. The most important thing in life is to enjoy yourself. "And cutting your face would definitely make Petra very happy." "One billion!" Lizzie suddenly screamed. "I'll give you one billion! Is that enough?" "Oh!" Liam was momentarily stunned. He turned to Petra and asked, "Darling, what do we do now? She's offering way too much." "Forget it. Let's just take the money," Petra said softly. "I'm too scared to cut her face, anyway." "Alright then, Ms. Reid. Pay up." Liam agreed without hesitation. "I-I can't get that much money right away. How about I write you an IOU?" Lizzie's expression darkened. "No problem." Liam smiled, still speaking easily. "Oh, and by the way, the rest of you can do the same. Just write me an IOU." "Yes, yes, I'll write one!" "I'll write too!" "I'm doing it right now!" Relieved at the option of writing an IOU, everyone eagerly agreed. Within a few minutes, everyone had handed their notes to Liam, including Lizzie and Sydney. As long as they didn't have to pay up immediately, they figured they might still have a chance to back out. That's why they were all so willing to go along. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the room. The ambulance finally arrived, accompanied by a group of doctors and nurses. The injured were quickly taken away. The remaining guests rushed to say their goodbyes to Tyra. There was no reason to stay any longer, especially with the risk of further danger looming. Soon, the grand hall was empty. "Ms. Snowden, shall we go somewhere else to discuss our partnership?" Tyra smiled calmly. "Ah, yes, Ms. Mallin." Petra nodded quickly, still feeling a bit dazed. Everything that had happened tonight felt like a dream. Even now, it didn't seem real. The group left the estate and headed to Tyra's garden villa. "Crystal, please entertain Ms. Snowden while I change." In the reception room, Tyra gave a brief instruction before turning to leave. About a minute later ... "Petra, I need to use the restroom." Liam got up and exited the reception room as well. Tyra stood quietly at the corner of the hallway, waiting for him to appear. The moment Liam appeared, she turned and disappeared around the corner. Liam quickly followed. When Tyra pushed open the door to a bedroom, Liam slipped in after her. Tyra spun around swiftly, closing the door with a wave of her hand. Liam reached out and was ready to pull her into his arms. Tyra suddenly stepped back, retreating sharply. "Wait! I have one last question!"