?Chapter 1399:


    By the time Niks returned, his cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and his difort was obvious. Passing Dani, he mumbled reluctantly, “Fine, you got your way.” Without another word, the group left for the auction.


    Niks’s arrival beside Cedric drew immediate attention—something he definitely wasn’t thrilled about. Still, Dani’s icy re left him no option but to move forward.


    Alexander approached cheerfully, as if Dani hadn’t publicly embarrassed Niks earlier. “Dani! It’s great to see you here tonight. There’s an extraordinary collection, including one of those authentic paintings you favor.”


    He tried to charm her again, but Dani brushed past without a hint of interest.


    Recently, herpany had expanded dramatically, bing an unexpected rival within Oiscoll’s tightknit businessmunity. Its growing influence was impossible to ignore.


    The moment Dani entered, conversations fell silent and respectful gazes followed her every move.


    Niks felt his attention drawn to her as well. Her expression remainedposed, without even the slightest polite smile.


    “Real power speaks louder than charm,” Carol whispered to Niks. “Now you see why Dani insisted youe?”


    Dani had arrived in Oiscoll with no connections and no advantages. Yet she had boldly built her reputation, forcing everyone to acknowledge her. This was Oiscoll—Niks’s hometown. So why had he hesitated to make his own mark?


    Though Dani remained silent, Niks finally understood what she was trying to teach him. He pressed his lips together, squared his shoulders, and followed her into the venue.


    For far too long, the McCoy family had maintained a suffocating monopoly over Oiscoll’s economy. Their absolute control had stifled any realpetition, leaving the entire town curious about how far Dani and her empire could rise.


    Dani settled into the far left seat of the front row,posed and silent. To her right, Hamilton sat stiffly, letting out a sharp, disdainful scoff. His re cut through both Dani and Niks, as neither had ever shown him the respect he believed he deserved.


    Momentster, the auction began. The early items were mostly minor trinkets, until an ornate ashtray caught Niks’s eye. Dani leaned toward Carol and said, “Bid on that for him.”


    Niks nced at her in disbelief. “You’re giving that to me?”


    She turned to him. “You don’t like it?”


    He hesitated for a moment before answering, “I do. I just didn’t expect you to hand it over so easily.”


    “You’re misunderstanding,” Dani replied bluntly, crushing Niks’s brief excitement. “If the price jumps over a million, forget it.”


    Niks paused, visibly disheartened. “And Cedric? What’s his price cap?”


    Though he spoke casually, he couldn’t shake a flicker of hope. Part of him silently wished the gap between him and Cedric wasn’t so wide.


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