?Chapter 812:


    Now, he had seen enough. Without another thought, he left the organizers behind and strode purposefully toward Corrine’s private box. The confused organizers, unable to make sense of his sudden departure, hurriedly followed in his wake.


    The auction hall was arranged in a semi-circr fashion, the main floor lined with round tables, each surrounded by six chairs.


    Above, the second level housed VIP boxes, providing an exclusive vantage point from which one could oversee the event infort. The setup was nothing short of opulent—curtains of sheer fabric draped in front of the boxes, inviting the curiosity of those seated below.


    Many had been tempted to sneak a glimpse of the mysterious upants of the second floor, but the presence of vignt guards at the staircases had kept their ambitions in check.


    Leah, thanks to her close ties with Andromache, had been granted a VIP box as a special favor. Though it wasn’t the most prestigious seat, it was more than enough to satisfy her vanity.


    And the moment she stepped onto the second floor, Leah caught sight of the envious gazes of Danna and the others following her departure. The smug smile that crept onto her lips was impossible to suppress. But her moment of silent triumph was interrupted when she saw Nate heading in her direction.


    Swiftly, she adjusted her hair, schooling her features into a poised and graceful expression. “Mr. Hopkins,” she greeted with a honeyed smile. Yet, Nate didn’t so much as spare her a nce. His stride remained unbroken, his gaze fixed ahead as he passed her without hesitation, heading straight for Corrine’s box.


    The sudden arrival of Nate caught Corrine off guard. Her head instinctively turned toward the sound of the door opening. The moment her eyes met his, her breath hitched. His gaze, dark and unreadable, held an intensity that made her feel as if her heart had been caught in a vice.


    Forcing herself to regainposure, she willed a stiff smile onto her lips. “What brings you here?”


    Nate didn’t answer. Instead, he turned his attention to Zeke, one brow arched ever so slightly—a silent challenge hanging in the air between them. His eyes seemed to say that Zeke should step aside now that Corrine’s boyfriend was here.


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    Zeke, far from intimidated, merely let a smirk tug at the corner of his lips as he rose to his feet at an unhurried pace. “Mr. Hopkins, you certainly have a talent for ruining a pleasant evening.”


    The air in the room grew heavy, tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Nate’s gaze sharpened, his tone edged with ice. “If you’recking in tasks, Mr. Cooper, I’d be happy to assign you one.”


    “A threat?” Zeke’s expression remained calm, not a trace of fear in his posture. “If it helps ease your irritation and keeps you from directing it at Miss Hond, I’ll dly take it.”


    On the surface, his words seemed polite, almost self-sacrificing. But upon closer inspection, there was a subtle maniption woven into them.


    “Miss Hond, I apologize for the disturbance. Perhaps you should soothe Mr. Hopkins before he turns his ire on you again,” Zeke continued, his gaze toward Corrine shifting from detached to soft, his lips curling into a gentle smile. “I, on the other hand, am quite ustomed to handling myself—you needn’t trouble yourself over me.” His words dripped with honey, yet there was an unmistakable undertone of maniption.


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