CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37 : PAIGE VS JENNIFER [1]

Same day after the football match

The video started with a close-up of Zinnia’s mother -- Jennifer Reed’s face. Her expression was cold but her eyes were burning with rage.

She sat in a luxurious office, walls lined with art, shelves displaying awards. Behind her the Reed family crest gleamed on the wall.

"Paige Rayne," she began her voice was sharp. "I challenge you to a bet."

The camera zoomed in slightly.

"Half of my assets. Half of my companies. Everything I’ve built. Against half of yours. Equal stakes. Equal risk."

She leaned forward, hands folded on the desk.

"If you accept, the game will be fair. We’ll use the traditional draft system. Teams of six members only. No more, no less."

Her smile was predatory.

"The game list will be decided by the people. By viewers across the world. I’ve attached a poll to this post. Everyone can vote for the games they want to see. The poll will be hidden no one can see the responses or which game is winning. Fair and transparent."

She paused.

"The draft will work like this: from the list of five games, each team bans one game at a time until only one remains. That will be our battlefield."

Her eyes narrowed.

"So, Paige Rayne. Do you accept this challenge? If you do, be ready tomorrow. The bet will be held at the Next Gen Arena. Tomorrow. No delays.And No excuses."

She tilted her head then her smile widened.

"But if you reject..." She laughed softly. "Well, then the entire world will know that the great Paige Rayne the so-called queen of business is nothing but a coward hiding behind her wealth and reputation."

The video ended.

The post went live across every major platform simultaneously. Within minutes, it exploded.

Paige Rayne sat in her office, reviewing quarterly reports. Her assistant knocked then burst in without waiting for permission.

"Ma’am, you need to see this. Now."

A projection flickered on the wall. Jennifer Reed’s face appeared which was cold and mocking.

Paige watched the entire video in silence. Her jaw tightened with each word. Her fists clenched on the armrests.

When it ended, she exhaled slowly.

"That bitch."

Her assistant hesitated. "Ma’am, the video’s already viral. Millions of views in the first hour. It’s spreading everywhere."

Paige stood, walking to the window. The city lights glittered below.

"She didn’t give me a choice," Paige muttered with a low voice. "The hype she created. The wager. The public engagement. If I back down now everything I’ve built will be in danger. My reputation will be gone. My empire will crumble."

She turned back, face cold.

"Prepare a response. I accept."

The internet exploded.

Within hours, hashtags flooded every platform: #RayneVsReed. #BetOfTheDecade. #WhoWillWin. #Beauties.

Memes appeared by the thousands. Animations showed Paige and Jennifer as gladiators facing off. Artists created epic battle posters. Streamers analyzed every word of Jennifer’s challenge.

News channels picked it up. Reporters camped outside both family estates. Speculation ran wild about what games would be chosen.

The poll Jennifer attached hit one million votes in the first hour. By midnight, it had reached one billion.

Every country, every platform, every corner of the world everyone was talking about it.

This wasn’t just a bet. It was a spectacle. A war between two titans.

The next morning, Jax woke up.

He groaned, rolling over still sore from the football match. His body protested every movement but he forced himself to sit up.

His device buzzed. He grabbed it, squinting at the screen.

Dozens of notifications. Missed calls. Messages.

He frowned. ’What the hell?’

He scrolled through quickly, not really reading. Most of it looked like spam or academy updates. He was still getting used to this smartphone back on Earth, things were simpler.

He’d been too busy with his own amusement lately. The system. The rewards. Planning his next moves. He hadn’t paid attention to the world outside.

As he stood to head to the shower, another notification popped up.

[Message from Kiera: I’m leaving for home. For the bet between House of Rayne and Reed. Don’t embarrass or lower our reputation while I’m gone.]

Jax froze, staring at the screen.

’A bet? What’s that supposed to mean?’

He dialed Kai immediately.

It rang twice. Kai picked up. "Dude, What’s up?"

"Kai. What’s going on? Do you know about a bet?"

