What do the men value more?

"Good evening, gentlemen," the Butler politely begins. "We are gathered here tonight to honour the final wishes of the dearly departed Master Sebastian Carmine."

"Yes yes, cut to the chase," the dearly departed Master Sebastian Carmine insists.

"Most if not all of you are probably wondering what portion of Master Carmine's great wealth you each have inherited." The Butler pulls out a sheet of paper and gives it a token look over. "I am delighted to inform you, gentlemen, that each and every one of you is entitled to receive one billion dollars."

The room explodes into excited cheering. These men may have come from all walks of life, but now they are brethren in wealth. They leap from their seats and start to hug and high-five each other joyously.

Roger does not join in these festivities, remaining seated and concerned. As great as this news is, he senses a caveat approaching, and his suspicion is only furthered by the unanswered question of Becky and the other women's situation.

Apparently he isn't alone in these concerns. A middle-aged man in a tweed suit stomps towards the Butler and pokes a finger accusatorily at his chest.

"Now hold on a minute," he yells, drawing the rest of the men's attention. "That's all well and good, but you owe us an explanation! My wife and I have been here for over a week waiting for the others to arrive, and in all that time she's been stuck in that room and hasn't moved an inch! Just what is the meaning of that?!"

The excitement in the room quiets down as the men murmur in agreement, glancing at the screens and then looking back to the Butler expectantly.

The Butler, for his part, seems utterly unfazed by the man yelling in his face. "A reasonable question, Sir Marsh. I apologise for not being able to explain this matter sooner, as I am aware it has been on all of your minds." He bows low for a moment. "However, you may be happy to hear that I am now at liberty to divulge to you the reasoning behind the unusual circumstances your wives have all been kept in. If you would be so kind as to return to your seats, then I shall continue."

Mr Marsh walks slowly back to his seat, eyeing the Butler suspiciously, and the other men sit back down also. So apparently every woman on the screen is the wife of a man in this room? The numbers would certainly seem to match up at least...

The Butler takes another cursory look at the sheet of paper in his hand, though Roger wagers he likely has everything he needs to say memorised already, judging by his demeanour.

"Regarding the billion-dollar inheritance that you are each entitled to, Master Carmine has placed a condition in his will which you must adhere to in order to receive this money."

Unhappy whispers ripple around the room. Roger feels vindicated in having his suspicion confirmed, but what does this have to do with their wives?

"Master Carmine wanted to ensure that only those who truly appreciated wealth above all else would receive this money. It is for this reason that anyone who wishes to claim their billion dollars..." He pauses for effect, though the effect is somewhat marred by the unwavering monotone of his voice. "...must leave these premises unaccompanied by their wives."

"What?!" several men, including Roger, yell at once, standing up quickly.

The Butler lifts his palms towards the men, making them hesitate long enough to get a few more words in. "Put simply; you must choose between the money and your wives. One of which you shall leave with, and the other we shall keep."

"Keep for what?!" Roger demands as the rest of the men start clamouring along similar lines.

The Butler continues to speak calmly, though somehow his voice is able to still be heard easily over the angry cacophony. "Master Carmine's company has enjoyed a close working relationship with a particular slavery ring over the years. They have provided the business with a substantial, affordable workforce, which greatly aided Master Carmine in making his fortune. To show his appreciation, Master Carmine desires to provide the ring with a parting gift. Your wives have been selected as prime candidates for this present."

"That said," the floating spirit of Sebastian Carmine chimes in, "most of these women would not normally go for quite as much as a billion dollars. This is a very generous offer I'm making here."

"Fuck you!" one of the men yells. "I'm not selling my wife into slavery!"

"Please consider the offer carefully," the Butler urges. "None of you gentlemen are likely to earn even one percent of this amount in your lives otherwise. And rest assured, we can absolutely promise that no legal ramifications of your choice will ever echo back to you. I would stake my pride as a professional on it." He then bows again.

Mr Marsh marches up to the Butler once again. "Absolutely not! Release my wife; we're leaving!"

The Butler looks him calmly in the eye. "Thank you, Sir Marsh, your response has been noted. I shall collect everyone's decision one by one, and any wives who have been selected to leave shall be released once all decisions have been confirmed."

Roger sits and interweaves his fingers, staring intently downwards at his clasped hands. He couldn't abandon Becky to slavery, surely? But he couldn't deny the overwhelming allure of so much money, either...