Chapter 816

Nikolas kept his eyes glued to his screen. "Forget it.I'm not going."

Daniela didn't waste her energy on persuading him.Instead, she said coldly, "You have half an hour to get your act together. If you're still a mess when I get back down, you're leaving this house for good."

Nikolas pressed his lips together, refusing to listen.Just then, Cedric strolled past and said, "I advise you to listen to her. If you get kicked out, no one is going to help you."

Nikolas frowned and turned around to snap at him,"You know what, Cedric? You're henpecked."

Cedric shrugged. "That's absolutely true. So think about it, you've got thirty minutes. Fix yourself or don't, it's your call."

With that, he disappeared upstairs. Grumbling under his breath, Nikolas tightened his grip on the video game controller and turned to Carol. "Does she ever bluff with these threats?"

Carol answered plainly, "Nope."

When Daniela returned downstairs late, Nikolas hadn't made any effort to tidy himself up, though he did rise from the sofa to save any ounce of pride."Look, these are the only clothes I've got. I'll just go like this."

Daniela remained indifferent. If he wanted to humiliate himself, that wasn't her problem.

She gave him a quick, detached glance and headed towards the door, but Nikolas suddenly groaned,exclaiming, "Cedric! Let me borrow one of your suits."

Nikolas went upstairs to change.

Carol, amused, stayed behind, quietly chuckling to herself.

By the time Nikolas returned, his cheeks were flushed with embarrassment, and his discomfort was obvious. Passing Daniela, he reluctantly mumbled,"Fine, you got your way."

Without another word, the group left for the auction.

Nikolas' arrival beside Cedric drew immediate attention, something he definitely wasn't thrilled about.

Still, Daniela's icy glare left him no option but to move forward.

Alexander approached cheerfully, acting as if Daniela hadn't publicly embarrassed him earlier. "Daniela! It's great to see you here tonight. There's an extraordinary collection tonight, including one of those authentic paintings you favor."

He tried to charm her again, but Daniela brushed past without a hint of interest.

Recently, her company had expanded dramatically,becoming a surprising competitor within Oiscoll's tightly-knit business community. Its growing

influence was impossible to overlook.

The moment Daniela walked in, conversations halted,and respectful eyes focused on her every move.

Nikolas found his attention drawn to Daniela as well.

Her expression remained calm, without even a trace of a.polite smile.

"Real power speaks louder than charm," Carol whispered to Nikolas. "Now you see why Daniela insisted you to come?"

Daniela had arrived in Oiscoll with no connections,no advantages. Yet she'd boldly established herself,forcing everyone to acknowledge her.

This was Oiscoll, the place where Nikolas had grown up. So, why had he hesitated to make his mark?

Though Daniela hadn't spoken, Nikolas finally grasped what she was silently making him to understand.

Decisively, Nikolas pressed his lips tight and followed Daniela into the venue.

For far too long, the McCoy family had held a suffocating monopoly over Oiscoll's economic landscape. Their absolute control had stifled any real competition, leaving the entire country eager to discover just how high Daniela and her empire could climb.

Daniela settled into a seat at the far left of the front row, composed and silent. To her right, Hamilton sat stiffly, letting out a sharp, disdainful scoff.

His glare cut through Nikolas and evèn more so through Daniela.

Neither of them, in his mind, had ever respectedhis authority.

Moments later, the auction started.

The early items were mostly minor trinkets.When an ashtray caught Nikolas' eye, Daniela leaned over to Carol and told her to bid on it for him.

Nikolas glanced at Daniela in disbelief. "You're giving that to me?"

Daniela glanced at him. "You don't like it?"

For a moment, Nikolas hesitated. "I do. I just didn't expect you to hand it over so easily."

"You're misunderstanding," Daniela replied bluntly,crushing Nikolas' brief excitement. "If the price jumps over a million, forget it."

Nikolas paused, visibly disheartened. "And Cedric?What's his price cap?"

While the question left his lips casually, Nikolas couldn't shake the flicker of hope behind it.

Part of him silently wished that the difference between him and Cedric wasn't as big as it seemed.

Just then, the auctioneer's voice echoed across the hall,filled with excitement. "Now, for tonight's grand finale. It is the Dreamlike Blue!"

Dreamlike Blue wasn't just any accessory; it was a legendary pair of sapphire cufflinks, admired for both their rarity and historical value. Each gem was truly one-of-a-kind, unmatched across the globe.

Centuries ago, they adorned the wrists of a king, but for a thousand years, they'd vanished without a trace.

Now, they had resurfaced, displayed under the auction lights, drawing every eye in the room.

Leaning closer, Carol whispered to Nikolas, "Daniela is here tonight for those cufflinks."

Nikolas raised his brows, caught completely off guard. "Daniela? She's into cufflinks? That's oddly specific. Aren't those more of a guy thing?"

If anyone knew cufflinks, it was Hamilton.

He had spent decades obsessively curating a private collection filed with the rarest and most valuable pairs in existence.

He had even bought an entire villa just to showcase them.

At one auction, a powerful tycoon pushed the bidding so high, soaring to a thousand times the starting price. Yet Hamilton remained unfazed,confidently claiming the prize despite the steep cost.

In Oiscoll, everyone knew about Hamilton's extravagant obsession.

Nikolas narrowed his eyes. "Wait, is Daniela trying to provoke my father with this? That would be a disaster. He clearly comes for these tonight, and he won't back down."

Carol gave him a sly smile, already anticipating the drama. "Not quite. Cedric's the one who wants them."

Nikolas blinked, caught off guard.

Carol continued, "Cedric collects cufflinks, too.Daniela always spoils him, so tonight? Things are about to get very interesting."