Magnus's lips curved faintly as he studied Roman, reading every crack in his composure. This was the perfect moment to strike.
"So, will you take my offer?" he asked, his voice smooth, cutting cleanly through the haze in Roman's mind. "I can make the scandal disappear by morning. It's already served its purpose. We'll tell the world it was all a misunderstanding."
Roman's head snapped toward him, thoughts still colliding, refusing to settle. "I'm not interested in whatever you're offering," he said, his voice strained. "I still feel guilty about the last one. I'm not doing that again."
Magnus pressed his lips into a thin line, irritation flickering before it vanished. "Too late for righteousness," he said evenly. "You just threw another game. The Avatars lost because you weren't there, and the crowd wouldn't stop booing." He paused, letting it sink in. "Do you know how much I made from that?"
