The atmosphere outside the luxurious auction house changed the instant the two limited-edition Mercedes-Maybach vehicles came to a smooth stop before the entrance.The security guards who had stepped out first moved with practiced precision. Their suits were immaculate—dark, perfectly tailored, and clearly expensive. Their expressions were serious as they scanned the surroundings before approaching the rear door of the first vehicle.Guests standing nearby became noticeably quieter.Even the attendants at the entrance straightened their postures.One of the guards reached for the back door and opened it carefully.For a brief moment, nothing happened.Then Megan stepped out.The entire place seemed to fall silent.Megan emerged from the back seat with an effortless grace that immediately drew every eye in the area. She was dressed elegantly, her appearance refined and commanding without needing to do anything dramatic. There was something about the way she carried herself that made it

Victoria’s question had barely left her mouth when Megan’s expression changed, and the calm, composed look she had maintained since stepping out of the Maybach disappeared completely, replaced by a sharp, unmistakable irritation that caused Victoria to freeze where she stood.For a moment, Victoria could not believe what she had just heard.Damien was equally stunned.Neither of them had expected Megan to respond in such a direct and aggressive manner, especially not in front of the wealthy guests, the security guards, and the other influential people who had gathered around the entrance of the auction hall.Megan had not attempted to hide her annoyance.She had not lowered her voice.She had not tried to preserve the polite image people associated with her.Instead, she had looked straight at Victoria and asked her who the hell she was, as though Victoria were nothing more than an intruder who had suddenly appeared to disturb her evening.The words struck Victoria’s pride.Her mouth

Damien remained rooted to the spot long after Megan and Ethan had disappeared through the grand entrance of the auction hall, his eyes still fixed on the doors as though he expected them to open again and reveal that everything he had just witnessed had been some elaborate misunderstanding, because the words Megan had spoken were not ordinary threats, and neither was the authority behind them.He knew Megan.He knew the kind of influence she possessed, the kind of connections she had built, and the kind of damage she could cause if she decided that someone had become an enemy. Megan did not need to stand in front of a person and personally destroy them; she only needed to make one phone call, send one message, or quietly mention a family name to the right person, and everything could begin falling apart before anyone even understood what had happened.If she truly turned her attention toward his family, their situation would become unbearable.His family had already been struggling to

He could not allow her to look at him as though he had no value at the very moment he was trying to remain close to her. If he told her that the plan was impossible because he lacked the money, she might dismiss him, accuse him of being afraid, or decide to act without him. Any of those possibilities could place him in an even worse position.So, for a brief moment, Damien considered pretending.He could act as though he had enough resources to support her. He could promise to arrange whatever was needed and find a way to worry about the consequences later. Perhaps he could borrow the money from someone, sell an asset, or persuade one of his family’s remaining partners to assist him, although none of those options was reliable, and every one of them carried risks that could further weaken his family.He looked at Victoria again.She was still watching the entrance, completely absorbed in her determination to rescue Megan from Ethan. In her mind, this was no longer simply an investigat

Victoria studied him.“What do you mean?”“We are going to enter the auction and observe what Ethan and Megan intend to do,” Damien explained. “But I may not be able to participate financially in the same way you can.”Victoria’s expression shifted slightly.Damien immediately continued, carefully presenting his weakness as an unfortunate circumstance rather than a personal failure.“I did not come here prepared for an auction,” he said. “I came because my father asked me to meet someone and try to settle a business matter. I did not bring my card with me, and I did not expect to spend money tonight.”Victoria listened silently.“You also know that my membership with Sky Bank has been suspended,” Damien continued. “The money my family has in the bank has not yet been transferred elsewhere. The bank told us that the process could take at least forty-eight hours, and it may take even longer because of the complications surrounding the account.”He gave a restrained sigh.“So, at this mo