Chapter 526 Four Billion Dollars Not Received
Ryder was having breakfast while video chatting with Sarah when he suddenly sneezed.
On the other end of the video, Sarah's concerned voice immediately came through, "Are you catching a cold? New York City is much colder than Houston, wear more layers!"
Ryder smirked, thinking about the time he had Tyler drop a fortune to snag the Rigal District Stadium. He waved it off. "Relax, I'm good! Probably just some haters running their mouths."
"I heard from my grandpa too, you made the Young family lose out at the auction. Don't be too arrogant, be careful of their revenge!"
Ryder nodded repeatedly, "You're right, I'll be careful!"
"You always say that, and also, I asked you to visit my grandpa. They've been in New York City for several days now, and you still haven't gone to see him."
"I've been busy, you know?"
"That's just an excuse!" Sarah pouted in the video, looking cute and playful.
Especially at this moment, she was lifting her foot to put her slender foot in black stockings into a high heel.
Her long, slender legs were very alluring.
Ryder couldn't help but be mesmerized!
If his eyes weren't still moving, Sarah would have thought the internet had frozen.
"Ryder, what are you thinking about? You're ignoring me?"
Ryder snapped back to reality, his eyes darting around, and he chuckled foolishly, "Honestly, I was just captivated by your beauty! Don't worry, I'll make time to visit your grandpa today!"
"Alright, I gotta head to work now!"
"You're not gonna eat breakfast?" Ryder tossed in, sounding a little concerned.
"Nah, not much appetite eating solo at home. I'll just grab something downstairs at the office."
"Okay, but make sure you—"
Before Ryder could finish, the call dropped.
Sarah was adorable—so easy to mess with, and she'd blush every time.
Truth was, he knew the massive Platan Heights villa was pretty much empty except for her and the occasional cleaner.
So whenever he had a spare moment, he'd shoot the breeze with her.
And yeah, he was working on getting things squared away in NYC, hoping to bring her over ASAP.
Just as he was lost in thought, he caught Rex's stare from the corner of his eye.
Awkward!
He'd been so wrapped up in the video call that he totally forgot he was having breakfast with Rex.
"Ryder, are you okay? Did Sarah give you a hard time?"
Ryder took off his headphones, "No, not at all!"
"Then why you lookin' like you just bit into something nasty after the call? And dude, your face was straight-up red during it—like, pissed-off red!"
Ryder felt very speechless inside.
Then he heard Rex say, "Women are indeed the scariest. I think I won't get married in the future! I'll just work for you my whole life!"
So Rex had been observing him the whole time!
Ryder figured it was time to set Rex straight. He sighed, "Trust me, when you meet someone you're into, you won't be saying that. And don't take after Ryan, or you'll end up forever alone."
Thankfully, Ryan was probably too caught up in last night's antics to show up this morning.
Otherwise, Ryder knew he'd be getting roasted all over again!
After breakfast.
Ryder and Rex were about to head to Maple Group when they received a call from Brent.
"Hello! This is Brent!"
Ryder replied politely, "Hello!"
"So, the stadium construction's about to kick off, and I see the Young Group's already hauling heavy machinery and materials over. I'm gettin' antsy, and you…"
Brent hemmed and hawed for a while, not getting to the point.
Ryder couldn't help but cut in, "Just spit it out!"
"It's about the $4 billion you promised earlier. When's it coming through? Once that cash hits, I can definitely throw a wrench in the Youngs' plans—at the very least, I can snatch up the materials they need!"
Ryder's expression froze, "The money hasn't been transferred yet?"
This question left Brent dumbfounded.
Ryder realized and said he would give a response later!
Thirty minutes later.
The Maple Group executives held a board meeting!
CFO Francis explained, "Mr. Clark, transferring $4 billion from the group takes time."
Ryder's lips curled slightly, and he tapped the table with his fingers, speaking slowly, "Is it that it takes time, or you don't want to give it?"
The execs shifted uncomfortably, remembering how Ryder had dealt with Milton. A cold sweat broke out across the room.
Francis wiped his brow and stood up. "Alright, we'll level with you."
Turns out, the execs had thought Ryder was just messing around at the time.
Who drops $4 billion after a single meeting?
Sure, Maple Group was Ryder's, but it had gotten this big because of their blood, sweat, and tears.
They weren't about to let the whole empire crumble over what they thought was a joke.
Ryder was young, bold, and could afford to be reckless.
But these guys? Their entire lives were tied to Maple Group. They couldn't afford to play games!
"Are you done?" Listening to the executives' complaints, Ryder felt very impatient.
Led by Francis, the executives nodded timidly.
Finally, the bolder executives emphasized again, "Mr. Clark, please understand our loyalty to Maple Group!"
Ryder looked at them calmly and said, "So, you are certain that my $4 billion investment in Brent's company will be wasted?"
"This..."
"It's okay, in today's meeting, everyone can speak freely! I won't hold anyone accountable!"
As soon as Ryder said this, the executives began to persuade him:
"Mr. Clark, let's be real—the Youngs taking over from the Wallaces is a done deal. The Wallaces are on their way out, and there's no stopping it. It's just the way things are!"
"Exactly. Plus, the Youngs are loaded. You shouldn't have gone head-to-head with Tyler at the auction."
"Using Brent to go after the Youngs is not a smart move. Look, we get you've got ambition, but with Maple Group's current clout, you're not gonna shake up these big New York families."
Basically, they were playing it safe!
"Alright, that's enough talk!" Ryder stood up, glanced around, and said coolly, "As for the $4 billion I promised—it's happening, no question."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the execs' eyes went wide, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief.
"Mr. Clark, isn't this a bit… rash?" They didn't dare say it outright, but the implication was clear.
Ryder got it—they were basically calling him reckless and impulsive, saying he was headed for a fall.
But Ryder didn't give a damn. He leaned on the conference table, his eyes scanning the room with a smirk. "I know you're not convinced. So, how about we make a bet?"
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