The laughter around the table disappeared.
Victor stared at her.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
One of the investors chuckled.
"She's probably saying yes because she doesn't want to admit she doesn't understand."
Amara said nothing.
Victor leaned toward the man sitting beside him.
"Do you hear that?"
"She's claiming she speaks Mandarin."
Victor looked at Amara again.
"Okay."
He switched languages.
The sentence was fast.
Native-level Mandarin.
Most people at the table couldn't understand a word.
Amara listened.
Then she answered in perfect Mandarin.
The room went silent.
Victor's smile disappeared.
"Where did you learn that?"
"My grandmother."
Victor stared at her.
"You understood every word?"
"Yes."
"Everything?"
"Yes."
He leaned back.
Then something changed in his expression.
It wasn't curiosity anymore.
It was challenge.
"Fine."
He picked up his glass.
"I'll make you an offer."
Amara waited.
"If you can hold a five-minute conversation with my business partner in Mandarin, I'll give you ten thousand dollars."
The table erupted in laughter.
Amara looked at him.
"Ten thousand?"
Victor nodded.
"Ten."
"Why?"
"Because I don't believe you."
Amara glanced at the others.
"That seems like a strange reason to give someone money."
Victor smiled.
"Twenty."
Someone laughed.
"Come on, Victor."
Victor raised a hand.
"No."
His eyes remained on Amara.
"Twenty thousand."
Amara shook her head.
"I don't need to prove anything."
Victor's smile became wider.
"Thirty."
She turned away.
"Good evening, Mr. Lang."
"Fifty."
Amara stopped.
Victor watched her.
"One hundred thousand dollars."
The room became completely silent.
Victor leaned forward.
"One hundred thousand if you can prove you actually speak Mandarin."
Amara slowly turned around.
She looked at the millionaire.
Then at the champagne.
Then at the men and women around the table.
Finally, she said:
"Mr. Lang, I don't think you understand what you're really betting against."
Victor laughed.
"What does that mean?"
Amara's eyes remained calm.
"It means you think you're betting against my language skills."
She paused.
"But you're actually betting against everything you assumed about me."
Nobody laughed this time.
Victor stared at her.
Then he smiled.
"Five minutes."
"Five minutes."
"One hundred thousand."
"Yes."
"Deal?"
Amara looked him directly in the eye.
"Deal."
The entire room seemed to hold its breath.
Victor picked up his phone.
"Call Daniel."
Daniel Wei arrived twelve minutes later.
He was Victor's longtime business partner.
Born in Singapore.
Raised in Guangzhou.
Educated in London.
He spoke English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese.
Victor had chosen him for one reason.
Daniel was difficult to impress.
When he entered the room, Victor immediately smiled.
"Daniel, perfect timing."
Daniel looked around.
"What happened?"
Victor pointed toward Amara.
"She says she speaks Mandarin."