The Untamed: Game of Hearts
Chapter 236: Pleasure doing business

Chapter 236: Pleasure doing business

After careful deliberation, Decan and Aspen finally decided to go with the exchange anyway. It might not be ideal due to Marcus changing the conditions regarding the deal, but it was still better than risking everything by going with Nathan’s outrageous plan.

"You’re gonna give him the call then?" Davin blandly asked. "Assuming we can still-"

"We have no other choice," Decan cut him off. "Raine?"

"He’ll be ecstatic," she sighed. "He’s going to fight tooth and nail for every advantage he can get. Make sure you won’t give him even an inch of a foothold in the conversation."

Nodding at the advice, Decan dialed in the numbers and proceeded to call the King in question. Making sure that he was the only one visible from the cameras, he waited patiently for the man to answer his call.

"So you’ve finally decided," Marcus immediately opened as the screen showed him flashing a smirk. "So what will it be?"

"We’re going through with the exchange," Decan resolutely declared. "We’ll be exchanging Raine for the safety of my daughter. Lucio’s son will have to wait."

"Very well," Marcus nodded, a hint of glee shining in his eyes as he spoke. "Might we move on to the hows and whens of the exchange?"

"Agreed," Decan nodded to the screen. "I suggest meeting halfway in a place located between our two territories. That way-"

"Denied." Decan was taken aback as Marcus asserted his dominance. With a smirk, he then suggested, "I’d rather we did the exchange at a near the Moon Clan Territories."

The former King inwardly seethed at the brazenness on display in front of him. To think that Marcus would even suggest doing the exchange at a place where it was clearly to his advantage was infuriating.

"I’d reconsider doing the exchange there, Marcus. It would be in both party’s interest to have this take place on neutral territory."

It was only proper, after all. And if he ever gave him the advantage like this, there was no telling what he’d do. For all he knew, Marcus might trap the exchange before they could even enact their play.

"You’re assuming that you’re the one holding the cards here, Decan," Marcus smirked in his assurance. "I know you won’t harm my daughter if it’s the last thing you do, while you have no reassurances about me doing the same."

"Oh? Are you sure about that?" Decan raised an eyebrow. "There are many ways to threaten a person, and one of them is to do exactly what you’re doing right now."

"What’re you on about..."

Ignoring Marcus’s threatening gaze, Decan looked to the side of the monitor. Nodding at Raine, she then showed herself to the video call.

"Raine..."

"As you can see, we still have your daughter in our custody," Decan began, making sure that he was between her and Marcus to avoid any complications. "On top of that, we have another one of your clan here in custody as well." Giving Raine another sideward glance, he then added, "You might not care about anybody other than your daughter, but that doesn’t say that the same goes for her."

"What..."

Seeing her cue, Raine acted surprised as her eyes widened. Ignoring how her father was worriedly looking at her, she trained her attention to Decan as she reacted, "W-what’re you saying?"

Getting his designated cue, Decan pulled something out of his pocket and handed it over to Raine.

"What did you just give her?"

"Something for her to ponder over," Decan cryptically answered before turning his attention back to Raine. "Now, you’d recall that we have Lyne in custody, correct?"

At the mention of her friend’s name, Raine acted exactly as she would’ve if she were in a life-or-death situation, "Y-Yes?"

"Well, as it turns out, your dear old father doesn’t want to agree with our terms," Decan smoothly explained. "And since we can’t also theoretically harm you ourselves, we can always settle for that friend of yours."

Raine fought the urge to scoff at Decan’s threats as she upped the ante on her hammy acting. "Don’t you dare..."

"Well, that’s why I gave you that bottle," Decan smirked. "If you want us to leave your precious friend alone, then you should drink its contents."

"What’re you doing?!"

"Giving you an incentive," Decan smirked at the irate King. "Seeing as you won’t agree to something that’s arguably fair to both parties, then I’ll just have to even the odds."

Hearing Decan speak, Raine took a deep breath as she stared intently at the bottle. She knew that whatever poison it held wouldn’t even so much as give her indigestion, but the prospect of knowingly poisoning herself still made a bit of apprehension bubble up inside her.

"You wouldn’t dare..." Marcus grumbled.

"Ah, but your daughter might," Decan chuckled before turning his gaze back to Raine. "So what will it be?"

Raine, doing her part as a proper thespian, took yet another deep breath as she opened the bottle. Taking a small whiff, the poison’s scent graced her nostrils before she downed it all in one shot.

"Raine!"

Letting her body grow limp, she immediately fell to the ground, panting heavily as she placed a hand on her forehead. "T-there... You won’t... hurt her now... right?"

"Wisely done," Decan smiled. "Yes, we won’t harm her for the moment."

"Give her the antidote now," Marcus grumbled out. "Or else-"

"Or else, what exactly?" the former king smirked. "I suppose you already know what I want in exchange for the antidote."

Marcus grumbled on screen, his anger boiling as he looked at his daughter panting on the ground. "Very well. We’ll meet on the grounds according to your choosing."

"And you’ll bring Lucio’s son with you as well," Decan added. "Unless you want poor Raine here to die, of course."

"Fine!" the King yelled out. "I’ll give you the little shits! Just give my daughter the antidote!"

"Pleasure doing business then," Decan smirked. "I’ll send you the coordinates shortly."