Pampered By The Ruthless Underground Boss - Chapter 578

Chapter 578:

A wave of tension quickly replaced the brief calm. No one had expected Khloe to openly defy Whitney, insisting on seeing the competition through to the end.

Whitney’s brow furrowed, her sharp gaze fixed on Khloe before flicking briefly to Henrik. The faintest trace of disapproval lingered on her expression. Her silence was a clear judgment of Khloe’s unwavering stance.

Sheri, caught off guard, blinked in disbelief. Even with Whitney and Henrik present, Khloe remained firm.

Sheri stepped forward, attempting to regain some composure. “I’ll admit this competition was ill-conceived from the start. We shouldn’t have treated it so carelessly. But don’t you think it’s time to let this go?”

Khloe scowled, her voice biting. “I’ve already made myself clear. There’s only one way this ends. If you’re not willing to continue, then Naomi can go ahead and walk naked around the house.”

Khloe didn’t even flinch in the face of Whitney, let alone Sheri. Sheri’s attempt at composure faltered, her face darkening with both anger and humiliation.

Naomi’s complexion drained, panic rising within her. She turned to Whitney, her voice trembling. “Auntie, please help me.”

As Khloe’s words pressed on, Naomi’s fear grew more consuming. She didn’t want to give in, but the thought of losing—and the consequences that would follow—were unbearable.

The idea alone made her wish to disappear completely.

The men of the Dayton family watched in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of shock and reluctant admiration. None of them had anticipated that the woman once dismissed as fragile would stand so resolutely against their family’s collective power.

Her boldness was something none of them had expected.

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Eric, especially, couldn’t hide his astonishment. Since their survival experience in the wilderness, he had come to understand that Khloe was no longer the woman he had once known. She had transformed into someone extraordinary—someone completely out of his reach.

Watching her now, facing down the intimidating presence of the Dayton family, his awe deepened. Her unwavering confidence reminded him of the ever-growing chasm between them.

Whitney, looking displeased, let out a quiet sigh and addressed Khloe in a gentler tone. “Perhaps, as a favor to me, can we put an end to this now?”

“No,” Khloe replied firmly. “This bet was Naomi’s idea from the start. When I raised the stakes, everyone here stood by silently, waiting for me to fail. And now you want me to back down? The world doesn’t work by your family’s rules. Everyone is responsible for their choices.”

Whitney stiffened, stunned by the directness of Khloe’s response.

A tense silence fell, suddenly broken by Henrik’s commanding voice. “This is a contest between them. Any interference is entirely inappropriate. The competition will proceed as planned. Anyone attempting to intervene will answer to me.”

His words immediately darkened the faces of Sheri and the others. The forfeit itself was already unbearable, but the threat of Henrik’s involvement was far worse. If he chose to act, it wouldn’t just ruin them—it would destroy their families entirely.

In that instant, Naomi grasped the full extent of her mistake. Even Whitney couldn’t save her now; she was utterly trapped.

A desperate look twisted Naomi’s face as tears of frustration began to gather in her eyes. Her voice trembled with rage as she snapped at Khloe, “Fine! Let’s keep going! You said chess and painting would happen at the same time, so let’s do it! Or are you backing out now?”

Even if Khloe might excel individually, simultaneous challenges seemed impossible. Naomi clung to the hope that this would break Khloe’s winning streak.

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