I picked out a diamond ring at an auction as my wedding ring with Chloe Vance. But no matter how much I bid, the "little brother" Chloe sponsored, Liam Reed, always bid ten dollars more than me. Chloe smiled helplessly: "Honey~ Liam likes these shiny things, let him have it, okay? Be good~" I turned around and lit the Sky Lantern. That day, Liam ran out with red eyes. Chloe kissed my cheek: "Hubby is so bad." She ignored Liam, and for the year after our wedding, she refused to be apart from me every night. One day, I received an invitation to a private auction. Photos of me blindfolded and choked by Chloe, our "Queen and Knight" couple's game, were blatantly displayed as exhibits. Chloe leaned into Liam's arms: "Don't you like lighting Sky Lanterns? Three hundred and sixty-five photos of you serving me like a dog. If you don't want them falling into someone else's hands, you can take your time lighting them." Chapter 1 I stood in the auction hall, watching dozens of men and women discussing loudly in front of the big screen: "Men really know how to play! I've been around the block, but this is the first time I've seen a male prostitute sluttier than a woman." "Tsk tsk! Who would have thought, Chase Sterling looks so cold and aloof, but in bed he's like a duck. And to think he usually tells us to get lost if we touch him, hahaha!" "President Vance really knows how to train men. The young master from a scholarly family has been ruined by President Vance, right? When..." A woman winked at Chloe, who was sitting in the main seat: "Should we tie him up and let us sisters have some fun?" I clenched my fists and turned trembling to look at my wife. Beside her, in the seat that originally belonged to me, sat Liam Reed. Chloe didn't hide it at all, gently curving her lips: "Whoever wins the photos gets the full video of that night as a bonus." "President Vance is generous!!" The crowd boiled over. Chloe looked at me, her beautiful brows tinged with a smile: "Don't look at me like that. I said, you can light the Sky Lantern. Three hundred and sixty-five photos, take your time." "Oh, President Vance, you don't know yet! The Sterling family went bankrupt recently, Mr. Sterling doesn't have much money left!" "Lighting a Sky Lantern costs fifty million a pop. It would be impressive if he still has a hundred million in hand now!" Chloe raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance: "Oh? Is that so?" "Tsk! What a pity. Three hundred and sixty-five photos, each one wonderful. Honestly, I want to light them all and take them back to study properly." Someone stroked their chin and sighed: "Unfortunately, the only one present with that kind of financial power is President Vance." Chloe laughed and raised her hand: "Everyone, for today's auction, the Vance Group will not participate in bidding for any exhibits. All proceeds will be donated to charity. Please feel free." Cheers erupted from the audience: "This is a true entrepreneur! Fortunately, the Vance Group secretly squeezed out the Sterling Group's partners, otherwise we might not have been able to get the photos today!" "What are you worried about? There are dozens of us, let's not fight, everyone gets some!" "No way! The third photo is arranged so perfectly, I must have it!" Only I trembled with clenched fists, looking at Chloe in disbelief: "The Sterling Group's bankruptcy, you did it?" Chloe just looked at me and smirked. My eyes stung, blurring my vision, my voice hoarse: "Why... just because I lit a Sky Lantern a year ago?" Chloe ignored my grievance and took the microphone: "Time is limited, Mr. Sterling. If you're not participating in the auction, I'll let my friends start." The men and women looked at me playfully. Everyone here was top-tier in the circle. The remaining hundred million in cash I had might just be pocket change for a short trip to them. How could I compete with them? "I'm going to the restroom." I quickly turned and left the venue. Otherwise, I was really afraid I would go crazy right there. Laughter came from behind: "So male whores have shame too, hahaha!" "President Vance, don't wait for him. A hundred million to play with us? He's definitely embarrassed to say it straight and ran away using the restroom as an excuse." "Shut up, all of you." Chloe spoke coldly. She stared dead at the direction of the entrance. No one dared to act rashly, and they all shut their mouths. A moment later, I pushed open the door. I took my seat under everyone's gaze, the corners of my eyes still red: "Let's begin." Chloe