Mr. Woods did not expect Hayden to be so direct, and he found himself momentarily caught off guard.

He had come to ask Hayden for money, but he had not thought about exactly how much he wanted. After all, Hayden's family was extremely wealthy, and he did not want to ask for too little and feel shortchanged, nor did he want to risk asking for too much and having Hayden refuse. It was a tough decision.

After a brief internal struggle, Mr. Woods turned to Hayden and said, "I know your family is one of the wealthiest in Aryadelle, so why don't you name the price? I trust you won't mistreat my son and our family."

Hayden furrowed his brows slightly.

Shelly, noticing his hesitation, quickly chimed in, "Uncle, why don't you make an offer? We're not very familiar with this process. If you insist on us naming a price, we might need to consult my father-in-law."

"Elliot Foster, you mean?" Mr. Woods asked.

Shelly nodded. "Yes. My father-in-law isn't as easygoing as my husband. After a