*****For days, Sarah’s mother had buried herself beneath denial, refusing to acknowledge guilt because admitting she had been wrong would mean admitting that she had helped destroy the life of the very man who had once treated her family with nothing but sincerity.Even after fleeing Riverton City, she had continued telling herself that she had merely made a mistake.But this time, there was nowhere left for that excuse to hide.The truth was standing before her in plain sight.Her vision suddenly blurred.The strength drained from her legs in the next second, and before she could even realize what was happening, her eyes rolled slightly upward as her body slumped toward the floor.“Someone has fainted!”A burst of laughter immediately erupted from nearby.“Hahaha! The president is the new Michael Jackson!”The absurd comment was the last thing she clearly heard before consciousness began slipping away.Even in her fading state, Sarah’s mother felt a fresh wave of humiliation.They t

*****The auction wasn’t scheduled to begin until later that evening, so after Xavier dropped his luggage in his presidential suite, he still had plenty of time to freshen up, eat something, and, most importantly, spend time with his wife.What was supposed to be a short video call quickly stretched past one hour, then two, yet neither Xavier nor Grace seemed remotely interested in ending it first.They talked about everything and nothing, simply enjoying each other’s presence despite the distance between them.Even when their conversation slowed and comfortable silence took over, neither seemed willing to press the button that would separate them.Unfortunately, time waited for no married couple, no matter how unwilling they were to part. Eventually, they had to do what they had to do.With nothing else demanding his attention for the moment, Xavier decided to take a quick tour of the presidential suite.His eyes wandered over the luxurious furnishings, spacious living area, expensiv

*****‘Who are these people?’That question seemed to flash across countless faces.People looked at the Escalade, then at Xavier, Ayra, and Sage, then back at the Escalade.There was no enormous convoy behind them. No private jets lined up nearby. No fighter jets roaring overhead. No absurd procession of servants. No elephants.Nothing.Just one ordinary-looking luxury vehicle and four people who had arrived without making enough noise to announce their presence to the entire coastline.The judgment was immediate.Some gazes became curious.Others turned condescending.A few people even looked at them with undisguised disdain, deciding within seconds that these three had either come to the wrong place or were too insignificant to deserve attention.Xavier noticed every one of those gazes but couldn't be bothered to react.Mistress Ayra noticed them too.Her eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, the playful woman who had been teasing Xavier disappeared, replaced by an elegant, emo

*****The entire vicinity fell deathly silent the instant Xavier’s question rang out.For a moment, it was as though the entire auction entrance had been frozen in place.Conversations stopped halfway through. Laughter vanished. Even those eagerly watching the confrontation suddenly held their breath.Everyone, whether natives of Beetose City or visitors from other cities, stared at Xavier as though he had just committed an act so outrageous that they couldn't believe they had actually heard him correctly.Did this man truly just ask Young Master Matthew if he was deaf?Everyone knew Matthew’s reputation in the city.He wasn't someone who went around deliberately searching for trouble. In fact, compared with many other arrogant young masters, he was relatively restrained.But whenever trouble came looking for him, Matthew was never the type to back away from it.He welcomed confrontation with the confidence of someone who knew that there would always be someone powerful standing behin

*****After the initial excitement, nearly everyone turned toward Mistress Ayra with the same expression.‘What is she waiting for?’‘Just accept already.’Everyone believed she would take the offer.After all, according to their way of thinking, she had everything to gain and almost nothing to lose.She would spend one night with Matthew, and in return, he would elevate her and her so-called man to heights they could never have reached on their own.To them, it was the simplest transaction imaginable.Pure profit.Yet…Mistress Ayra didn't answer immediately.She simply stared at Matthew for what felt like an eternity.The longer she stared, the more uncomfortable the surrounding crowd became.Matthew's confident smile remained, but even he began wondering why she was taking so long.Then suddenly…“Urgh!”Mistress Ayra made a retching sound.She covered her mouth and turned her face slightly, looking genuinely as though she might throw up.The crowd froze.Matthew's smile stiffened.