glanced at me, slightly surprised. To clearly display my photos, the big screen behind the host was transformed into a panoramic surround screen, showing my humiliation 360 degrees without blind spots. Allowing everyone to appreciate it from every position. Chapter 2 "First photo." The host smiled meaningfully: "'Moonlight Inquiry', starting price two million." The whole audience gasped: "Elegant! Too elegant! Appreciated by both the refined and the common! Mr. Sterling from a scholarly family really knows how to play." "Two and a half million!" The host smiled without speaking, and released a text introduction. I stood up abruptly. That was a detailed description of the key parts of my wedding night with Chloe. Besides me, the only one who could write these details was... I looked at Chloe trembling. She sat there quietly, a sneer hanging on the corner of her mouth, as if everything here had nothing to do with her. Only when Liam leaned in to whisper to her would she turn her body sideways, her brows filled with shyness and tenderness. The discussions in my ears almost drowned me: "Thought the photos were slutty enough, didn't expect the process to be even more explosive than I thought! Don't fight! Five million! I want the video!" "Six million!" "Knowing how to play like this on the first night, can't imagine what comes after... tsk tsk! Ten million!" "Light the Sky Lantern." I heard my trembling voice. Everyone looked at me. The host looked at me with a professional smile: "Number 438 lights the Sky Lantern, are you sure?" I slumped back into the chair, my voice weak: "Sure." "Tsk! What a pity, that video must be explosive." "What are you afraid of? How many photos can he last?" "Exactly, and this is just the first one, right? It gets sluttier later, won't be a loss to wait." "Number 438 lights the Sky Lantern! Congratulations Mr. Sterling on obtaining the 'Moonlight Inquiry' photo and its accompanying video!" I closed my eyes, fingernails digging deep into my palms. The big screen immediately changed to the second photo, along with the accompanying introduction. "Second photo, 'String Plucking', starting price two million!" The venue boiled over: "Does this really exist? With this, who needs male models? President Vance surely gives us free access right!" Someone sitting close poked me: "Tsk tsk tsk! Can't tell, you look so upright, but privately you're so cheap." I glared at him, and he immediately laughed: "Hey~ I don't despise you! If President Vance doesn't want you, come find me? I'll help you light one, how about it?" "Don't touch me." My voice was cold enough to kill, the man snorted disdainfully and sat back: "What are you pretending for, a thing played rotten by others, ten million!" "Twenty million!" "Twenty-five million!" "Light... the Sky Lantern." I didn't know with what strength I said these words. The host glanced at me, smiling meaningfully: "Number 438 lights the Sky Lantern!" The transaction was completed, he looked at me with a professional smile: "Lit the Sky Lantern twice. According to your capital verification results, you have less than five million in cash flow left, oh?" My tone was dispirited: "Continue." "Heh." The disdain on the host's face wasn't held back for a moment, and he released the third photo: "Third photo, 'Glazed Glass', starting price two million!" "Light the Sky Lantern." Hearing my voice, everyone looked at me in surprise. The host looked at me: "Mr. Sterling, your capital verification result before entering was one hundred million four hundred and thirty thousand. You have already lit it twice, the remaining money is not enough." An old woman blinked at me: "Beg Brother Sterling, Brother Sterling will help you light it." I ignored them and looked at Chloe. She was also looking at me. Only there was no intention of helping, instead, the corner of her mouth held an arc of disdain. Everyone looked at her. After all, she was still my wife. "What are you all looking at me for?" Chloe hooked her lips carelessly: "I said, all auction items are entirely handed over to everyone for bidding." People breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you President Vance for not competing!" Just then, Liam, who had been sitting beside her, raised his hand: "How about this, I'll light this photo for Brother Chase." Chloe looked at him, and after a bit of surprise passed, it was more of an unconcealable smile. Liam looked at me: "After all, Brother Chase also sponsored my tuition for studying abroad. I can't be ungrateful." The smile in