Kai’s tone shifted instantly. "A bet? Bro, where do you live? Under a rock? It’s literally the only thing anyone’s talking about right now!"

"Just tell me."

"Alright, alright. So, Zinnia’s mom—Jennifer Reed challenged Paige Rayne to a massive bet. Like, half their assets on the line. Companies, properties, everything. It’s happening today at the Next Gen Arena. The whole world’s watching. It’s insane."

Jax’s mind raced. ’Jennifer Reed. So that’s her move.’

"What’s the game?"

"No one knew until last night. They did this whole draft thing. Viewers voted on five games, then both sides banned options until one was left."

Jax’s lips curved slightly.

"Dude, are you—"

Jax cut the call before Kai could finish.

He sat on the edge of his bed.

"So that bitch was..." He paused, then murmured quietly, "Jennifer. It’s still two days before I claim you. Let’s see how confident you are that day."

He stood, grabbing his uniform, mind already calculating.

-- -- --

The Next Gen Arena sat at the heart of Neo Veridia like a glowing monument.

It was the main hub for all major bets in the world. The place where fortunes were won and lost. Where reputations were built or destroyed.

Massive screens wrapped around its exterior, broadcasting live feeds to the streets below. Crowds packed the surrounding plaza.

Inside, the arena was a cathedral of technology. Tiered seating stretched high, filled to capacity. Holo-screens floated above the main floor, showing angles of the central stage. Drones zipped through the air, capturing every moment.

This place had witnessed countless battles over the years.

But today felt different.

This would be one of the greatest bets of the decade.

Jennifer Reed stood on one side of the stage, arms crossed, face calm. She wore a sleek black suit, her dark hair pulled back tight. Confidence radiated from her like heat.

Behind her stood her team. Six figures in matching uniforms. All women. All professionals.

Across from her, Paige Rayne stood with her own team. She wore a dark blue suit, elegant but practical.

Her team was balanced. Diverse.

One girl with a lean build and sharp eyes was an archery specialist, known for precision under pressure.

Another with broad shoulders and thick arms—a strength competitor, unmatched in physical contests.

A third woman with glasses and an intense gaze—an intelligence expert, a master at puzzles, riddles, and strategic thinking.

An older man, gray-haired but steady—a cooking champion, calm and experienced.

And then Kiera. She stood beside her mother, face cold, arms crossed. She’d arrived just in time.

Paige glanced at her daughter. "Glad you could make it."

Kiera nodded once. "I wouldn’t miss this."

On the other side, Zinnia appeared from the wings. Her face was pale, eyes red. She walked toward her mother hesitantly.

Jennifer turned sharply.

Her hand moved faster than anyone expected.

Slap!

The sound cracked through the arena. Zinnia’s head snapped to the side, her cheek flaring red.

The crowd gasped.

Jennifer’s voice was ice. "You humiliated our family. You lost to a boy. You made me look weak."

Zinnia’s lips trembled but she said nothing.

Jennifer leaned closer her voice was low. "People are watching right now, so I’ll keep this short. But when I see you at home? I will punish you. Properly."

She turned away, dismissing Zinnia entirely.

Zinnia stood there, trembling, then slowly walked to the sidelines. She wasn’t needed in the team. She was just filling a spot. A placeholder.

Jennifer didn’t need her. She never had.

Jennifer had built her team with one purpose: to dominate a single game. She knew what the final game would be. She’d known from the very beginning.

This entire spectacle the poll, the votes, the draft it was all orchestrated.

Jennifer owned one of the top ethical hacking groups in the world. Infiltrating a simple social media platform’s backend? Child’s play.

Her hackers had removed three random games from the original poll results and replaced them with the ones she wanted. The ones that favored her team.

The poll was never fair. It was rigged from the start.

And now, Paige was walking into a trap.

The announcer’s voice boomed across the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the bet of the decade!"

The crowd roared.

"On one side, we have Jennifer Reed—head of the Reed family, founder of multiple empires: art galleries, auction houses, pharmaceuticals, game development studios, and more!"

