The Earl's hand extended towards the quill, a gesture that appeared to demand considerable physical exertion, as though the mere act of grasping the writing implement imposed an immense, unseen burden.
His fingers closed around the pen's barrel, lifting it from the desk with a trembling grip that threatened to drop it several times before he managed to bring it to the contract's signature line.
"This isn't right," he whispered, voice barely audible. "This isn't how things are supposed to work. There should be... there should be a process, negotiation, time to..."
"This is exactly how things work when you betray the wrong person," Celeste replied, her tone carrying no sympathy whatsoever. "You gambled that Jack Kaiser was someone you could safely cross. You lost that bet. Now you pay up. That's how gambling works, Earl. You of all people should understand that basic principle."