Chloe's eyes deepened. Looking at Liam, her always cold brows seemed to melt the ice. Everyone started jeering: "No wonder President Vance likes Liam, who wouldn't like someone so obedient?" "Liam is a good man, blushes just hearing us tease him a bit, unlike someone, tsk tsk tsk!" Meaningful gazes pierced me like sharp swords. A trace of imperceptible pride flashed across Liam's mouth, then he looked at me: "Brother Chase, don't worry." "Hypocrite." Hearing my answer, he froze: "What?" "Your way of repaying me is to occupy my seat and seduce my woman?" I leaned back in the chair: "Sorry, I haven't fallen to the point where I need help from a bitch and a scumbag." "Chase Sterling." Chloe rarely spoke to me. But it was a tone cold and strange. I glanced at her coldly and looked at the host: "I lit the Sky Lantern, I'll do it myself." "This..." The host was somewhat troubled: "If you still want to light it, we can only include the Sterling Group's real estate, but the real estate after bankruptcy has shrunk significantly, barely scraping together fifty million, oh?" "Just light it, no need to say more." "Tsk tsk tsk! This man is really crazy." People shook their heads and teased: "Giving up even a place to live for this breath, pity, the third photo was the one I fancied at first sight." "It's okay, haven't even sold a fraction yet, more than three hundred photos, what are you afraid of?" "Exactly, I took a peek, gets cheaper and less human further back hahaha!" Everyone's gaze, whether pitying or mocking, was cast towards me: "Just a beast fighting in a cage." "Wait for the next one, he can only watch us take his private photos." "Tsk tsk tsk! Really want to know what expression he will have then, will it be the same as when dominated by President Vance?" Snickering sounds were endless. I endured the lump in my throat, silently clenched my fists, and looked up at the host. Chapter 3 The fourth photo was quickly displayed: "Fourth photo, 'Netherworld', starting price two million!" "Damn! I really like this one! Fifteen million!" "Twenty million!" "Twenty-five million!" "Light the Sky Lantern." I spoke. Everyone's gaze invariably projected towards me. The host couldn't maintain his smile anymore: "Mr. Sterling, please do not disturb the order, if you continue like this we will have to ask you to leave." I said coldly: "Not disturbing. I said I want to light the Sky Lantern. "And not just this one, I'm lighting all three hundred and sixty-five photos and videos in the venue." The host and the audience below looked at each other and laughed out loud simultaneously. Even Liam couldn't help but "Pfft!" and burst out laughing, leaning on Chloe's shoulder sideways. Chloe's eyes were so gentle they could drip water, her always indifferent face couldn't help but melt a trace of ice. "Is he crazy? Three hundred and sixty-five photos? Eighteen billion two hundred and fifty million, did he even have this strength before bankruptcy?" "Except for President Vance who dares to play like this, who else dares to say so!" The host took several seconds to adjust before restoring his professional smile: "Mr. Sterling, in the previous round you already auctioned off all your family assets, so you can't light this Sky Lantern, haha. "Which gentleman bid twenty-five million just now? "Twenty-five million going once!" "Smack!" I grabbed the water glass on the table and threw it forward. "Crash!" it shattered at the host's feet, startling him into retreating a few steps hurriedly. I looked at him coldly: "I said I want to light the Sky Lantern, do you not understand?" "Chase Sterling!" Someone got impatient: "We played three rounds with you, you're out of money long ago! What are you pretending for!" "Fake bidding carries responsibility, us brothers fancying your photos is appreciating you, don't be ungrateful!" The host's smile also couldn't hang on: "Mr. Sterling, if not for President Vance's face, you wouldn't even have the qualification to enter and light the Sky Lantern. If you make trouble again, don't blame the security for inviting you out!" I narrowed my eyes: "Who said I have no money?" Chloe glanced at me calmly. Everyone was also stunned: "Stop joking, although it's a private auction, do you think our capital verification methods are a joke? Would we not know how much money you have?" I looked at the host: "As long as I still have money, I can still light the Sky Lantern, right?" "Yes, but..." "Re-verify capital." I interrupted the host. Everyone looked at each other in dismay, and Chloe frowned