She had been convinced—certain—that Raymond had been bluffing. That any second now, he would turn to her with that amused smile and whisper that it was all a joke.
But he didn’t.
He stood there, calm. Collected. Unbothered.
His dark eyes held no fear. No hesitation. No regret.
At that mont Damien clenched his fists. This wasn’t happening.
"How?" he finally muttered, his voice tight with disbelief.
His question wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. He just needed to hear it out loud.
Because this didn’t make sense.
How did a man like Raymond—a nobody, an outcast, a supposed fool—just make a 40-million-dollar transaction in front of one of the most powerful families in the country?
The weight of that truth pressed down on them all.
And suddenly—it wasn’t Raymond who looked out of place anymore.
Damien stood there, his body stiff, his mind racing.
No. This isn’t right.
He couldn’t wrap his head around it. His pulse pounded in his ears, his hands growing clammy. Bernard lied to him. He had to have lied.
This... this was not the sa man Bernard described.
"Useless?" The word echoed mockingly in his mind. "Worthless?"
"No. No, no, no."
This wasn’t a nobody.
This wasn’t so pitiful, broke fool.
His eyes darted back to Raymond, who stood there, unbothered. Steady. Powerful.
It didn’t make sense. How could the sa man Bernard mocked—the one they all laughed at, the one they dismissed as nothing—stand there so casually after making a 40-million-dollar transaction like it was pocket change?
Damien’s throat felt dry.
His lips parted, but no words ca out. This can’t be real.
His gaze shifted to Valentina, who hadn’t taken her eyes off Raymond. She wasn’t surprised.
There was no shock. No disbelief. No confusion.
It was as if, deep down, she had already known, but she wasn’t sure.
Damien’s stomach twisted.
Had he been mocking the wrong man this entire ti? Had he been insulting soone who was beyond his comprehension?
He clenched his fists, his mind refusing to accept the reality staring him in the face.
"This has to be a mistake."
Damien’s breath hitched. His heartbeat thundered in his chest.
This isn’t right.
His instincts scread at him—Run. Get out. Now.
At that mont his eyes darted around the hall, searching for an escape route. If Raymond could do sothing like this, then who exactly was he? A man capable of making a 40-million-dollar transaction in a blink? That ant only one thing—Raymond wasn’t just rich. He was powerful.
Damien didn’t want to be anywhere near whatever was about to unfold next. He had underestimated the wrong person, and if he stayed any longer, he would pay for it.
So, without another word, he slipped into the crowd, keeping his head low. He needed to disappear. Fast.
anwhile, Raymond stepped forward, his presence commanding the room. The mont the necklace was presented, he didn’t hesitate. He took it with the ease of a man who had never once doubted this outco.
Valentina, however, was still frozen. Her fingers trembled as she reached out, her hands unsteady when they touched the box.
It’s real.
The necklace was really hers.
Her mother’s necklace.
Her chest tightened, a mix of emotions swelling inside her—shock, disbelief, gratitude, and sothing else. Sothing deeper.
She glanced up at Raymond, words failing her.
And in that mont, the boss, the auditioneer, and the entire event staff—bowed.
Not just to Raymond.
But to her.
Their heads lowered in respect, their voices silent, acknowledging the power standing before them.
Without another word, Raymond took her hand, and together, they walked out.
At that mont the air in the hall was thick with tension, the weight of what had just transpired pressing down on every single person present. The silence was deafening, broken only by the low murmurs of disbelief rippling through the stunned crowd.
At that mont Dorian Lancaster stood up, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. Humiliation. A feeling foreign to him. A feeling he had never once experienced in his life—until now.
His jaw tensed as he replayed everything in his mind. How? How had this happened?
He knew all the heirs from the most elite families. The first-class circle was small, and he had crossed paths with every single one of them. But Raymond?
He had never seen or heard of him before.
That’s impossible.
His gaze darkened, the sharp glint of rage flashing in his eyes. Sothing was off. He had to find out who Raymond really was.
Without shifting his gaze, he leaned slightly toward one of his top subordinates and spoke in a low, commanding voice.
"Find out everything about him."
His tone was sharp, ice-cold.
"I want a full report on my desk before the next twenty-four hours."
There was no need to repeat himself. His n knew exactly what that ant.
Without another word, Dorian Lancaster turned and stord out of the hall, his presence leaving a lingering chill behind.
The mont Raymond and Valentina got into the car, Valentina couldn’t hold it in any longer. She turned to him, her brows furrowed, her hands gripping the seatbelt tightly.
"Raymond, you went too far this ti!" she blurted out, frustration laced in her voice.
Then Raymond exhaled slowly, keeping his hands on the steering wheel. He knew this was coming.
"A necklace, Raymond? Forty million dollars?" she continued, her tone sharp, disbelief evident in her expression.
"Do you even realize what that kind of money could have done for our future? For us?"
Still Raymond remained calm, his gaze fixed on ahead.
"I know," he said simply.
Valentina scoffed, shaking her head. "Then why—why would you do it? Even though it was for my mother, even though you made a promise, this was just too much!" She turned in her seat to face him fully, her hands gesturing in frustration. "You don’t just throw money away like that! That was beyond reckless!"
At that mont Raymond finally turned his head to look at her. His dark eyes held a quiet certainty, an unwavering calmness that only made her more exasperated.
"You worry too much," he said smoothly. "I got this covered."
Valentina’s eyes widened. "Covered? You spent forty million dollars, Raymond! That’s not just so spare change lying around."
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