Chapter 208
"You—who the hell are you—" Otto's voice shot up several octaves, as if trying to give himself courage. "Do you know who my dad is? Do you know I—"
But Reginald simply pulled out his phone, pressed a button, and spoke into it. "Side lounge at the auction. Two people. Remove them."
Otto froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "You're calling security? You're actually calling security? Do you know where you are? It's not your place to call anyone, you gigolo—"
He didn't finish his sentence. The door to the side lounge was shoved open.
Four security guards in black uniforms filed in, their steps synchronized, heading straight for Otto.
Otto's smile was still plastered on his face when two guards grabbed him by the arms on either side. He didn't even have time to react.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!" He struggled nonstop, but his whole body was being dragged toward the exit. His mouth kept running. "Do you know who my dad is?! Isaac! Isaac from Sunrise City! If you touch me, I swear—"
Reginald glanced at the guards, his voice flat. "Gag him."
A guard responded immediately, pulling a clean cloth from his pocket and stuffing it into Otto's mouth.
Otto tried to shout, but only muffled sounds came out. His entire face turned beet red.
The woman in the tight dress had already been grabbed by another guard. She was so terrified she couldn't even speak, just trembling violently.
The two were dragged out of the side lounge.
The door closed behind them, cutting off Otto's final muffled yell.
The auction hall fell silent once more.
The guests who had been sneaking glances at the scene quickly looked away, as if they'd seen nothing at all.
The few lackeys who'd been snickering earlier had already slipped away. Their seats were empty, even their water glasses left untouched.
The auctioneer cleared his throat and returned to the podium. "The next item up for auction is the Suncrest City lakeside plot..."
Reginald returned to Lucinda's side and sat down, glancing at her. "Did that scare you?"
"No." Lucinda flipped through the auction catalog in her hands. "Just thought he was loud."
He smiled faintly, said nothing more, and reached over to take her hand, resting it on his knee.
Lucinda glanced down at their intertwined hands but didn't pull away.
The auctioneer's voice continued. "The Suncrest City lakeside plot. Starting bid: four hundred twenty million dollars."
Almost instantly, Reginald raised his paddle. "Four hundred fifty million."
Someone in the back row made a counterbid. Reginald didn't even look at them. He raised his paddle again.
"Five hundred million."
The entire hall went silent for a moment. The person in the back sheepishly lowered their paddle.
The auctioneer called out three times. The gavel fell with a crisp, decisive sound. "Sold."
Reginald set his number paddle on the table and turned to look at Lucinda.
She was flipping through the rest of the catalog, her movements casual, as if she hadn't paid much attention to the final sale price of the plot.
He pulled out a document and placed it in front of her—a land transfer agreement with the transferee information already filled in. All she needed to do was sign.
"It's yours."
Lucinda looked down. Her fingers froze.
Five hundred million dollars.
He bid on it just like that, and now he was giving it to her just like that?
She frowned and looked up. "I don't want it."
"Why not?"
"It's too expensive."
Reginald looked at her, silent for two seconds. Then the corners of his mouth turned down slightly. "But I already bought it."
His tone actually carried a hint of grievance. "If you don't take it, the land will just sit there. If it sits there, weeds will grow. If weeds grow, it'll go to waste. And if it goes to waste, someone else will snatch it up cheap. Do you really want me to spend five hundred million dollars on a weed-covered wasteland?"
Lucinda's mouth twitched. "You could build something else."
"I want to build an amusement park." He looked into her eyes, completely serious. "You said last time that the scenery there was nice and perfect for an amusement park. I already had someone draw up design plans. Don't you want to see them?"
Lucinda opened her mouth, momentarily speechless.
She'd mentioned it in passing. She'd nearly forgotten it herself. How had he remembered it all this time?
"Just take it." He leaned in half an inch closer, lowering his voice. "If you feel bad about it, just give me that candy in your hand."
Lucinda blinked and looked down at her hand.
She was indeed holding a piece of candy—one she'd grabbed from the reception desk on the way in. She hadn't even unwrapped it yet. "...Is that really all you want?"
"Yes." He nodded, utterly shameless. "That's all."
Lucinda looked at him, sighed helplessly, and slapped the candy into his palm. She picked up the agreement, flipped to the last page, and signed her name.
She couldn't help but recall the scene earlier—Otto being dragged out while Reginald stood in the center of the lounge. The room had been so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even the auctioneer hadn't dared look at him.
That aura. That overwhelming presence. And now, here he was, eagerly waiting for her to give him a piece of candy like a puppy.
He was like two completely different people.
She set down the pen and pushed the document back.
Inside, she couldn't help but sigh.
Another five hundred million dollars' worth of something.
She hadn't even finished repaying the two hundred million from before, and now there was a plot of land on top of it.
She needed to find a proper way to pay him back. She couldn't let him keep giving unilaterally.
Reginald unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth, looking as if he'd just received the greatest reward in the world. His eyes and brows radiated satisfaction.
When a server from the auction house came over to collect the documents, she couldn't help but linger a moment longer on his face.
She'd worked at this venue for three years and had seen plenty of wealthy bosses throw money around. But she'd never seen anyone spend five hundred million dollars on a plot of land and then smile like they'd struck gold over a single piece of candy.
The server looked away, silently placed the documents on her tray, and walked off.
Lucinda leaned back in her chair, tapped her phone screen twice, and opened a new note.
The title was a single word: [Debts.]
The rest was blank, waiting to be filled.
Whatever he gave her, she would return.
Feelings were feelings. Debts were debts.
She couldn't let him think she was someone who only took and never gave.
Reginald finished the candy and glanced at her. "There are a few more items coming up. See if there's anything you like."
Lucinda nodded, put away her phone, and opened the catalog.
A few more auction items passed. Unfortunately, none of them caught Lucinda's interest.
Just then, the door to the side lounge was suddenly shoved open from the outside.
Every gaze in the room snapped toward it. A middle-aged man in his fifties strode in, followed by four or five burly men who looked like bodyguards.
It was Isaac—the richest man in Sunrise City.
He wore a deep gray traditional Tang suit, a string of prayer beads clutched in his hand. His face was taut, veins bulging at his temples. He'd clearly rushed over the moment he'd gotten word.
"Who!" His voice exploded in the quiet auction hall, booming with authority. "Who touched my son!"
A few guests instinctively shrank back.
Isaac had been operating in Sunrise City for over twenty years. He had connections in both the underworld and legitimate circles. Most people gave him a wide berth.
Now, with that accusatory look on his face, who would dare answer?