A Smile Beneath the Blade
When he rushed out, the auction for the lion Gem statue had already ended.
The doors of the auction hall swung inward with a sharp force as Lucas stepped in, his presence cutting through the calm like a blade dragged across silk.
The atmosphere inside was completely different from the chaos boiling inside him.
Soft lighting bathed the hall.
Muted conversations drifted lazily through the air.
A faint scent of tea and polished wood lingered.
And right at the center of it—
As he entered inside auction hall seeing Julian D'Aurelius was playing with the real lion Gem statue in his hand, a smile on his face.
That smile.
Relaxed.
Almost amused.
Like someone idly toying with a trinket, not a treasure worth billion.
Lucas's steps slowed.
His pupils contracted.
For a split second, the world seemed to tilt.
Just after Lucas left, the auction for the real lion Gem statue began.
The memory clicked into place instantly.
