From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 709

Chapter 709: Pick A Side

None of the Sterns would ever claim they were a close-knit family. Even within Chad’s immediate circle, with his sister and mother still alive and actively fighting for a spot in the Heir succession, there was zero warmth.

So cousins, of all things, were practically strangers. Chad and Donto hardly ever spent any time together, apart from when they were forced to attend their Grandfather’s mandatory family gatherings. If there was one single pastime the younger generation actually had in common, it was collectively picking on Max. It was their favorite game at those boring family events. And while their parents had forced them into a group chat for the younger cousins to stay connected, Max was completely left out of it. It wasn’t a place for casual texting anyway; it was just a toxic space where everyone dropped photos to show off their wealth and achievements.

Although Chad hadn’t heard about the exact details of the disaster back at the university, he did remember the furious text Donto had dropped in the chat a while back. He figured Donto must have had a recent run-in with Max Stern, the new, terrifying Max, that was.

"I never thought I’d see a golden boy like you in a place like this," Chad said, pushing his chair back and standing up. He instantly realized it probably wasn’t his best strategic move. Chad was a whole head smaller than Donto, and smaller in just about every other metric that mattered. "Shouldn’t you be locked in a library focusing on your precious university studies?"

Donto stopped in his tracks, looking down at Chad with cold disgust. "You’re seriously telling me to focus on my studies? A guy who spends ninety percent of his time lounging around in degenerate, low-life venues like this?"

"What the hell, Donto?" Chad snapped, his face flushing. "Who stuck a stick up your ass today? Do I need to remind you that you’re standing in the exact same room I am right now?"

Donto didn’t even bother to answer. He turned away, scanning the VIP gallery for an empty lounge to sit down, but as his eyes swept the room, something else caught his attention. His jaw tightened in pure surprise.

"Bobo... and Aunt Karen are here too?" Donto muttered, his voice dripping with disbelief. He looked back at Chad. "Why the hell did you bring your whole family into this mess? Have you seriously dragged them down into your degenerate gambling habits now?"

The truth was, their presence on the cruise ship was entirely a coincidence. Ever since Max took over the territory, Bobo and Karen’s businesses had become deeply intertwined with the Billion Bloodline group in multiple ways. Nearly every time they needed a large injection of corporate capital for a new project proposal, they had to schedule a meeting with Warma at the Bloodline headquarters. And that was how the mother and daughter had accidentally run into each other.

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