Chapter 230: A Debt Too Deep Chad Stern was the last person Max expected to see today, especially after school, on what was supposed to be a normal day. He had been doing his best to keep his current life separated from the twisted affairs of the Stern family. Even if their paths were forever tangled, Max had tried to draw a line. A clear line. One that was mostly made difficult because of Chad Stern in the first place. Up until now, Max had only ever encountered Chad at family-related social events, his grandfather’s extravagant birthday parties or the over-the-top charity galas hosted by the Curts family. Those brief encounters had always been staged, dressed in forced smiles and luxury suits. This, however, was different. This was the first time Max was meeting Chad outside of a curated public setting. And more importantly, it was the first time since he had learned the truth from Dipter, that Chad Stern had lost everything. Every cent. Gone. There are two reasons why I might’ve been brought here, Max thought as he cautiously stepped further into the room, scanning his surroundings, trying to analyze the situation. What surprised him the most was that the room was empty, aside from the three of them. Just him, Chad, and one other. Max had expected more people. After all, either scenario he’d imagined would have likely required backup. Some leverage. Some muscle. Either Chad, having failed to get what he wanted through Dipter, had arranged this meeting himself as a desperate final play... Or the people Chad owed had finally run out of patience and were now making their move. "It’d be best if the two family members sat next to each other, wouldn’t it?" the woman said with a cheerful smile. Max gave her a nod. He didn’t like the idea, not one bit. But for now, it was better to cooperate. At least he was allowed to sit on the same side of the room, not directly beside the man he despised. As he slid into the seat, Max stole a glance at Chad. The difference from before was stark. Behind the flashy designer outfit, Max could tell the shirt hadn’t seen a washing machine in days. Two of Chad’s fingers were wrapped in bandages, and his face looked gaunt, hollowed out with stress. His whole body seemed weighed down, like someone slowly crumbling under invisible pressure. Guess that rules out him being the mastermind behind this, Max concluded. Which can only mean... "Let me introduce myself properly," the woman said, cutting through the silence. She pulled out a small dagger and began twirling it between her fingers. Her skill with the blade was clear. Even more refined than Snide’s, who had been part of Dipter’s group. The way the blade moved, controlled and fluid, it reminded Max of Aron’s mastery. Vivian was no amateur. That also meant something else. He had no weapon. No way to fight back. So the possibility of escaping by force was no longer an option. "As I said, my name is Vivian," she continued smoothly, her eyes locked on both of them. "I’m part of a group known as the Black Hounds. That name might not mean anything to you... but in my world, it carries weight. A lot of it." Vivian pointed to herself with pride. That was it. The confirmation. This was the original group Chad owed money to. Which left Max with one question: How the hell did I get dragged into this mess? "Now, you’re probably wondering," Vivian said with a sweet but mocking tone, "why you, a high schooler who’s never dealt with us, are suddenly in a room with a woman playing with a knife right in front of you." She smiled again. Condescending. Like a predator talking to a child. It made Max wonder, did she not know about the Rejected Corps? Did the Black Hounds really have no clue that Max Stern was part of that world now? Were they treating his family name and his gang involvement as two separate things? It was starting to make a bit of sense. "The reason is sitting right beside you," Vivian said, her smile unflinching. "Your family owes us a significant amount of money. And when we asked him to hand it over, he said... he knew someone who might be able to help." She leaned in, eyes locked on Max, searching his expression. Max couldn’t help himself. His head turned sharply, eyes glaring at Chad with pure disgust. This bastard. This flashy, bankrupt dickhead. Did he tell them we were close? That I would help him? Even if they didn’t believe him fully... now I’m dragged into this mess too? Vivian burst into laughter, almost hysterical. "Oh, we figured as much," she said, still giggling. "If this guy really had someone close to him who could lend that kind of money, he wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with." But then her tone shifted. She leaned closer again, this time pressing the cool metal of the dagger against Max’s neck. "The thing is," she whispered, "we do know you’re a member of the Stern family. And he wouldn’t have dropped that name unless he believed it was his last chance. So whether we like it or not, we’re going to get our money, from you." She stared into Max’s eyes for a long moment before finally pulling the dagger away and slipping it down the side of her trousers, hidden expertly from view. Max blinked. He hadn’t even seen where she drew it from before. "Since you’ve been dragged into this, Max, we’re giving you a little grace period," Vivian said, brushing invisible dust off her blazer. "We know this must be a shock, so we want you and your cousin to talk it over." She raised her hand, lifting two fingers. "Two days. You have two days to bring us the total amount owed." Vivian turned and walked toward the door, hand on the knob, pausing just before stepping out. "It was nice meeting you, Max. I hope that when we return in two days, you’ll have the money ready. Otherwise, well... I don’t think our next visit will be so nice." The door creaked open. "Wait!" Max suddenly shouted. "The money... how much does he owe? Tell me. How much?" Vivian paused, then turned back with a sly grin. "103 million dollars," she said, her voice honeyed with venom. "It’s a lot, I know. But I’m sure it’s nothing for a Stern." And with that, she walked out, leaving Max to sit in stunned silence beside the man who had just handed him a hundred-million-dollar disaster.