Part 3The Billionaire's Revenge: Auctioning My Dignity

The fourth photo was quickly displayed:

"Fourth photo, 'Netherworld', starting price two million!"

"Damn! I really like this one! Fifteen million!"

"Twenty million!"

"Twenty-five million!"

"Light the Sky Lantern."

I spoke.

Everyone's gaze invariably projected towards me.

The host couldn't maintain his smile anymore:

"Mr. Sterling, please do not disturb the order, if you continue like this we will have to ask you to leave."

I said coldly:

"Not disturbing. I said I want to light the Sky Lantern.

"And not just this one, I'm lighting all three hundred and sixty-five photos and videos in the venue."

The host and the audience below looked at each other and laughed out loud simultaneously. Even Liam couldn't help but "Pfft!" and burst out laughing, leaning on Chloe's shoulder sideways.

Chloe's eyes were so gentle they could drip water, her always indifferent face couldn't help but melt a trace of ice.

"Is he crazy? Three hundred and sixty-five photos? Eighteen billion two hundred and fifty million, did he even have this strength before bankruptcy?"

"Except for President Vance who dares to play like this, who else dares to say so!"

The host took several seconds to adjust before restoring his professional smile:

"Mr. Sterling, in the previous round you already auctioned off all your family assets, so you can't light this Sky Lantern, haha.

"Which gentleman bid twenty-five million just now?

"Twenty-five million going once!"

"Smack!"

I grabbed the water glass on the table and threw it forward. "Crash!" it shattered at the host's feet, startling him into retreating a few steps hurriedly.

I looked at him coldly:

"I said I want to light the Sky Lantern, do you not understand?"

"Chase Sterling!"

Someone got impatient:

"We played three rounds with you, you're out of money long ago! What are you pretending for!"

"Fake bidding carries responsibility, us brothers fancying your photos is appreciating you, don't be ungrateful!"

The host's smile also couldn't hang on:

"Mr. Sterling, if not for President Vance's face, you wouldn't even have the qualification to enter and light the Sky Lantern. If you make trouble again, don't blame the security for inviting you out!"

I narrowed my eyes:

"Who said I have no money?"

Chloe glanced at me calmly.

Everyone was also stunned:

"Stop joking, although it's a private auction, do you think our capital verification methods are a joke? Would we not know how much money you have?"

I looked at the host:

"As long as I still have money, I can still light the Sky Lantern, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"Re-verify capital."

I interrupted the host.

Everyone looked at each other in dismay, and Chloe frowned imperceptibly.

I pulled the microphone closer to myself:

"What, you guys can't afford to play?"

"Hmph! Verify then! If we play, we'll make you convinced!"

On the big screen, my photos were all withdrawn, replaced by my account balance.

The host stood still again:

"Number 438, second capital verification."

Everyone stared tightly at the numbers on the screen, faces inevitably showing some nervousness.

Many whispered:

"Why is he so calm? Does he really have money?"

"No way... President Vance secretly blocked all cooperation with the Sterling Group, is there anyone in the circle with more say than President Vance?"

"Then is he crazy? Humiliating himself in public? Maybe he really has means we don't know..."

"Verification ended."

Everyone stared dead at the screen.

Deducting the Sky Lanterns just lit.

Account balance—

Zero.

"Hahahahaha!!"

The whole venue exploded with laughter:

"Thought he really had some tricks, turns out he's really crazy!"

A sneer appeared at the corner of Chloe's mouth, Liam laughed until tears came out.

The host made a gesture:

"Sorry Mr. Sterling, you disturbed the order, trouble you to leave. Thank you for your support of this auction, security!"

Immediately a row of burly men stepped forward to surround me.

"Wait."

I sat quietly, looking down at my watch.

Index finger tapping on the armrest with the second hand.

After three times, I made a "please" gesture:

"Now you can re-verify capital."

"Chase Sterling, who do you think we are, having time to talk nonsense with a madman!"

The host had long been impatient, waving his hand:

"Drag him away and throw him out."

But as soon as the voice fell, his eyes slowly widened, then he turned back abruptly, staring dead at the screen:

"This... how is this possible?"

Chloe also stood up abruptly.

Everyone stood up:

"This... fake, right?"

On the big screen, the originally zero balance suddenly flashed.

Then changed crazily.

From single digits to four digits, from four digits to eight digits, leaping crazily, until stopping at the hundred billion level.

"Bang!"

The microphone was knocked to the ground by the host. He supported himself on the table, looking at the big screen in disbelief:

"This is impossible... how is it possible to finance so much in such a short time!"

The security guards who originally restrained me were also shocked into letting go.

I said indifferently:

"Sorry, large transfer review took some time, made everyone laugh."

Some people collapsed into their chairs in disbelief.

Speaking, I looked at the host:

"May I ask, three hundred and sixty-five photos, can I light the Sky Lantern now?"

The host scrambled to regain his state, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead:

"Yes, yes! That... cough! Number 438, lights the Sky Lantern!"

The venue was in an uproar.

The man who teased me just now was paralyzed in his chair.

Although he had quite some family assets, compared to my current account balance, it was just a drop in the bucket.

Thinking of what he did to me just now, a layer of cold sweat oozed from his forehead.

Everyone couldn't believe it:

"Financing hundreds of billions in such a short time, didn't he go bankrupt!"

"Did President Vance deceive us? Actually Chase Sterling has always been hiding his light?"

"Or... did he hook up with some big shot..."

"Bullshit! What big shot can be bigger than President Vance!"

I got up, walking step by step to Chloe's seat.

Raised my palm high, and landed it fiercely on her face:

"Smack!"

The crisp slap echoed throughout the hall.

Chloe tilted her head slightly, looking grim.

Everyone held their breath.

"Secretly taking my photos?"

After speaking, the next slap landed on the other half of her face:

"Secretly recording my videos?"

Then, a third slap was raised again.

But this time, a dark shadow rushed up:

"Brother Chase! Don't!"

"Smack!"

This slap landed solidly on Liam's face.

Chloe, who had been silent, suddenly exclaimed:

"Liam!"

Liam took a slap, but it was like taking a heavy blow, collapsing into Chloe's arms.

Before I could react, my back collar was suddenly yanked fiercely, and I fell heavily backward to the ground.

"Let go!"

I struggled hard, but a crisp "Crack!" came from my wrist.

Severe pain spread throughout my body. I gritted my teeth and looked up. Chloe's bodyguards had swarmed out at some point, pressing me dead on the ground kneeling.

My breath trembled slightly—

When I attacked Chloe, Chloe didn't mobilize them.

Liam took a slap, yet she let these people treat me like this...