"Well, I recently discovered that an incredible breeder and trainer was hiding away in the mountains and managed to secure all the first three places in the national equestrian championship. While I was away at the ti, I had my team try to make a deal to buy the champion horses. Unfortunately, we hit a dead end because the owner was unwilling to sell, despite my insistence that they acquire the horses at any cost."
Hera furrowed her brows, recalling how, after the race, several people had approached Bry’s father to close a deal. The highest offer made for Diamond was only $100,000, which struck her as odd—it was as if they thought they could purchase the horse for the sa amount it had won in the championship or it was only worth as much.
If the manager truly hadn’t set a limit, the price for Diamond could have easily reached millions, as champion horses often sell for $1-5 million at auctions among the wealthy. Even if Bry’s father chose not to sell Diamond, selling the other two horses would have significantly helped cover the expenses for Bry’s uncle’s dication and rehabilitation while they stayed in the city which could still easily reach millions.
Hera sensed that sothing wasn’t adding up, and she couldn’t ignore it. Since this racecourse was part of her family’s assets, she had a vested interest in ensuring everything was transparent. She didn’t want to leave the manager in the dark, especially if he was unaware of certain details.
"That doesn’t quite add up," Hera remarked, catching the manager’s attention. Bry’s father shifted slightly, knowing he had sothing to contribute to the conversation. However, bringing it up now would make him seem opportunistic, especially after he had already turned down all previous offers. He didn’t want to tarnish the positive impression the manager had of him by reopening the subject.
"What seems off, Young Miss?" the manager asked, his expression a mix of curiosity and respect. Zhane and Dave exchanged puzzled glances, equally intrigued by Hera’s remark. Bry, sensing the conversation was more for the adults, stayed quiet, observing the exchange from the sidelines.
"You ntioned that your team was instructed to buy the champion horse without a set limit, aning the price could’ve easily reached millions," Hera began, her expression feigning confusion. "Are you really willing to purchase the horse with that kind of budget?" She hesitated, as if unsure whether to continue, not wanting to speak out of turn without all the facts, giving the impression that there was more on her mind but holding back to avoid misstepping.
"Yes, that’s exactly how I acquire champion horses each year," the manager explained to Hera, not holding back since he knew she would understand. "Riders and trainers invest years perfecting these horses’ skills, and millions in compensation is usually expected. Raising a horse, especially one of quality and exceptional breed, is incredibly expensive—it’s no small feat."
Hera nodded thoughtfully. "But that’s exactly what’s strange," she began, her tone reflective. "From what I know, the highest offer we received after the race was only $100,000 for our champion horse, and even less for the two runner-ups—essentially the sa amount as the prize money we won. No one offered beyond that. In fact, I recall one man offering to buy the champion horse for just $60,000 to $70,000, which was even less than the race’s prize. It felt... off."
Hera wasn’t trying to dismiss the offer—it was, after all, a substantial amount of money. However, considering the cost of raising these horses with the highest quality feed, care, dicine, and supplents, the investnt easily ran into tens of thousands. If they were comrcial breeders who only needed about two years to raise and train their horses at lower costs, the offer would make sense. But for breeders like them, who invested heavily in every detail, the amount barely scratched the surface of what these horses were truly worth.
Given the ti and effort Bry’s family had invested in Diamond, that offer wouldn’t even cover half of the expenses. In fact, by continuing to enter Diamond in equestrian races, they could potentially earn far more from each win. That’s precisely why others were eager to buy Diamond—they saw the sa long-term potential in the horse.
Diamond is still young and hasn’t yet reached its full potential, so there’s a lot of room for improvent. Hera knew that many recognized this potential, which is why they were eager to buy Diamond. However, their offers lacked sincerity and seed aid at exploiting Bry’s family rather than reflecting the true value of the horse.
After Hera ntioned the offers Bry’s family had received for their champion horse, the manager was visibly shocked. He stood up abruptly, his disbelief evident. He couldn’t understand why such an exceptional horse had only been offered so little. Having seen the footage of the race, he was impressed by the horse’s performance, though he hadn’t focused much on the rider. Despite this, he was determined to purchase the horse, regardless of the price.
Despite his frustration, the manager had initially accepted the owner’s refusal to sell the horse. However, hearing this new perspective from Hera, he began to reconsider. He trusted Hera’s honesty, recognizing that she had no reason to deceive anyone; after all, she owned the racecourse and was financially secure, so there was no need for her to engage in under-the-table dealings.
This suggested a problem with his subordinate. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and made a call, disregarding the fact that everyone was still at the table. He was determined to uncover the truth.
Before the first ring had a chance to end, the call was answered. "Hello, sir. How may I assist you?" ca the polite voice from the other end.
"Hi, I wanted to follow up on the champion horse from this year’s national championship and the two runner-up horses. Is there truly no way to convince the owner to sell them? I’ve been thinking about these horses constantly and am very eager to acquire them," the manager’s voice conveyed an urgency and frustration as if he hadn’t been able to rest easily over the matter.
"Sir, I made every effort I could, offering $5 million for the two runner-up horses and up to $10 million for the champion black steed, knowing how much you wanted them. Unfortunately, despite my attempts, we weren’t successful," the voice sounded resigned, reflecting a sense of deep frustration and helplessness.
"Did you actually speak directly with the owner and they still refused to sell?" the manager asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. He glanced between Bry’s father and Hera, feeling a flush of embarrassnt. It was becoming evident that sothing unusual was happening.
"Yes, sir. As soon as the race ended, I went to where the owners and riders were. I even overheard soone making a joke about offering around $70,000 for the champion horse, as if they were entitled to it. I was a bit delayed getting there, and by the ti I arrived, the owner had already started to leave. I had to catch up with their retreating group. I spoke with his daughter and presented our offer, but she mocked , saying I was cheap and should just keep the money. I—I admit I was quite flustered and ended up storming off." The voice on the other end faltered, a hint of embarrassnt creeping in as he admitted his unprofessional reaction.
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