imperceptibly. I pulled the microphone closer to myself: "What, you guys can't afford to play?" "Hmph! Verify then! If we play, we'll make you convinced!" On the big screen, my photos were all withdrawn, replaced by my account balance. The host stood still again: "Number 438, second capital verification." Everyone stared tightly at the numbers on the screen, faces inevitably showing some nervousness. Many whispered: "Why is he so calm? Does he really have money?" "No way... President Vance secretly blocked all cooperation with the Sterling Group, is there anyone in the circle with more say than President Vance?" "Then is he crazy? Humiliating himself in public? Maybe he really has means we don't know..." "Verification ended." Everyone stared dead at the screen. Deducting the Sky Lanterns just lit. Account balance— Zero. "Hahahahaha!!" The whole venue exploded with laughter: "Thought he really had some tricks, turns out he's really crazy!" A sneer appeared at the corner of Chloe's mouth, Liam laughed until tears came out. The host made a gesture: "Sorry Mr. Sterling, you disturbed the order, trouble you to leave. Thank you for your support of this auction, security!" Immediately a row of burly men stepped forward to surround me. "Wait." I sat quietly, looking down at my watch. Index finger tapping on the armrest with the second hand. After three times, I made a "please" gesture: "Now you can re-verify capital." "Chase Sterling, who do you think we are, having time to talk nonsense with a madman!" The host had long been impatient, waving his hand: "Drag him away and throw him out." But as soon as the voice fell, his eyes slowly widened, then he turned back abruptly, staring dead at the screen: "This... how is this possible?" Chloe also stood up abruptly. Everyone stood up: "This... fake, right?" On the big screen, the originally zero balance suddenly flashed. Then changed crazily. From single digits to four digits, from four digits to eight digits, leaping crazily, until stopping at the hundred billion level. "Bang!" The microphone was knocked to the ground by the host. He supported himself on the table, looking at the big screen in disbelief: "This is impossible... how is it possible to finance so much in such a short time!" The security guards who originally restrained me were also shocked into letting go. I said indifferently: "Sorry, large transfer review took some time, made everyone laugh." Some people collapsed into their chairs in disbelief. Speaking, I looked at the host: "May I ask, three hundred and sixty-five photos, can I light the Sky Lantern now?" The host scrambled to regain his state, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead: "Yes, yes! That... cough! Number 438, lights the Sky Lantern!" The venue was in an uproar. The man who teased me just now was paralyzed in his chair. Although he had quite some family assets, compared to my current account balance, it was just a drop in the bucket. Thinking of what he did to me just now, a layer of cold sweat oozed from his forehead. Everyone couldn't believe it: "Financing hundreds of billions in such a short time, didn't he go bankrupt!" "Did President Vance deceive us? Actually Chase Sterling has always been hiding his light?" "Or... did he hook up with some big shot..." "Bullshit! What big shot can be bigger than President Vance!" I got up, walking step by step to Chloe's seat. Raised my palm high, and landed it fiercely on her face: "Smack!" The crisp slap echoed throughout the hall. Chloe tilted her head slightly, looking grim. Everyone held their breath. "Secretly taking my photos?" After speaking, the next slap landed on the other half of her face: "Secretly recording my videos?" Then, a third slap was raised again. But this time, a dark shadow rushed up: "Brother Chase! Don't!" "Smack!" This slap landed solidly on Liam's face. Chloe, who had been silent, suddenly exclaimed: "Liam!" Liam took a slap, but it was like taking a heavy blow, collapsing into Chloe's arms. Before I could react, my back collar was suddenly yanked fiercely, and I fell heavily backward to the ground. "Let go!" I struggled hard, but a crisp "Crack!" came from my wrist. Severe pain spread throughout my body. I gritted my teeth and looked up. Chloe's bodyguards had swarmed out at some point, pressing me dead on the ground kneeling. My breath trembled slightly— When I attacked Chloe, Chloe didn't mobilize them. Liam took a slap, yet she let these people treat me like this...
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