Noah, still reeling from the sudden shift in power, nodded slowly. He glanced at Chantel, who was watching him with a mixture of concern and suspicion, her eyes narrowed, her body tense as she watched them. And Noah couldn't really blame her.The transition was honestly jarring. One moment, Noah was being hunted by the eyes of the elite; the next, he was to be escorted to meet the host of this auction."All right." Theo grinned, clapping his hand and bringing Noah back to the present. Turning on his heel, he motioned at the pale faced guards, two of which immediately stepped into place on each of his sides, nearly crowding him in as they both placed a hand on each elbow, the gesture translating to ‘move.’Noah swallowed thickly.Chantel immediately tried to get to him, her stilettos clicking sharply against the stone, but a wall of Shinren’s elite guards stepped into her path. "The Director requested the Chairman alone," the lead guard said, his voice a flat, metallic rasp.Chante

The aftermath of Noah's departure hung heavy in the air. The tension, though lessened, hadn't completely dissipated. The murmurs of the crowd were hushed, speculative, and laced with a palpable unease. The spectacle of Steven Crestwood's public humiliation, coupled with Theo Tacyeon's appearance, had left everyone on edge.Meanwhile, in the auction hall, Steven Crestwood, feeling a mix of humiliation and rage, made it his personal mission to spoil Noah's already pitiful reputation as much as possible.Even going as far to move from table to table, weaving a web of deceit and misinformation. His voice, though lowered, carried an undercurrent of maliciousness, his eyes darting hungrily as he spread his own story of the event.."Did you hear?" he whispered to a group of socialites, his voice dripping with false concern. "They're saying Stone is being interrogated. Apparently, the card he used is linked to a network of counterfeiters operating across multiple continents."He paused, a

He released Noah’s arm.Tacyeon immediately let go of his wrist, leaving a ring of purple on the heir's pale wrist before stepping back till he was behind his master once more whose cold face seemed to grow icier by the second's.He needed to beg, to grovel, anything to put him back in the good graces of shinren.Steven gulped, both hands lifting in supplication as he faced the host.“I… I apologize if there was a misunderstanding—” he started.However, Marcus raised a hand and Steven quickly fell quiet.“You,” Marcus said slowly, “have been speaking rather loudly tonight.”Steven forced a smile.“I was only protecting the integrity of your institution—”Marcus’s lips curled slightly. “It was not needed nor requested Crestwood." He hissed.He took a step closer, looming over Steven with his 6’1 frame and causing the man to shrink back."You are a pathetic insect, Crestwood," Shinren said, his words dripping with disdain. "You are a disgrace to your family name. You are an embarrassmen

They both lapsed into silence then, not really knowing what else to say to the other after the moment they just had.Noah cleared his throat, the sound unnaturally loud in the sterile quiet of the hospital room. He shifted on the edge of the crisp white bed, suddenly feeling intensely awkward. He carefully avoided looking at Chantel, his eyes tracing the linoleum floor patterns instead. Beside the bed, Chantel smoothed the front of her ruined designer gown, internally scolding herself. She was Chantel Dubois, the Senior Director of Apex Sovereign. She was known for her ice-cold demeanor and ruthless efficiency. Yet, here she was, blushing like a schoolgirl after throwing her arms around a man she had met less than a day ago. It honestly baffled her. The sheer volume of emotion this mysterious Noah Stone had managed to wring out of her was unprecedented. From the initial intrigue at the bank, to the worry during the auction, to the raw, unfiltered concern when he collapsed, and

The thugs stopped their pacing, turning their attention to the man in the bespoke suit. The leader, a wiry man with a scarred cheek and a crowbar resting on his shoulder, sneered. "Look at this," the leader mocked, spitting on the ground. "You're the beggar playing dress-up. You caused a lot of trouble for some very rich people tonight, Stone.”Noah stood perfectly still, his hands resting loosely at his sides. "You don't have to do this," he said, his voice remarkably calm. "Just take whatever you were paid and walk away. You don't know what you're getting involved in."The thugs laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Hear that, boys? This idiot is giving us advice!" The leader stepped forward, raising the crowbar. "We're gonna break all your fucking bones, Stone. And then we're gonna see what that pretty lady in the car wants to give us to leave her alone."Noah’s eyes darkened. "Leave her out of this. We don't want any trouble.""Trouble is what we're selling," another one replied, cra