THE KING RETURNS FOR WAR!

Chapter 5: The Charity Auction - Part 1

The auctioneer took his position on stage, his voice smooth and professional. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to tonight's charity auction. All proceeds will benefit the Children's Medical Foundation."

Polite applause rippled through the crowd.

The stage was perfectly lit, highlighting each display case. Wealthy guests held numbered paddles, ready to bid. This wasn't their first auction. For most of them, spending hundreds of thousands was routine.

For Adrian and Elena, standing at the edge of the crowd, it was surreal.

Elena pulled Adrian aside, her voice urgent and low. "We don't have to do this. Let's just leave. Please."

"We're staying," Adrian said calmly.

"Adrian, these people—they're bidding tens of thousands like it's nothing! We can't—"

"Trust me," Adrian interrupted gently. His eyes met hers. Steady. Calm. Certain.

Elena wanted to argue, but something in his expression stopped her. He wasn't worried. Wasn't nervous. He looked... composed. Like he knew something she didn't.

It confused her. But she nodded slowly.

Marcus stood nearby with Derek, both holding champagne. Marcus glanced at Adrian and smirked. "Still here, Mr. Kane? Good. I'd hate for you to miss the show."

Derek laughed. "Brother, it's not too late to back out. Just sign the papers now. Save yourself the embarrassment."

Adrian didn't respond. He simply turned back to the stage.

His silence seemed to irritate them both.

***

The first item appeared on stage. A diamond necklace, glittering under the lights.

"This exquisite piece," the auctioneer announced, "features eighteen carats of flawless diamonds set in platinum. Starting bid: sixty thousand dollars."

Paddles shot up immediately.

"Sixty thousand!"

"Seventy!"

"Eighty-five thousand!"

The bidding was casual, almost lazy. These amounts meant nothing to these people.

Marcus raised his paddle. "One hundred thousand."

The other bidders hesitated, then lowered their paddles. No one wanted to compete with Marcus Tang.

"Sold! To Mr. Tang for one hundred thousand dollars!"

Applause filled the ballroom.

Marcus turned to Elena, holding up his paddle. "That would look beautiful on you, Miss Bennett. What a shame you're unavailable."

Elena looked away uncomfortably.

Adrian's jaw tightened slightly. Just slightly.

The next item appeared. A rare painting by a contemporary artist.

"Starting bid: seventy-five thousand!"

Derek jumped in this time. "One hundred thousand!"

"One twenty!" another voice called.

"One fifty!" Derek countered, showing off.

"Sold to Mr. Stone for one hundred fifty thousand dollars!"

Derek grinned, clearly pleased with himself. He looked at Adrian. "How's it feel, brother? Watching people spend more in ten minutes than you'll make in a lifetime?"

Adrian remained silent. His expression was blank.

But his eyes... they were cold. Very cold.

More items followed. Jewelry, artwork, antique watches. Each sold for staggering amounts.

Marcus won three more items, spending over four hundred thousand in total. Each time, he made sure Elena saw. Made sure she understood what she was rejecting.

Derek won two items as well, spending another two hundred thousand.

They were performing. Showing off. Proving their superiority.

Adrian just watched. Silent. Still.

The crowd began whispering.

"He hasn't bid on anything."

"Of course not. He can't afford it."

"What was he thinking, agreeing to this?"

"Poor Elena. She'll be free soon."

***

Patricia had been watching from across the room, her face growing redder with each passing minute.

Finally, she'd had enough.

She stormed through the crowd, her heels clicking angrily on the marble floor. She stopped directly in front of Adrian and Elena, her face twisted with rage.

"Stop it!" Patricia hissed. "Stop embarrassing us!"

Elena stepped back. "Mother, please—"

"Quiet!" Patricia's voice rose, drawing attention. "You!" She pointed at Adrian. "You don't have money for a taxi, let alone this! You're making fools of all of us!"

People turned to watch. Some looked sympathetic. Others seemed entertained by the drama.

"Just sign the papers!" Patricia continued. "Divorce him tonight! End this humiliation!"

"Mother, stop," Elena said, her voice shaking.

"I won't stop! You've wasted enough of your life!" Patricia grabbed Elena's arm roughly. "You're coming with me. Right now. We're leaving—"

Then she did it.

She slapped Elena.

Not hard. But publicly. In front of everyone.

The sharp sound echoed through the ballroom.

Gasps filled the air.

Elena's hand went to her cheek, her eyes wide with shock and humiliation.

Patricia pointed at Adrian again. "This is your fault! You ruined her life! Divorce her tonight!"

Adrian moved.

One step. Just one step.

But suddenly he was between Patricia and Elena. His movement was smooth, controlled. Almost too fast.

He didn't touch Patricia. Didn't push her. Just stood there.

But his presence... it changed everything.

"Touch her again," Adrian said quietly. His voice was calm. Too calm. "See what happens."

Patricia opened her mouth to snap back, but the words died in her throat.

Something in Adrian's eyes stopped her. Something dangerous. Something that made her instinctively step backward.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Derek rushed over, sensing the tension. "Brother, brother, calm down." He tried to smile, but it looked forced. "Don't threaten people. You'll end up back in prison."

Adrian's eyes shifted to Derek. That same cold, dangerous look.

Derek's smile faltered.

"I'm not threatening anyone," Adrian said quietly. "I'm making a promise."

The words hung in the air.

No one moved. No one spoke.

Then Marcus's laugh broke the tension. "How dramatic! Mr. Kane, you should focus less on threats and more on how you're going to pay for an auction item." He checked his watch. "We're almost at the finale."

The auctioneer, sensing the drama had peaked, cleared his throat loudly. "Ladies and gentlemen, if we could return our attention to the stage. We have one final item tonight."

The crowd slowly turned back.

Adrian remained standing between Patricia and Elena, his body tense.

Elena touched his arm gently. "I'm okay," she whispered.

Adrian looked at her. His expression softened just slightly. He nodded and turned back toward the stage.

But his hands were clenched at his sides.

The final display case was unveiled. Spotlights hit it from multiple angles, making the contents shimmer.

The Celestial Jade Pendant.

It was breathtaking. Ancient green jade, carved with intricate patterns, set on a delicate gold chain. The craftsmanship was extraordinary. Even from a distance, everyone could see it was special.

The crowd murmured appreciatively.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the auctioneer announced, his voice filled with reverence, "our grand finale. The Celestial Jade Pendant. This piece is over five hundred years old, authenticated by the National Museum. It once belonged to the royal family. There is no other piece like it in the world."

He paused for effect.

"Starting bid: one million dollars."

The ballroom went completely silent.

One million. The amount was staggering, even for this crowd.

Marcus glanced at Adrian, his smile smug. "This is it, Mr. Kane. Your last chance. Though I suppose one million is slightly out of your range."

Derek laughed. "Slightly? Brother can't afford a thousand, let alone a million."

Patricia sneered. "Sign the papers, Adrian. End this farce."

The crowd watched Adrian expectantly. Waiting for him to admit defeat. To back down. To sign the divorce papers and slink away in shame.

Marcus raised his paddle lazily. "Since no one else seems interested, I'll start. One million."

The auctioneer nodded. "One million from Mr. Tang. Do I hear—"

Adrian raised his paddle.

The room froze.

Every eye turned to him.

The auctioneer blinked, uncertain. "Sir, you... you're bidding?"

"Yes," Adrian said calmly.

Marcus's smile disappeared. "What?"

Derek's jaw dropped. "Brother, what are you—"

"One million," Adrian said clearly. His voice carried across the silent ballroom. "I'm bidding."