Cheers erupted from one half of the crowd.

"On the other side, Paige Rayne—real estate mogul, wellness empire owner, gambling site founder, and one of the most powerful businesswomen in Neo Veridia!"

The other half screamed louder.

"The stakes? Half of each family’s assets. Properties. Companies. Wealth. The winner takes it all!"

The arena shook with noise.

"Now, let’s reveal the games chosen by the people!"

The holo-screens above flickered. Dramatic music swelled.

The first game appeared in glowing letters.

1. Etherball (Tactical Sports Combat)

"A blend of rugby, dodgeball, and spell combat! Two teams of six compete to carry a glowing energy orb—the Ether into the enemy’s goal zone! Our very first game and that too a VR one".

The crowd cheered.

The second game appeared.

2. VR Kart Race

"High-speed virtual racing with power-ups, traps and ruthless competition!"

More cheers.

The third game appeared.

Jennifer’s lips curved into a smile.

3. HoloStrike (Tactical Shooter)

"A massive arena filled with floating hard-light cover blocks that constantly shift every thirty seconds! Players wear neural visors and physical suits with recoil-feedback weapons—light but realistic! Real movement matters: ducking, sliding, sprinting—all tracked physically! VR overlay shows decoy avatars and fake projectiles; only quick reflexes reveal the real ones! Team goal: eliminate or capture the opposing team’s base beacon!"

Paige’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’A shooting game.’

The fourth game appeared.

4. Bullseye

"Classic target shooting! Precision, accuracy and nerves of steel!"

Paige’s jaw tightened. ’Two shooting games now.’

The fifth and final game appeared.

5. StrikeZone (Physical Combat Sport)

"A 6v6 physical combat sport where each player wields a laser rifle and wears sensor armor! A single laser hit on the armor eliminates the player instantly! The last player standing wins for their team!"

The crowd erupted.

Paige’s mind raced. ’Three aim-based games out of five. The odds are skewed. Something’s off. This doesn’t feel random.’

But she couldn’t prove it. Not here. Not now.

The announcer raised his hands. "Now, the draft begins! Each side will ban one game at a time until only one remains!"

Paige stepped forward, voice firm. "I ban HoloStrike."

One of the shooting games disappeared from the screen.

Jennifer smiled. "I ban VR Kart Race."

Paige’s eyes narrowed. ’She’s protecting her shooting games.’

"I ban Bullseye."

Jennifer’s smile widened. "I ban Etherball."

One game remained on the screen.

StrikeZone

The crowd roared. The decision was final.

Jennifer’s smile never faltered. ’Perfect.’

The setup for StrikeZone began immediately.

Both teams were led to preparation rooms. Assistants handed out armor—sleek, form-fitting suits that covered every inch of their bodies.

The armor glowed faintly with blue light, sensors embedded throughout. Even their faces were covered by visors, protecting them from laser injuries.

The suits were advanced—lightweight but durable, designed to detect the slightest laser contact and lock the wearer’s movement instantly upon elimination.

Jennifer stood in her team’s prep room, watching her squad suit up.

All six were professionals. All women. All from the top tier of Shooting leagues.

She’d recruited the best. The elite. The ones who’d never lost.

She smiled coldly. ’No one can defeat me here.’

In the other prep room, Paige’s team suited up in silence.

Kiera adjusted her visor, face hidden behind the glowing blue mask. Her grip tightened on the laser rifle.

Paige checked her own weapon, mind still racing

The announcer’s voice echoed through the arena. "Teams, take your positions!"

Both teams walked onto the main floor.

The arena was compact designed to prevent camping, to force engagement. Metal cover zones, ramps, and energy barriers filled the space. It wasn’t huge like a battlefield. It was tight, fast-paced.

Results would come within two hours.

The crowd fell silent as the teams lined up on opposite sides.

The countdown began.

10... 9... 8...

Paige’s grip tightened on her rifle.

Jennifer’s smile never wavered.

3... 2... 1...

The arena lights flashed.

The battle began.