Chapter 204: $100 Million vs. A $150,000 Confession

Lucas set his phone aside after confirming the transfer had gone through.

There was nothing more for him to do.

Stretching lazily, he sank deeper into the plush leather sofa, crossing one leg over the other as he admired the endless ocean beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The afternoon breeze drifted through the slightly open balcony doors, carrying the scent of saltwater into the room.

Just as he closed his eyes to enjoy the peaceful moment...

[Ding!]

Eligible spending detected.

Amount Spent: $100,000,000

Rebate Target: Lilith Kane

Generating rebate multiplier...

...

[Congratulations!]

Rebate Multiplier: 100×

Rebate Awarded: $10,000,000,000

---

A faint smile spread across Lucas’s face.

Ten...

Billion...

Dollars.

Just like that.

He casually locked his phone and tossed it onto the coffee table before leaning comfortably against the luxurious sofa.

The afternoon sunlight poured through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the Presidential Suite in a warm golden glow.

Outside...

The endless blue ocean stretched to the horizon.

Gentle waves rolled onto the white sand below.

Palm trees swayed lazily in the sea breeze.

It was peaceful.

Comfortable.

For the first time in his life...

Lucas wasn’t worrying about tuition.

He wasn’t calculating every dollar before spending it.

He wasn’t stressing about tomorrow.

He simply sat there, enjoying the feeling of having true freedom.

"...This is what being rich feels like."

A satisfied grin appeared on his face.

---

Meanwhile...

Inside the Lanai Group headquarters...

Lilith remained frozen in place, staring blankly at the banking notification on her phone.

$100,000,000.00

Her heartbeat quickened.

Even after reading the number several times...

It still didn’t feel real.

One hundred million dollars.

Transferred into her personal account.

Without hesitation.

Without asking her to sign anything.

Without requiring multiple approvals.

Without even questioning her.

Just...

Transferred.

Lilith slowly lowered the phone.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief.

"...Chairman..."

"What kind of person are you?"

She had worked in the luxury tourism industry for years.

She had managed projects worth hundreds of millions.

She had dealt with countless wealthy businessmen.

But never...

Not once...

Had she seen someone spend one hundred million dollars on a single fireworks show.

Even world-famous theme parks like Disney spent only a fraction of that on their nightly displays.

This wasn’t extravagant.

It was beyond extravagant.

It was something only someone who truly didn’t care about money could do.

But what moved Lilith even more...

Wasn’t the money.

It was the trust.

Lucas hadn’t transferred the funds to the company’s accounts.

He had transferred every cent...

Directly into her personal account.

One hundred million dollars.

Enough to tempt almost anyone.

Yet Lucas hadn’t shown the slightest concern that she might run away with it.

There wasn’t even a reminder.

No warning.

No suspicion.

It was as if...

He had complete confidence in her.

Lilith suddenly felt her eyes becoming slightly moist.

She had spent years proving herself through hard work.

Yet no one had ever trusted her this completely.

She gently clenched the phone in both hands.

A quiet determination filled her heart.

"Chairman..."

"I won’t disappoint you."

"No matter what happens..."

"I’ll make Lanai Group worthy of the trust you’ve placed in me."

[Ding!]

Lilith Kane’s Favorability +5

Current Favorability: 50

---

Back in the Presidential Suite...

Another notification appeared before Lucas.

He glanced at it, then smiled knowingly.

"Not bad..."

"It looks like trusting the right people really does pay off."

Another top-tier beauty...

Had unknowingly taken another step closer to him.

Meanwhile...

On the private beach...

Bryce was making his final inspection.

The event planning crew had already finished setting everything up exactly according to his instructions.

After weeks of planning...

Everything was finally ready.

To make tonight unforgettable, Bryce had spent nearly $150,000 out of his own pocket.

In his opinion...

It was a small price to pay if it meant winning Maya’s heart.

The soft white sand had been cleared into an open area facing the ocean.

A beautifully decorated backdrop stood in the center, covered with thousands of tiny LED lights that would illuminate the moment it was switched on.

Fresh roses surrounded the platform.

Hidden speakers had already been placed beneath the decorations.

The moment Bryce gave the signal...

Romantic music would begin playing across the beach.

On both sides of the stage, rows of premium cold-firework fountains had been carefully arranged.

Once ignited, they would shoot brilliant silver sparks nearly six feet into the air without producing dangerous flames.

Combined with the ocean breeze...

The entire scene would look like something straight out of a romance movie.

Bryce couldn’t help smiling proudly.

He had rehearsed tonight’s confession millions of times in his head.

Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail.

The bonfire party would begin first.

Everyone would be drinking, chatting, laughing, and playing games.

Once the atmosphere reached its peak...

He would casually suggest a party game.

The rules were simple.

Everyone would close their eyes for one minute.

During that short moment...

The event staff would quietly wheel the decorated backdrop onto the beach.

The fireworks would be ignited.

The music would begin.

Then...

When everyone opened their eyes...

They would see Bryce standing in the middle of the glowing lights, surrounded by sparkling fireworks, holding an enormous bouquet of roses.

He would slowly walk toward Maya...

Drop to one knee...

Look into her eyes...

And confess his feelings in front of everyone.

To make sure the atmosphere reached its highest point...

Bryce had even assigned several of his closest followers specific roles.

The moment Maya hesitated...

They would immediately begin cheering.

"Kiss her!"

"Say yes!"

"You two belong together!"

Within seconds...

The entire Student Union would join in.

Peer pressure.

Romantic music.

Fireworks.

Flowers.

The beach at sunset.

Bryce believed no woman could resist a confession like that.

Especially Maya.

He firmly believed that beneath her cold exterior...

She was still just another girl.

And girls...

Loved romance.

As long as he created the perfect moment...

Lucas~that nobody from Ashford University~would instantly become irrelevant.

Bryce glanced toward the ocean, a smug smile spreading across his face.

"No matter how much money Lucas has..."

"He can’t compete with someone who understands romance."

In Bryce’s mind...

Tonight’s outcome had already been decided.