Billionaire's match novel

---- Chapter 797 Francis asked carefully, "Khloe, this... this wasn't part of your plan, was it?" Khloe shook her head, her expression tightening further. Francis let out a short, knowing laugh. "Then it seems someone else got to them before you did." Michelle finally understood and immediately asked, "Who was it? Whoever could make Barney and the Keller family back down must have exerted equal-or even greater-pressure than Khloe could. If she hadn't acted yet, who could have taken the initiative? Meanwhile, elsewhere, Lucas returned to Nick's room.

Nick stood at the windowsill, gazing out at the clear sky. His training had finished ahead of schedule today, and his physical endurance had nearly recovered. Starting today, the doctor recommended he stop his medication. If his body continued to regain control over the next three ---- months without any regression, only then could he be considered truly healed. By all rights, this should have been a cause for celebration. But there was not a hint of joy on Nick's face. The doctors didn't fully understand, but he did.

Overuse of medication these past days had triggered a long- dormant stomach pain. That morning, while washing up, nausea hit him, and he vomited blood again. Lucas's medical team weren't specialists in this area-they could only prescribe medicine to manage the symptoms. But it treated the symptom, not the root cause. Nick knew his condition had likely worsened. "Everything | instructed has been handled, but you..." Even now, after those grueling core exercises, his face remained pale, a sheen of cold sweat clinging to his brow.

He was nearly exhausted, yet his eyes burned sharper than ever, like steel tempered in ice. Lucas handed him a tablet. On the screen was a briefing on the latest developments with the Keller family and a summary of Barney's astonishingly sudden turnaround in attitude. "The Keller family's situation is temporarily stable," Lucas reported, his tone carrying a hint of quiet admiration. "Michelle's ---- parents ultimately chose to support her. The family conflict has been resolved. Khloe's approach...

is quite effective." Nick's gaze settled on the screen, his fingertip brushing lightly over the lines: "Barney retracts pressure". A faint, cold smile curved his lips, but his eyes betrayed no surprise. "It wasn't her," Nick said, his voice low and hoarse from exertion, yet unnervingly certain. Lucas raised an eyebrow. "How do you know it wasn't Khloe? She has Solara Energy's skeletons-using them against Barney would make perfect sense." "If it had been her, Barney wouldn't have reacted this fast. Or this ..'considerately," Nick replied. He set the tablet down and turned to Lucas.

The light from the window outlined his lean, upright frame. "Khloe's style favors releasing evidence at the critical moment-one blow, decisive victory. But this... preemptive warning, forcing the opponent to back down voluntarily..." He paused, a flicker of something complicated passing through his eyes-part helplessness, part pride. *..is more my style." Lucas blinked. "It was you?" Nick didn't answer directly. His voice remained calm. "People like Barney respect only strength. They fear weakness. He ---- believes in self-interest above all. Reasoning with him, arguing public opinion...

he might negotiate, but he won't truly be afraid. Only when he feels, in a very real way, that continuing will cost him far more than he can gain, will he 'know his place' and step back."