The Son-in-Law They Regretted Losing

Chapter 8: The Buzzing of Flies

The car pulled up smoothly at the grand entrance of the city auction house. The tall pillars lined the front, and a long red carpet stretched out toward the glass doors. 

Linnea stepped out first, walking around to open the passenger side door for me. I stepped out, adjusting the collar of my brand-new custom suit.

Right at that exact second, a sharp gasp came from a few feet away. I turned my head and saw Sloane standing near the ticket counter. S

tanding right beside her was Lysander Croft, who was wearing a flashy silver tuxedo and a diamond watch. They both froze, staring at my expensive clothes and the sleek corporate car behind me.

Sloane’s face twisted into an immediate sneer. 

She walked over, her high heels clicking loudly against the pavement. 

"Well, look at you, Riven. I was wondering how a broke delivery boy could afford to dress like that. Did you find yourself some rich sugar mommy to keep you and buy you nice toys?"

My expression turned completely cold as I looked down at her. 

"I am here to attend the auction, Sloane. What business is it of yours? I have been hearing annoying flies buzzing around my ears all this time. "

"The security at this venue really should do a much better job. They shouldn't just let anyone crawl inside."

Linnea stood right beside me, and when she heard my comment, she let out a soft, amused laugh.

Lysander Croft glared at me, but then his eyes drifted over to Linnea. 

He stared at her, momentarily stunned into absolute silence. 

He noticed that Linnea was not only strikingly beautiful in her professional attire, but she was also far more attractive and elegant than Sloane could ever dream of being.

Sloane noticed his gaze and began burning with pure jealousy. 

She turned her angry eyes toward Linnea, pointing a sharp fingernail at me as she taunted her. 

"You had better be careful, lady. Don't let a loser like him scam you out of your hard-earned money and your body. "

"He is an expert at playing the victim. "

"By the time you finally realize what kind of fraud he is, it will be far too late for you."

Lysander quickly recovered his posture and joined in with a nasty sneer, trying to impress Sloane. 

"She is right. Don't let his looks fool you, ma'am. "

"This guy still owes the hospital a full million dollars in emergency surgical fees for his sick mother. He doesn't have a dime to his name. "

"His true specialty in life is being a pathetic, lazy live-in son-in-law."

They both let out a loud, mocking laugh right there on the red carpet.

Linnea did not look intimidated at all. She stepped forward smoothly, placing herself slightly in front of me, and defended me with a calm, steady voice. 

"I trust Mr. Kaelen completely. His financial situation is none of your concern."

I did not want to waste any more time trading words with them. "Let us go inside, Linnea," I said quietly.

We turned away from them and entered the grand venue. 

The inside of the auction house was spectacular, filled with rows of plush velvet seats and massive crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. 

Linnea led me down the main aisle, past row after row of wealthy business owners. We walked all the way to the absolute front, taking our seats right in the prime central area, directly before the main stage.

Linnea leaned in close to me and spoke softly. "Boss, I need to go backstage to coordinate with the main event organizers regarding your upcoming speech. Please excuse me for a few moments."

I nodded my head calmly. "Go ahead."

As soon as Linnea walked through the backstage curtain, I was left sitting alone in the middle of the empty row

.

Meanwhile, Sloane and Lysander Croft had finished showing their tickets at the door. Because Sloane's company was only a mid-tier player in the city's high society, they were assigned seats all the way in the left rear section of the massive hall. 

As they sat down, Sloane scanned the crowd, still angry about the confrontation outside. 

With a few minutes of spare time before the event actually began, her eyes landed right on my back. She spotted me sitting directly in the middle of the VIP section.

"Look at him," Sloane hissed, nudging Lysander's arm. "What does he think he is doing?"

They stood up immediately, marched down the carpeted aisle, and walked right over to my seat to mock me once more.

Sloane stood over me with a smug smirk on her face. 

"You have clearly never been to a high-class place this upscale before, Riven. Let me educate you. "

"The seats down here in the center are strictly reserved for the elite billionaires of the city. You cannot just sit wherever you please just because your little girlfriend left you alone for a second."

Lysander chimed in right away, adjusting his jacket loops. "Frankly, a guy like you would be lucky to even get a low-level job as a nighttime security guard at a venue like this. But hey, I happen to know some of the head managers here."

"If you beg me properly, I could put in a good word for you and get you a basic position cleaning up the trash after we leave."

I kept my eyes straight ahead, completely bothered by their constant noise. 

"I told you outside, I am here for the auction. Stop making a petty scene in public and try to have some basic human decency."

Sloane’s face turned red with anger. She wanted to raise her voice and continue the argument, but Lysander quickly caught her by the wrist. 

He held her back and whispered into her ear, keeping his eyes on the security staff nearby. 

"Don't waste your breath on him right now, darling. "

"Let him stay there. "

"Once all the actual distinguished guests arrive and find him in their chairs, the house security will take care of him for us. 

He will be thrown out on his face in front of everyone."

Sloane smiled wickedly at the thought, nodded her head, and the two of them walked back to their cheap seats in the rear corner.

Ten minutes later, the lights in the grand hall began to dim. 

The murmuring of the wealthy crowd grew quiet as the rows filled up completely. A spotlight clicked on, shining directly on the center of the main stage. 

The main auction host, a polished man in a tuxedo, stepped up to the microphone and welcomed the crowd.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," the host’s voice boomed through the high-quality speakers. 

"Welcome to our annual charity gala. Let me first introduce tonight's exclusive, highly anticipated lot. We have a magnificent ring from an ancient, fallen noble family. "

"The legends say this ring holds the ultimate secret to a fortune beyond human imagination, enough wealth to buy an entire nation."

A wave of excited whispers washed through the audience. Sloane gripped her ledger tightly, her eyes fixed on the stage.

"But that is not all for tonight," the host continued, raising his hands to quiet the crowd. "We also have a major, historic announcement to make for our city's financial sector. "

"The mysterious, hundred-billion-dollar chief executive of Veridian Global will be joining us live on this stage tonight. "

"He will be sharing his conglomerate's primary business plans and investment strategies for the coming fiscal year. Stay tuned for his arrival."

The moment the words left the host’s mouth, Sloane’s eyes lit up with absolute excitement. She leaned forward in her chair, her heart pounding against her ribs.

So the rumors she had heard in the corporate circles were completely true! 

The ultimate boss of Veridian Global, the massive parent company that sat high above the market, was actually going to be in this building tonight. 

She knew she had to find a way to meet him after the curtains closed. If she could just secure a small partnership or a single supply contract with Veridian Global, the valuation of her own company, Vespera Corp, would double at the very least. 

An initial public offering would be right within her reach, and she would finally become a true elite billionaire.

She turned to Lysander, her voice trembling with ambition. 

"Did you hear that? I have to get his attention tonight. No matter what it takes."

Lysander nodded his head in total agreement, encouraging her with a confident grin. 

"Go for it, Sloane. "

"You are the most successful woman in this room. "

"Once the head of Veridian Global sees your portfolio, he will definitely choose to back you. "

"And then, nobody in this city will ever be able to look down on us again.”