The Imperial Hall was a monument to the Capital's excess, a sprawling palace of marble and gold where the air tasted of ancient money and fresh scandal. Outside, the red carpet was besieged by a swarm of reporters, their flashes cutting through the winter darkness like staccato lightning. Tonight was not just about charity; it was about the public debut of the Ye family's mysterious "Country Heiress" and the man who had claimed her with the ferocity of a conqueror. Inside, the ballroom was a sea of shimmering silk and stiff tuxedos. At the center of the room, Ye Aurora moved like a swan, her dress a pale, innocent pink that made her look like a fragile flower. She was surrounded by a group of high-society daughters from the Han and Zhao families—rivals who had long sought to see the Ye family stumble.
"I heard she's wearing a dress from a local village tailor because she couldn't understand the French measurements," one of the girls giggled, fanning herself with a jeweled fan. Aurora lowered her eyes, her voice a soft, manipulative murmur. "Please, don't be unkind. Sister Wanwan is still adjusting. Even if she looks out of place, we must remember she is the guest of honor tonight." As she spoke, Aurora's eyes flickered toward the entrance. She had a secret weapon tonight: her biological father's rival group had provided her with an unlimited black card. Her mission was to outbid the Ye family for the 'Phoenix Heart' necklace, humiliate Wanwan in the process, and secure the micro-map hidden within the ruby.
The heavy gilded doors at the back of the hall suddenly swung open, and the temperature in the room seemed to plummet. The chatter died as if a switch had been flipped. Ye Wanwan entered, walking a step ahead of her five brothers who followed her like a phalanx of grim reapers. She was draped in a gown of midnight-blue velvet so dark it appeared black until the light hit it, revealing embroidered silver phoenixes that seemed to take flight with every step. The dress was a masterpiece of architectural fashion—high-collared, long-sleeved, and possessively elegant. It didn't just fit her; it belonged to her. Her face was a sculpture of cold obsidian, her eyes reflecting a predatory calm that made the socialites' breath hitch in their throats.
"Is that... the 'Midnight Sovereign' gown from the House of Lu?" a fashion critic gasped, her champagne glass trembling. "The one that was said to be unpurchasable?" Before anyone could answer, the second half of the shock arrived. Lu Zhentian stepped into the light, moving to Wanwan's side with a proprietary grace. He wasn't wearing his usual charcoal suit; he wore a black tuxedo that matched the depth of Wanwan's gown, his golden eyes scanning the room with a gaze that promised violence to anyone who dared to whisper. He didn't stand near her; he stood with her, his large, warm hand settling shamelessly on the small of her back. The heat of his palm through the velvet was the only thing keeping Wanwan's "Cold-Blood" from seizing in the air-conditioned hall.
"Master Lu," Ye Mo hissed, trying to step between them. "The cameras are watching. Control yourself." Zhentian didn't even blink. He pulled Wanwan closer, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that echoed through the silent ballroom. "Let them watch. I want the world to see exactly what happens to an empire when its King finally finds his Queen." Wanwan looked up at him, her expression unchanging, though her fingers tightened slightly on her silver clutch. "You're making a scene, Zhentian," she whispered. "Good," he replied shamelessly. "I've always preferred a riot to a polite conversation."
The auction began with a flurry of minor items—ancient vases, French Impressionist paintings, and diamond tiaras—but the tension in the room continued to build toward the final lot. When the auctioneer finally signaled for the 'Phoenix Heart' necklace to be brought onto the stage, the atmosphere became electric. The ruby was the size of a pigeon's egg, glowing with a deep, blood-red light that seemed to pulse under the spotlights. "We start the bidding for this historic Ye family heirloom at ten million dollars," the auctioneer announced.
Ye Shijun immediately raised his paddle. "Fifteen million."
"Twenty million," a voice called out from the back. It was the head of the Han family, a rival who was secretly acting on Aurora's instructions.
"Thirty million," Shijun countered, his brow furrowing. He was determined to bring his daughter's birthright home, but he didn't realize he was being baited.
"Fifty million," Aurora said, her voice clear and sweet as she raised her own paddle. The room gasped. The "kind" foster daughter was bidding against her own father? Aurora looked at Shuyin with tearful eyes. "Mom, Dad, I just want to help! I've saved my allowance and some investments... I want to buy it for Sister myself so you don't have to spend the family's capital."
It was a brilliant lie. It made her look selfless while ensuring the price skyrocketed. The bidding war intensified until it reached a staggering eighty million dollars. Shijun hesitated; the Ye family was wealthy, but liquidating eighty million on a single night was a heavy blow to their current projects. Aurora smirked, ready to drop the hammer with her secret black card. "Eighty-five million," she whispered, looking triumphantly at Wanwan.
Wanwan remained silent, her obsidian eyes fixed on the necklace. She knew the map was there. She also knew that Aurora's "unlimited" card had a secret cap of one hundred million. "One hundred million," Wanwan said, her voice a calm, chilling silk that cut through the frantic energy of the room. It was the first time she had spoken all night. The hall went deathly quiet. Aurora's face twisted. She knew she couldn't go higher without revealing her true source of funding.
"One hundred million once... twice..." the auctioneer began.
"One billion," Lu Zhentian's voice boomed, effortless and bored.
The auctioneer dropped his gavel. A woman in the front row fainted. Shijun and Shuyin stared at Zhentian as if he had grown a second head. A billion dollars for a necklace? It was an insanity that bypassed logic. Zhentian didn't even look at the stage. He remained focused on Wanwan, his hand sliding up to her neck, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. "The Ye family wants their heirloom back," Zhentian said, his voice a low, possessive hum. "But I want my fiancée to have the most expensive 'thank you' gift in history. Consider it a down payment on our wedding."
Wanwan looked at the man who had just burned a billion dollars as if it were pocket change. "You're a lunatic," she whispered. Zhentian leaned in, his breath hot against her ear, his eyes glowing with a lovesick madness. "I'm a man who knows the value of his investment, Wanwan. That necklace holds your secrets... and you hold mine. A billion is a bargain to keep you in my sight." Aurora sat in her chair, her face a mask of ashen rage, realizing that her "Face-Slapping" plan had just resulted in her being crushed by a mountain of gold.