-Billionaire’s Tea Invitation

Lex barely had time to enjoy the chaos unfolding online before his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He pulled it out, glanced at the caller ID—

Nataline Zhang.

Jason smirked. "Oh, here we go."

Lex answered smoothly. "Nat. That was fast."

Her voice came through sharp, amused, and just a little exasperated.

"Lex. What the hell did you just do?"

Lex chuckled, leaning against the mahogany table. "I think the real question is—how much does your father want it?"

A pause. Then a soft laugh.

"You really don't play fair, do you?"

"Never."

There was a slight murmur on the other end—her father must have been nearby.

Nat's voice lowered. "Dad is extremely interested. Grandma, too. You've officially made this personal for them."

Lex smirked. "Good."

Jason raised an eyebrow, mouthing, "Are we about to rob a billionaire?"

Lex ignored him.

Nat sighed. "They want a private discussion before this goes to full auction. Name your price."

Lex tilted his head, his black eyes gleaming.

"That depends, Nat." He let the silence linger for a second. "How badly do they want it?"

Lex let the silence stretch for just a second longer before speaking, his voice calm, smooth—unrushed.

"Let's have tea at my place tomorrow."

Nat paused. "Tea?"

"You, your grandma, your dad." Lex leaned back, watching the reaction on Jonathan's face as he listened. "2 in the afternoon."

Jason muttered, "Bro just invited billionaires over like they're neighbors."

Lex smirked. "We'll talk then."

There was a soft hum on the other end of the line—Nat was thinking. Then, a small laugh.

"You really love making people wait, don't you?"

Lex's smirk deepened. "Patience is a virtue, Nat."

A pause. Then, her voice turned playful. "Fine. We'll be there. Just don't poison the tea."

Lex chuckled. "No promises."

She hung up.

Jonathan let out a slow breath. "That's going to be an interesting meeting."

Jason leaned forward. "You gonna roll out the good teacups for them? Or just keep flexing on rich people by drinking out of historical artifacts?"

Lex laughed, pushing off the table. "Depends on how much they're willing to pay."

Jonathan barely had a chance to put his phone down before it buzzed again—this time with a number he immediately recognized.

His expression shifted. Serious. Focused.

Lex raised an eyebrow. "Who is it now?"

Jonathan exhaled, showing him the screen.

Unknown Number – Beijing Embassy

Jason whistled. "Damn, Latham. You really pissed off an entire government."

Lex smirked, completely unfazed. "Not pissed off. Just made them pay attention."

Jonathan cleared his throat and answered smoothly. "Jonathan Pierce speaking."

A calm, authoritative voice came through the line. Polite, but firm.

"Mr. Pierce. This is Cultural Affairs with the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. We would like to discuss the Mei Lei and Lei Yongzhi calligraphy works that have surfaced."

Jonathan glanced at Lex, who simply tilted his head, amused.

"Of course," Jonathan said carefully. "May I ask the nature of your interest?"

A slight pause. Then—

"The government has been working for years to reclaim lost cultural artifacts. These pieces are of significant historical value to China. We would prefer to negotiate privately before they go to international auction."

Lex finally spoke, his voice measured, calculated. "Ask them how much they value history."

Jonathan hesitated, then relayed it almost word-for-word.

Another pause. Then, the voice on the other end responded.

"Mr. Pierce, history is priceless. However, we are prepared to make a substantial offer to ensure it is preserved properly."

Lex leaned back, smirking. "Tell them we're having tea tomorrow at my brownstone."

Jonathan rubbed his temple. "You want me to invite the Chinese Embassy to tea?"

Lex's black eyes gleamed. "Let's see how badly they want it."

As Jonathan took the embassy call, pacing near the window with his voice lowered but composed, Lex turned his attention back to the art collection.

He reached into the wooden chest once more, pulling out another silk-wrapped scroll, then another. He worked methodically, sorting through pieces Mei Lei had set aside, the ones she had deemed 'good enough' to be kept.

Jason watched from the corner, arms crossed. "Man, are you just casually picking through millions like you're going through an old record collection?"

Lex smirked, unrolling a piece. "More or less."

Noah adjusted his camera rig, still documenting the entire process. "How many are you actually selling?"

Lex studied the three new scrolls he had laid out—each a masterpiece in its own right.

"Enough to start a war," he murmured.

Jason groaned. "Oh great, another one? First the billionaires, then the collectors, now the damn embassy? Who's next, the Pope?**"

Lex chuckled. "If the Vatican wants to bid, they can get in line."

Jonathan, still on the phone, glanced at Lex with an exasperated look before turning back to the call.

Lex straightened, rolling up the newly selected pieces. Then, his voice cut through the air—smooth, direct.

"Jonathan. We'll allow twenty guests."

Jonathan held up a finger, finishing his call. When he finally hung up, he sighed, adjusting his cuffs. "Alright. Embassy wants in. They'll confirm attendance by morning."

Lex nodded. "Good. Now, you pick the rest."

Jonathan blinked. "You want me to curate the list?"

Lex smirked. "That's what you're good at, isn't it? Pick the ones with deep pockets and deeper influence. But no more than twenty."

Jonathan exhaled slowly, already mentally assembling names.

Jason whistled. "Man, I can't wait to see who makes the cut."

Lex chuckled. "Neither can I."

Jonathan took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders as he mentally sorted through the world's wealthiest and most powerful art collectors.

Lex had given him free rein to choose—but only twenty.

Jason leaned against a crate, arms crossed. "So what's the criteria? Rich, powerful, or just desperate?"

Jonathan smirked. "Preferably all three."

Lex, still sorting through more scrolls, spoke without looking up. "Make sure we get a mix. Collectors, institutional buyers, people who actually understand the value. Not just the ones looking for a status symbol."

Jonathan nodded. "Alright. Here's the first cut."

He pulled out his phone and started listing names.

Liu Ming-Wei – Hong Kong's most aggressive collector, known for reclaiming lost heritage.

Nataline Zhang & Family – Billionaire investors, already prepared to outbid most.

Alec Dumont – A Swiss banker-turned-collector, who specialized in private acquisitions.

Isabella Laurent – French aristocracy, gallery owner, with ties to European museums.

Emir Al-Farsi – Middle Eastern mogul, known for paying insane premiums on lost artwork.

Leonard Bishop – Hedge fund titan, rumored to buy art to launder assets.

The Chinese Embassy's Representative – The wild card.

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Man, some of these guys sound shady as hell."

Lex smirked. "That's what makes them useful."

Jonathan kept scrolling, narrowing down the last few names. "I'll round out the list with a few museum curators, private gallery owners, and one or two wild cards."

Lex finally looked up, rolling the final scroll he intended to sell. "Good. Have the invites sent discreetly. No public notice. Everything stays private until they walk through my doors."

Jonathan nodded, already typing out messages to select intermediaries.

Jason exhaled, shaking his head. "This is gonna be insane."

Lex smirked, tapping his fingers against the edge of the table.

"That's the point."