Chapter 282 Backing Out

The wager was set, and as the challenge commenced, everyone geared up to witness what they

expected to be an unveiling of the truth. Daniel took the knife to the vase, making a cut across its

body. With a simple twist, he broke the vase in half—it was a fake containing another newer vase

inside.

He pulled out the inner vase, turned it over and found an inscription on the bottom. "New York,

2018!" Everyone was shocked at the brazen date marking on what was supposed to be an antique.

Mason was dumbfounded, and even Emily was baffled. However, neither of them was the type to be

embarrassed easily. Determined to save face, Emily tried to divert attention by questioning Daniel

about the vodka.

"Country boy, you claim these bottles are fifty-year-old vodka and each is worth a million dollars.

How will you prove it?"

"That's easy!" Daniel replied. "With Mason's vast connections in New York, surely he knows many

vodka collectors, right? Let him find someone willing to buy my vodka for a million dollars a bottle.

That should be proof enough. And since the vase you provided turned out to be a fraud, the BMW

X1 now belongs to Brittany."

"Who agreed to that? I wasn't aware," said Emily slyly, as if never part of the bet.

Heh, the typical Emily. But I never had any interest in that old BMW of yours anyway; even if you

offered it to me, I wouldn’t take it!"

Brittany knew Emily was unlikely to give her the car. She never expected it and only wanted to

shame Emily. Brittany aimed to make Emily think twice before opposing her again.

Without responding directly, Emily told Mason, "You’re good friends with Nathan Brooks from the

county, who collects fine liquor, right? Why don't you call him to come over and appraise these

bottles to see if they're really fifty-year-old vodka worth a million dollars each?"

Mason was indeed close to Nathan, so he confidently made the call, certain that with Nathan’s

evaluation, the bottles would not be identified as aged vodka worth a million dollars.

"Fine, I’m calling Nathan now."

Soon after he made the call, Mason wore a self-satisfied look. "Nathan is a busy man—he's

currently delivering vodka to a legislator. He's bringing eighty cases! As soon as he's done serving

the legislator, he'll come right over."

"You see? Only Mason has such clout. Nathan, serving a legislator, will come straight over at his

call."

Emily’s words prompted a scoff from Brittany. "Heh! What did you say? You're saying legislators

drink vodka?"

"Of course they drink vodka! The legislator’s liquor of choice is premium vodka. What, do you think

they drink cheap spirits worth a few tens of bucks per bottle?"

Brittany turned to Daniel and asked, "Can legislators drink vodka?"

"Absolutely not, unless they're looking for trouble! I can't speak for what the legislator did in the

past, but for the last three years, he's definitely been abstinent."

Suddenly, the room went silent, and the certainty of victory Mason and Emily had felt began to

waver under the weight of their own hubris and deceit.