Chapter 78: The Ultimate Prize

The room was electric. Every item auctioned tonight had been exclusive—powerful in its own right—but nothing could compare to what Ethan was about to unveil.

A soft chime rang through the hall, signaling the final auction.

Ethan stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Ladies and gentlemen, we've saved the best for last."

A black velvet cloth was removed from the stage, revealing a sleek, polished contract encased in bulletproof glass. The Blackwood insignia gleamed under the chandelier lights.

A hush fell over the room.

Even those who had remained passive throughout the night leaned in, their attention locked onto the document before them.

"This," Ethan continued smoothly, "is not just a contract."

His sharp gaze swept over the audience, letting the tension build.

"This is a billion-dollar partnership with Blackwood—an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime deal that guarantees its holder access to the most powerful entity in the world."

Gasps rippled through the ballroom.

Skylar's father sat up straighter, his breathing shallow.

A Blackwood contract wasn't just about money. It meant influence beyond imagination—the ability to reshape industries, control markets, and hold the kind of power that even governments feared.

It was, quite literally, the key to untouchable status.

Ethan allowed a slow smile. "Starting bid—one hundred million."

Silence.

Then—

"One-fifty."

"Two hundred."

"Three hundred."

The room erupted into a war of wealth.

Chris remained still, watching from the sidelines. The richest elites in the world were fighting over something that, unknown to them, he alone controlled.

This wasn't just a test of money.

It was a test of who was desperate enough to climb higher.

Skylar's father hesitated, gripping the paddle tightly. He needed this. More than anything.

His family had once stood at the top, but now? They were on the brink of collapse.

This contract could change everything.

He inhaled sharply. Then—

"Six hundred million."

Eyes turned toward him.

Skylar's heart pounded. "Dad, what are you doing?" she whispered.

He ignored her.

Ethan's expression didn't shift, but Chris could see it—the flicker of amusement.

This was a game.

A game only Blackwood could win.

"Seven hundred million."

A deep voice rang from the left side of the room. Damon Pierce. A media mogul with ties to international markets. He wasn't just rich—he was dangerous.

Skylar's father clenched his jaw.

The bid climbed higher. Eight hundred million. Then nine.

And then—

"One billion."

Silence.

Every head turned toward the bidder.

Vivian Mercer.

The same woman who had won the first auction.

She sat perfectly composed, as if the number meant nothing to her.

Ethan glanced around. "One billion going once—"

Skylar's father looked sick.

Chris observed quietly. He already knew the outcome.

The Kingsleys couldn't afford to bid any higher.

"Going twice—"

Silence.

"Sold."

A round of applause filled the air, but the tension remained thick.

Skylar's father had lost.

And Blackwood had just secured another pawn in its game.

Chris turned away, walking toward the exit. The night had played out exactly as expected.

But something told him that the true game was just beginning.

Chapter 79: The Heir's Final Offer

The room had barely recovered from the billion-dollar contract auction when Ethan raised his hand once more.

Silence fell instantly.

And then, he spoke.

"Tonight has been historic," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "But what if I told you that everything until now… was merely a prelude?"

A tension, almost tangible, spread across the room.

"The final auction of the night," Ethan continued, "is not just another deal. It comes directly from the heir of Blackwood."

A stunned pause.

Then chaos.

The weight of his words crushed the air from the room.

The heir?

Blackwood's true power had always been a mystery. Ethan was the face, the feared chairman. But the heir—the one truly in control—had never stepped into the light.

Until now.

Whispers turned to frantic murmurs. Even those who had remained composed throughout the night now sat on edge.

"This," Ethan gestured toward a black folder bearing the Blackwood insignia, "is a direct partnership with Blackwood itself."

He let them absorb it.

"The winner of this auction will gain exclusive access to the most powerful force in global finance and industry. A deal like this has never existed before—and may never exist again."

Then he delivered the final blow.

"Starting bid: 20 billion dollars."

A chilling silence followed.

Not a single paddle was raised.

Not out of hesitation, but out of sheer intimidation.

Because this wasn't just about wealth anymore.

This was about stepping into the heir's world.

And only a fool would do so without understanding what it truly meant.