Immediately after Charles left the Adam's mansion, the atmosphere within the sitting room turned cold. Mrs. Adam's patience had worn thin, and she lashed out at her son, Mark, her voice trembling with anger and disappointment. "How could you wager our company for that hackathon? Do you understand the gravity of what you’ve done?!" Her words were sharp and filled with frustration. She had always been a strong believer in preserving the family business at any cost. Mark, struggling to maintain his composure, tried to explain the predicament he found himself in. "Mom, you don't understand. Charles has evidence against me. If I didn't accept the challenge, I would have ended up in jail. It's not like I wanted this." Angela, Mark's younger sister, chimed in, her voice filled with disdain for her brother's actions. "You are unbelievably foolish and reckless, Mark. Sending those thugs after Charles was a terrible idea. You're very unlucky he got away, but if you don't do everything in your power to win this hackathon, you'll have only yourself to blame." Mark hung his head in shame. He had allowed himself to be dragged into a high-stakes competition with Charles, a person who seemed to have a knack for staying one step ahead. But the evidence Charles possessed was like a guillotine hanging over Mark's neck, and he had no choice but to proceed with the hackathon. The Adam family's tech company had been Mark's pride and joy. Losing it in a wager with Charles would be a devastating blow, not just to him but to his entire family. He was acutely aware of the stakes and the monumental challenge ahead. Mrs. Adam was not one to easily accept defeat, and her desire to win the hackathon was growing with each passing second. She turned to her son, Mark, with a determined look in her eyes. "Mark, call some of our close friends who might be able to help us secure an advantage in the hackathon," she suggested, her voice resolute. “Also, we could work toward bribing the judges. Besides, why would Charles choose the judges for this kind of contest?” “Well, I had no choice than to agree with his decision.” Mark answered. “He clearly wants to punish me for what I did. But he doesn’t know that I’ve been doing business since I was a kid. I’ve been managing our company for years and I’ve developed it to this extent with my ideas. I will crush him like a bug that day.” “I still think that bribing the judges will give us an advantage.” Mrs Adam added. “You may never know what he is also planning. After all, he was able to fool us for years.” Angela interjected firmly. "Mom, that's impossible. Charles has already established connections with these judges. They're known for their impartiality. Bribing them would only put us in a worse position." She said, “Charles himself can’t bribe them, talk more of us. The only thing that would save us is Mark’s victory but I fear Charles has some tricks up his sleeve.”Mrs. Adam gritted her teeth in frustration, realizing the extent of the challenge they faced. Her pride and desperation collided, and she had to concede to Angela's wisdom. Frustrated but undeterred, she turned to the group and issued a stern command. "Enough of this talk. We will not stoop to such levels. We are going to win this hackathon fair and square. Everyone, gather around and start brainstorming ideas for the competition. We need to outshine Charles on merit alone. We can’t let that man take our company from us.” ***************** Charles called Vera immediately he got home. If he was going to win the hackathon, he needed her help and expertise. As Vera entered Charles's mansion, she could sense an air of urgency about him. He wasted no time and began to recount the events of the recent past, particularly the hackathon and Mark's involvement. "Vera, you won't believe what happened," Charles began, his voice filled with a mixture of shock and anger. He narrated the story of how Mark had sent thugs to harm him, and how the police had intervened just in time to save him. Vera's eyes widened in disbelief as she listened to the sinister plot that Mark had hatched. "Charles, you should sue him for this. What he did was not just unethical but also illegal," she urged, thinking that legal action might be the best course of action. “He tried to kill you and you let him go? He could try to do it again and who knows if he will succeed.” However, Charles wore a sly smile as he responded, "No, Vera, I have a better idea. I don't want to just sue him. I want to destroy him and his family. I'm going to take their company away from them, and they'll crumble to the ground." Vera was taken aback by the ruthlessness of Charles's plan. She knew that he was clearly enraged by what happened but she had never seen that side of him before. In fact, the Charles she knew was usually calm and gentle. Vera's curiosity was piqued, and she couldn't help but press Charles for more information about the hackathon. "Charles," she implored, "I'm here to support you, but I need to know more. What is the plan? What kind of idea or product are we building for the hackathon? It will help me understand what I'm about to get involved in." Charles, leaning back in his chair, studied Vera for a moment. Then he leaned forward, his expression intense. "Vera, this hackathon is more than just a competition. It's a battlefield where we have to secure victory at any cost. If I lose, I will be letting Mark walk away as a free man so I must win at all cost. I can't reveal all the details just yet, but I promise it's going to be a game-changer. The less we disclose now, the better our chances of success." Vera, though still concerned, nodded reluctantly. But she couldn’t help but wonder why Charles would prefer a competition to sending Mark to jail. "Before we get to the hackathon, I need you to take care of something crucial. Go to my hotel and request a check for 50 million dollars. We're going to need significant resources for what's coming, and this is just the beginning." Vera blinked in surprise at the large amount of money. It was evident that Charles was making moves on a grand scale. She gathered her composure and replied, "I'll take care of it, Charles. But please, just promise me that whatever we're doing, it's the right path. I want to support you, but I also want to make sure we're on the right side of things." Charles smiled, his features softening immediately. "Vera, I appreciate your concern. This is a very important competition, and we're going to do what's necessary to come out on top. But remember, we're not doing this for personal gain; we're doing it for justice. Mark and his family need to face the consequences of their actions. I will make sure they suffer for what they have done.”