It's a devil’s bargain

The silence that followed Gunnar’s ultimatum dragged on with the weight of everything that had just transpired.

The ballroom, once filled with the soft murmur of conversation and clinking of champagne glasses, now stood frozen in a stunned hush. Every eye in the room was locked on Mr. Leland and his son, Benjamin.

A gentleman near the front of the room, a distinguished figure in a well-tailored suit, shook his head in disbelief.

"He's done it," he murmured, barely loud enough for those around him to hear. "They have no choice now. Mr. Gunnar has them trapped."

The whispers started, quiet at first, but spreading quickly through the crowd like wildfire.

"Half the company… for their survival," another guest muttered. "It's a devil’s bargain, but they’re out of options."

A woman in an elegant gown leaned toward her companion. “The Lelands… they’re finished. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Mr. Leland stood at the center of it all, his face twisted in agony, his pride warring against