What Garfield Everworth did not realize was that he was sitting in a room full of people trained to kill.
Not guards.Not security.
Killers who wore suits and took notes.Killers who served tea and spoke politely.Killers who could decide whether a man lived or died without ever raising their voices.
The Piao family did not like violence.
But they were very, very good at it.
And at the head of the table, Grace Piao sat calmly, as if she were hosting a perfectly polite meeting.
The regular guests only saw what appeared on the surface.
Garfield had been given three options.
Two had seemed harmless, but given his hesitation and shaking hands, any reasonable observer could guess they were likely traps tailored for him.
The third option—the one he had chosen—looked almost ridiculous: chewing paper to keep everyone else safe while quietly suffering the discomfort.
To the guests, it was a simple act of courage and composure.
He had protected himself. He had protected them.
And in the end, he had allowed some small relief—allowing gum, candy, and sweets to be distributed without chaos.
They felt gratitude, admiration, and a little awe for his calmness under pressure.
That was all they understood.
The assistants, however, saw the full depth.
They recognized the traps for what they truly were:
A meticulous test designed by Grace.Tailored to his personality.To his secrets.Down to his very instincts.
The first two options would have exposed him or forced him into compromise.
Even the third was not entirely free.
It was still a trap—but one he had navigated with careful thought, courage, and self-sacrifice.
Only the assistants understood the reward behind his survival:
A shadow protection.A three-week shield of the Piao family's silent oversight, ensuring his life would be safe while the consequences of the traps settled.
No one else knew this.
The guests only saw a man suffering briefly for the good of all.
The assistants knew the old man had proven himself worthy in Grace's eyes.
Grace watched quietly, her expression serene, her calculations precise.
Her traps had tested a mind, measured courage, and gauged his morality.
This man, against all odds, had not failed.