Chapter Five: The Ghost Bid
last update2026-03-24 21:52:15

The van drove to the VIP parking lot and pulled over. There were several Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG parked around, their bodies sleek. They belonged to the VIP clients who patronized the Night Garden.

Browny and Winston alighted first, then the two other henchmen with Margaret. They were gripping her a little more tightly, overcome by excitement. They all wanted to see the man who had bidded $1 billion for the young girl.

They walked toward the large building standing before them. It had ten floors, consisting of the nightclub, lounge, sex gallery, and VIP rooms.

A lanky man walked out of the building, running toward them. He stopped before Winston, bending over to gasp for air.

The three henchmen exchanged glances before looking at the girl. She was now tired from all the wriggling and thrashing, her body very still.

“S-sorry boss!” The lanky man held his chest. “It's just that I had to run down here… the moment I heard you'd arrived!”

“And why is that, Manager Josh?” Winston asked. The lanky man was none other than the manager of his biggest nightclub, Night Garden.

“The wealthy man’s PA is already waiting at the sex gallery!” Josh replied instantly, then pointed at something.

Everyone's eyes trailed his hand, looking in that direction. And that was when they saw the car parked in one of the VIP parking lots. Their eyes widened, hearts in their throat when they recognized the model.

It was a Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail which cost around $30 million! And it was coated in gold and platinum!

“What…” Winston's voice cracked, breath hitching. Now he understood why Josh was excited.

“Take me to his PA instantly!” He instructed Josh.

“Alright, alright,” Josh replied and led them to the sex gallery, where sex workers were exhibited for VIP members. Winston was the one who came up with this term.

They took the elevator to the tenth floor, entering the sex gallery. There a woman was seated on an expensive couch, legs crossed. She was dressed in a black suit, a pair of glasses perched on her nose bridge.

Winston faltered when he saw her. This was the PA of the wealthy bidder, he had to present a very good image.

“Good afternoon, Ma'am,” he greeted with a warm smile, gesturing at the two henchmen behind him.

They brought Margaret over, standing behind him silently. Their heads were held high, not betraying any hint of emotion.

“You can call me Jane,” the woman said, her grey eyes peering at Winston. “Let's just cut the chase and go straight to business. My boss wants that girl for one billion dollars.”

“I'm sorry, Ma'am… I mean Jane,” Winston lowered his head, lips trembling. “But… but are you really sure about this? A billion dollars…”

“Do you want the deal or not?” Jane frowned.

“Of course! I want it!” Winston flashed a smile, his greed winning over his instincts in the end.

“Good,” Jane said. “My boss doesn't fancy places like this, so we'd head to BlueBird Hotels.”

Winston’s eyes widened when he heard this. Bluebird Hotels was the biggest five-star hotel in the entire state, a home to the wealthiest men all over the world! A few hours there costs millions of dollars!

“Sure, sure,” he nodded, glancing at the men.

Quickly, they all left for BlueBird Hotels in the Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail. They were supposed to take their van, but Jane insisted they take hers. The driver was a lean man dressed in a tailored suit. He only talked to Jane and ignored everyone else.

Winston was infuriated by his cold attitude but controlled himself. After the deal had been finalized, he would become extremely wealthy! Drivers like him would no longer look down on him.

They got to BlueBird Hotels, a skyscraper with hundreds of floors. Jane led them into an elevator which took them to the topmost floor. They lit the elevator and walked to the lounge.

A tall man dressed in a black tailored suit had his back toward them, facing the window. Winston’s eyes drifted toward the gold bracelet on his left wrist, heart thumping instantly.

That must be worth millions of dollars! He screamed inwardly, trying hard to maintain his composure.

“Boss, they're here,” Jane said, voice neutral as if rehearsed perfectly.

“Good,” the man replied, his voice sounding too familiar to Winston and Margaret.

Slowly, he turned around and Winston's jaw dropped. It wasn't just him, but the three henchmen and Margaret. The person standing before them was none other than Jack Neuman!

What?! Browny’s eyes flashed. He'd shot the man, killing him! How then was he still alive and standing here?

If he'd just survived, that was easier to believe. But now he was a very wealthy man who could afford Bluebird Hotels and a $1 billion bid! This was impossible, except they were all dreaming!

Winston glanced at his men and they immediately pushed Margaret to the floor. In the blink of an eye, they reached out their hands into their trousers to pull out revolvers. Now they had to make sure he was really dead.

But Jane and the driver beat them to it. The duo slid across the floor and tackled the three henchmen to the ground. Everything happened in the blink of an eye, it took Winston a few seconds to realize what was happening.

Browny and the other two had been disarmed, lying on the floor with broken backs and jaws. They were groaning in pain, unable to move.

Winston’s pupils dilated when he saw the driver and Jane stood up slowly. The personal assistant gently grabbed Margaret from the floor and took her to Jack, while the driver stayed by his side.

“Jack?” Margaret whispered, tears rolling down her face. Although she found it hard to believe, she was still happy. She hugged her elder brother tightly and began crying.

“I'm alive, Margaret,” Jack said. “I'm not dead.”

At that moment, Winston stood frozen on the spot. Everything still seemed like a dream, but his henchmen lying on the ground told him otherwise.

“Now,” Jack's voice jolted him from his thoughts. He looked up and saw that the man was no longer hugging his sister.

Jack walked toward Winston, one shiny shoe after the other. “Now, how do I repay you for your actions?” He asked, voice cold as if rehearsed for decades. It was perfectly emotionless.

