Chapter 180

“What do you think of this?” Olivier asked, holding out the file. “Father, I told you, I’m completely confident in this deal. Several contacts profited from similar ventures last year. One even doubled his investment flipping a claim in Nevada.”

Philip remained seated at the table head, the file unopened before him.

“I know the risks,” Olivier continued, adjusting his cuff. “But there’s always risk. No one profits playing it safe forever.” He glanced at Liam, seated nearby. “Luckily, that wife of his left!”

Philip remained silent, tapping his knuckles lightly on the table, his eyes fixed on the papers.

Seeing the silence as an opportunity, Olivier turned to Liam. “What about you? Any brilliant insights on this project?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Liam leaned back. “It’s risky,” he said. “I wouldn’t gamble on it.”

Olivier scoffed. “This isn’t gambling. It’s strategy. Do you even know the difference?”

Liam picked up his water glass, held it a moment, then set it down. “You don’t know what’s on the ground. You don’t have test results. You’re buying land on hope. That’s gambling.”

Olivier leaned forward. “You never give me the benefit of the doubt. You always act like you’re the smartest. You can’t even show basic respect—for me or my work. I don’t know why I expected anything different from someone who didn’t even tell his own father he was getting married.”

Liam didn’t look away. “Respect isn’t automatic. You weren’t there for anything growing up. Not birthdays, not school, not when Mom died. So what exactly were you expecting from me?”

Olivier’s expression hardened.

“You missed everything,” Liam added. “Why would you expect a wedding invitation when you weren’t even there for the rest of my life?”

The room fell silent. Philip remained still, his eyes flicking to Olivier, then back to the papers. “That is enough.”

“Father…”

Philip placed the file down, tapping the edge with a finger. “I’ll give you the money,” he said, “but on one condition.”

Olivier straightened. “What condition?”

Philip looked at him directly. “You’ll sign a contract. Six months. If you don’t show a return or secure another investor, you pay it back in full, with interest.”

Olivier opened his mouth to protest, but Philip raised a hand. “You said yourself you know the risks,” Philip continued. “So manage them. Treat this like the business you claim it is.”

“That’s not fair,” Olivier said quickly. “You didn’t make Liam sign anything when he started his firm. You gave him the loan without hesitation.”

Philip didn’t flinch. “Liam paid me back three months later. In full. With profit. If I made my grandson repay me, why shouldn’t I expect the same from you?” He leaned back. “Or did you think everything should be handed to you just because you’re a Horvath?”

Olivier’s jaw tightened. He looked down, then back at his father. “Fine. Then let’s raise the stakes.”

Philip didn’t respond.

“If I turn a profit on this venture,” Olivier said, his voice low, “I’m not paying a cent back. Nothing. That’s the deal.”

Liam blinked. “And if you don’t?”

Olivier turned to him. “Then I’ll pay back double.”

Philip’s fingers paused against the table.

“You think I’m gambling?” Olivier added. “Then let’s gamble all the way.”

Liam leaned forward. “You’ve lost your mind.”

Olivier didn’t blink. “You said it yourself—this is a bet. So I’m betting on myself.”

Philip didn’t answer immediately. He picked up the file and slowly opened it. “Draw up the contract,” he said. “Both versions. I want them signed by the end of the week.”

Olivier exhaled and nodded.

“He did what?” Izzy frowned.

Liam kept his eyes on the road. “He made a deal with my grandfather. If he makes money, he keeps it all. If not, he pays back double.”

Izzy shifted. “Wait… you’re serious? He actually proposed that?”

Liam nodded. “I was sitting right there.”

She stared ahead, silent for a moment. “That’s insane.”

“It’s not new,” Liam said. “He’s always been like that. Disappears for months, then returns with a new business idea or investment. Grandfather used to argue, then eventually stopped trying.”

Izzy glanced at him. “And gave up?”

“Let him burn,” Liam said. “Stopped caring about the money, but he also stopped trusting him, stopped believing him. I don’t blame him.”

Izzy leaned back. “I don’t know about this Arizona project, but it feels off. I’ve heard rumors. The land isn’t untouched. Several firms tried to explore it five or six years ago. Most walked away.”

Liam raised an eyebrow but didn’t look over.

“They cited environmental red tape,” she continued, “zoning overlaps with protected areas. Not official, but enough to cause problems. Plus, water rights are tied up, and the state is getting stricter on permits.”

Liam gave a short nod. “I figured. But he doesn’t care.”

“He should,” Izzy said. “That can kill a project before it starts. Doesn’t matter what’s on the ground if you can’t dig.”

“I told him,” Liam said. “He heard me. He just didn’t listen.”

Izzy folded her arms. “He’s not even planning a proper feasibility study. Just going off a flagged survey from a passing team? That’s desperation, not strategy.”

Liam didn’t argue; he kept driving.

Izzy looked out the window. “It’s not that I want him to fail, but if he does, he has no one to blame but himself.”

Liam exhaled. “He never blames himself. It’s always someone else’s fault.”

“Then I guess we’ll see how much he’s willing to lose,” Izzy said, arms folded. “Still… something feels off. Your father’s been in business for years. He’s not naive. If he’d done his research, he’d have seen how unstable this venture is.”

Liam kept his eyes on the road. He didn’t argue.

“I don’t think he understands this project,” she added. “Or maybe… he’s not trying to.”

Liam glanced at her. “What are you getting at?”

Izzy shifted. “I think there’s something else going on. Maybe someone else is involved. This doesn’t feel data-driven. It feels like he’s being pushed… or hiding something.”

Liam didn’t speak, just tightened his grip on the wheel.

“He’s too eager,” Izzy continued. “And that deal with your grandfather? That wasn’t business. That was desperation.” She turned to him. “If he’s hiding something, you need to find out what it is. Before this turns into something bigger.”