Chapter: 74. Cutiepie In The Past“Adrian.”The moment he heard his name, he snapped out of it instantly.Adrian took a step back, the movement sharp and reflexive, as if he had pulled his hand away from something hot. His head turned toward the direction the voice had come from, his expression resetting into something neutral and controlled.The space between them returned all at once.Sofia stayed where she was.Her chest felt tight.“…Timing,” she thought bitterly. “It’s always the timing.”Disappointment settled first, followed closely by a quieter, heavier sadness that she didn’t quite know what to do with. She lowered her gaze for a moment, then forced herself to look up again.Letty stepped into view a second later.She looked between them briefly, but there was no suspicion in her eyes, no sharpness or tension. If she noticed anything unusual, she didn’t show it.“I’ve got a limousine arranged,” she said casually. “We can drop you off first, Sofia, then Adrian and I will head back.”Sofia nodded automatically.
Last Updated: 2026-01-14
Chapter: 73. "I Missed You"They left not long after.Adrian excused himself, Sofia followed, and they walked out without anyone trying to stop them or say anything more. Once they were outside, the noise from inside dulled behind them, turning into something distant and easier to ignore.Sofia let out a slow breath.She hadn’t realized how tight her chest felt until it eased.They walked a short distance before Adrian spoke.“Sorry about that,” he said. “I didn’t expect that we’d have to deal with stuck up elitists.”Sofia looked at him, a little surprised.“…He’s apologizing to me?” she thought.She shook her head. “It’s not your fault,” she said. “Victor was being an ass. That’s on him, not you.”She hesitated, then added, almost sheepishly, “And honestly… even if he was being an ass, the food was actually really good. Weird, but good. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anything like that before.”Her lips curved into a small smile as the memory surfaced again.The bone. The toast. The tastes that had caught her o
Last Updated: 2026-01-14
Chapter: 72. Exceeding ExpectationsThe phone vibrated once, then again.Adrian lowered it from his ear without saying anything. He did not look around the table and he did not rush. He unlocked the phone, opened the app Hale had just sent him access to, and navigated to the account overview in a straightforward sequence of taps. There was no hesitation in his movements and no pause that suggested calculation or second thoughts. Once the screen loaded, he placed the phone flat on the table, face up, where everyone could see it clearly.The number sat there in plain text.$802,417,936.28For a brief moment, nobody spoke.Not because they had missed it, but because their minds needed time to adjust to what they were seeing.Letty was the first to truly register it.Her expression did not change dramatically, but her focus sharpened as her eyes traced the number again, slower this time. Eight hundred million. Not valuation. Not projected net worth. It was literal cash sitting in an account.“…One of my accounts,” she thou
Last Updated: 2026-01-14
Chapter: 71. Unfounded Accusations“You’re so nice, Sir Angelo. I’m sure Letty is extremely grateful for the gift you’ve given her,” Victor said sweetly, leaning forward with an sweet smile.Angelo’s lips curved upward.The smile was clean and polite but it was also a little stiff at the corners.“It’s for charity,” he said evenly. “If it helps, then it’s money well spent.”Victor nodded eagerly, satisfied, then slowly turned his attention across the table.His expression hardened as his gaze locked onto Adrian.“You know,” Victor said, voice smooth but sharpened with intent, “what you did just now is actually illegal.”Everyone at the table looked at him, and then at Adrian.Sofia’s spine went rigid.“…Illegal?” she thought, her heart pounding. “What does he mean illegal?”She looked at Adrian’s phone, then at his face, then back at Victor. Her palms grew damp under the table.Letty, on the other hand, barely reacted.She turned her head slightly, eyes settling on Victor with a look that was neither alarmed nor curiou
Last Updated: 2026-01-13
Chapter: 70. The Bidding War“I see.” Adrian muttered before he turned to look at Letty, “It’s at four million now.”“Yeah… I guess it’ll slow down from now.” she said softly as she stared at her phone. Adrian put in seven million without hesitation. There was no pause, no build up and no show off. He typed the number in, confirmed it, and set the phone back down on the table like he’d just paid for food.The room didn’t react much at first.A few seconds later, another bid came in.7,100,000.Then another.7,200,000.The numbers crept upward in small, careful steps. Nobody wanted to be the first to jump too far. Adrian watched the screen quietly, his finger tapping the edge of the table in a slow, steady rhythm. He didn’t rush, didn’t frown, didn’t look around to see who was watching or who was bidding.Letty noticed.“…He’s really doing this,” she thought, her gaze fixed on his phone. “But why?”Another bid.7,400,000.Then again.7,600,000.She glanced at his face. He looked calm, almost detached, but she’d s
Last Updated: 2026-01-13
Chapter: 69. 20 MillionLetty looked at him, genuinely surprised.It wasn’t the question itself. It was the timing. The way he’d asked it so calmly, like he already knew the answer mattered.“…He wouldn’t ask that if he wasn’t planning something,” she thought, eyes lingering on his face for a moment longer than necessary. “Is he… going to bid too?”The thought unsettled her more than she expected.She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice so the others wouldn’t immediately jump in. “There isn’t a market price yet,” she said. “This car hasn’t been released. Panther’s using this auction to create hype.” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “Whatever number it sells for tonight… that becomes the reference point. Probably around 50% of the auction price. It’ll help with investors, buyers and also brand name.”She glanced briefly toward the center of the hall before continuing. “It helps them. And it also helps my charity.”Then she hesitated.“You don’t have to bid,” she added quickly, meeting his eyes. “R
Last Updated: 2026-01-12