Continue to read this book for free
Scan the code to download the app

Latest Chapter

  • Chapter Seventy-Two: A Perilous Situation and Blooming Situationship

    Jane was about to leave when the iron door of the Beetle Anvil bar shut behind her. She felt the atmospheric pressure inside the tavern shift entirely, the low rumbling hum of casual criminal chatter dying down instantly. It was replaced by a sudden, unnatural stillness that made the air feel thick and heavy.‘Something’s wrong…’ she thought, narrowing her eyes.Unbeknownst to Jane, Philemon was never just a low-level, terrified scout caught off guard by a sleek revolver. The moment the cold steel of her revolver left his flesh, the trembling coward ice-melted away. A cold, calculating grin carved its way onto his scarred face. Keeping his hands perfectly steady and hidden beneath the sticky, alcohol-soaked bar counter, he firmly pressed a hidden transmitter button linked directly to an encrypted underground network.Two miles away, buried deep beneath the cold stone foundations of the 4th Street cathedral, a high-tech terminal buzzed with that exact frequency. Darlington Campbell lea

  • Chapter Seventy-One: A Detour Through the Valley of Death

    The quiet hum of the Rolls-Royce engine was the only sound inside the luxury cabin as the flashing lights of Kansas City's central district began to fade in the rearview mirror.Jack sat back against the leather seat, his fingers lightly tapping against his knee. The dark, confident smile he had worn while leaving Mary Greene behind had settled into a sharp, contemplative line.He was quietly thinking about the Mayor's words, wondering what had led the man to think he'd agree to his offer. When did Mayor Garrick conceive the notion that he was afraid of being exposed?Beside him, the blush on Jane's cheeks had faded, replaced by the rigid posture of a professional waiting for orders. She knew Jack too well… Anytime he assumed a serious expression, a plan was brewing. It was only a matter of time before he came up with something and shared it with them…or better still, gave her a task.“I never expected you to do that,” she finally said.“Do what?” Jack asked.“Refuse the Mayor's offer

  • Chapter Seventy: The Mayor's Offer

    The thick, heavy silence that had settled over the ballroom upon Jack's entrance slowly began to fracture. A low murmur of voices replaced it. Even with James and Mary standing near the front of the room, the gravity of the entire event had completely shifted toward the isolated corner where Jack stood with Jane and Brandon.Jack quietly exhaled, his gaze sharpening as he continued to scan the crowd. Now that Jane was standing close as his official date for the evening, her stunning white dress and the sharp, protective aura she radiated kept the opportunistic guests at a distance.“Boss,” Brandon leaned in, whispering with a serious expression. “This crowd… Please don't trust them.”Jack arched his brows and nodded slowly. “I almost got fooled for a second, thinking they truly respected me. They're all hypocrites, just like most people in the city…”‘They do not love me…’ he added inwardly. ‘They only fear me…’And fear always bred resentment…and then, rebellion.“Don't worry about t

  • Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Grand Ball

    The Grand Municipal Estate sat like a fortress of old money on the highest crest of the city's northern district. Tonight, its towering white marble pillars were bathed in the luminance of hidden ground-lighting… They cast long shadows against the stone facade. A massive limestone fountain bubbled at the center of the curving cobblestone driveway, its cascading waters catching the amber glow of the gas-lit torches lining the perimeter.This was Mayor Garrick BlueBird’s annual birthday gala, the undisputed epicenter of Kansas City’s true power structure.Outside the main entrance, a continuous parade of luxury vehicles drove along the pavement…Custom-armored Cadillac Escalades, pristine Rolls-Royce Phantoms, and low-rumbling Bentleys came to a smooth halt one after the other. The chauffeurs knew their duties and rushed toward the vehicles in crisp white gloves and black vests. They opened the doors, shielding the occupants from the chilling evening breeze.The air outside was thick wit

  • Chapter Sixty-Eight: Roses are Red

    Mary's expression twisted as she watched the news. Her gaze was fixated on the news reporter, Martha, whose expression was stern as she talked on TV.“...Once more we are left with a heavy question in our hearts,” Mary said, her expression becoming solemn… It was as if she'd rehearsed this moment perfectly.She paused, exhaled, and shifted her gaze from the camera. A few seconds passed before she continued. “Are we still safe in Kansas City? Or has this city turned into the Valley of Death?”The news ended there, followed by a soap commercial. Mary was enraged and clenched her fists, flinging the remote across the room. She couldn't take the horrendous news anymore…“H-how can they believe that narrative?!” She asked herself, biting her lips. “Why would they think James is nothing but a corrupt billionaire colluding with criminal suspects…”For an entire week, several news channels had taken turns exposing her husband. It was unknown how they ended up with videos of James and his deal

  • Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Tycoon’s Ledger

    For seven straight days, Kansas City was engulfed in a ruthless media firestorm. The leaked video of billionaire James Whitefield and the corrupt officers of the Kansas City Police Department meeting in that secluded alley on St. Jones Street was all over the news. Every major network, internet blog, and social media platform was screaming about the instant corruption. The public was absolutely furious, and the massive backlash forced the police department’s internal affairs to terminate the officers involved to protect their own skin. James Whitefield’s corporate reputation was burning, and his company’s stock prices were dropping violently by the hour. Financial analysts were already predicting a massive collapse if the board of directors couldn't contain the bleeding. But Jack didn't hear out, even though he was supposed to take out James Whitefield. Instead, he remained at the Neuman mansion, refusing to care about the noise outside. He ignored the media storm, refusing to take

More Chapter
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on MegaNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
Scan code to read on App