Chapter 27\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 27\u00a0<\/p>\n
Selene\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kane was about to raise his voice again, his jaw tight, that familiar look of indignation burning in his eyes when Sienna gently reached out and placed a hand on his arm. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, brother,\u201d she said softly, her tone calm and almost angelic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kane blinked at her, startled. \u201cBut-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She shook her head again, her expression composed yet filled with that sickeningly gentleness she was famous for. \u201cBrother, it\u2019s a rule. Besides, we can\u2019t do anything about it. We\u2019re not the only ones who didn\u2019t get a VIP seat. I\u2019m sure there are many others. So we shouldn\u2019t complain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The crowd, who just a moment ago had been whispering about Kane\u2019s temper, immediately changed their tune.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWoah, I\u2019m surprised a young girl like her has this much sense.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, she\u2019s not only polite but wise. Unlike her older brother.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe really is a good priestess. At least the Mooncrest Pack has someone with manners.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A soft ripple of approval spread through the hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sat there, watching the entire performance unfold with a mocking smile tugging at my lips. How amusing. Only Sienna could twist a bad situation into something that made her shine brighter, even at the expense of making her brother look like a fool.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I glanced at Kane. He was looking at her with an affectionate smile, clearly oblivious to the fact that his beloved sister had just humiliated him in front of half the hall. Of course, he didn\u2019t realize it. Kane was good at swinging swords, not at using his brain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What a dumb fool.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sighed quietly and shook my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d Kane said finally, smiling at Sienna. \u201cLet\u2019s just find a place to sit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked around, and to my utter misfortune, his gaze landed on the table directly next to mine. \u201cOver there,\u201d he said, gesturing toward it. And just like that, my peaceful corner became less peaceful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kane led Sienna to the table beside mine, and they both took their seats. The scent of Sienna\u2019s perfume floated in the air, pricking at my senses. I forced myself not to react.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Cross moved to take his seat, he paused when his eyes landed on me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze head-on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oh, right. I almost forgot about him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unlike Kane, Cross wasn\u2019t a fighter. His body was frail, his immune system weak, and he often fell sick. But what he lacked in strength, he made up for in intelligence. He had a sharp mind. His memory was precise and photographic. Once he saw something, he never forgot it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even without my scent, if there was anyone in this hall who could recognize me under this disguise, it would be Cross.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I rolled my eyes. What a bother.\u00a0<\/p>\n
12:43 Tue, Dec 23 MG\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 27\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned my head away from Cross\u2019s gaze, ignoring the intensity in his eyes. After a moment, he finally sat down too, thank the goddess. Maybe now I could have a moment of peace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beside me, Evelyn was practically shaking like a leaf. Her breathing had gone so shallow I could barely hear it. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. If she trembled any harder, she\u2019d probably rattle the table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cW-what should we do, my lady?\u201d she whispered, her voice high. \u201cWhat if they find out?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes, and leaned lazily against the chair. \u201cYou\u2019re going to make them find out faster with the way you\u2019re acting.\u201d I murmured.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Evelyn swallowed hard. \u201cWhy are you not freaking out, my lady? These people are literally right beside us! One wrong move and our identity will be known!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCalm down, you\u2019re too stressed. If you panic over little things like this, how will you handle harder situations?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Out of the corner of my eye, I could feel her looking at me like I\u2019d completely lost my mind. Maybe she thought I had. But honestly, I didn\u2019t care. Stressing over things I couldn\u2019t change was a waste of energy, and right now, energy was something I wanted to save.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, I kept my eyes closed. I was just about to drift off when a deep, calm voice cut through my peace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAre these seats taken? Mind if we join you, miss?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My eyes snapped open. Not again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Standing in front of me were two men, one dressed in white, the other in black. Both cloaked, and exuded an air that immediately set off alarms in my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their faces were covered, but the moment my eyes met the man in white\u2019s, his golden eyes gleamed faintly under his hood. The man in black didn\u2019t look at me at all, his arms crossed, his posture saying he\u2019d rather be anywhere else but here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Great.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just what I needed. More mysterious, powerful strangers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even without using my ability, I could sense they were both strong. Maybe not quite like the man I\u2019d met earlier, the one whose mind I couldn\u2019t read, but close enough that the air around them felt charged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I really wanted to groan. Why did I keep meeting people like this today? Was there some cosmic joke I wasn\u2019t aware of?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man in white smiled slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. \u201cMiss?\u201d he asked again, voice polite, and teasing. \u201cCan we sit here with you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I straightened slightly, schooling my face into something equally polite. \u201cThere are other seats you can choose from,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t even blink. \u201cThey\u2019re all fully taken,\u201d he said, still smiling. \u201cYou\u2019re the only table with three extra seats.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His tone was still polite, but there was a subtle glint in his voice, like he was enjoying this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damn him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why do polite men always sound like they\u2019re mocking you?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced a smile that didn\u2019t reach my eyes. \u201cOf course,\u201d I said sweetly, gesturing at the chairs. \u201cBe my guest.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The man in white smiled, he was far too charming for my liking. \u201cThank you, miss,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sat across from me with unhurried grace, the man in black following silently behind him, every movement sharp. For a\u00a0<\/p>\n
12:43 Tue,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 27\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment, he didn\u2019t look at me, until he did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The instant our eyes met, my breath caught in my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those green eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Something inside me paused. A flicker of recognition pulsed through me before I could stop it. They were familiar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He raised an eyebrow slightly, and for a moment, the world around us faded. It was just a brief silence, an unspoken question passing between us that neither of us seemed to have the answer to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tore my gaze away first, letting my eyes trace over him. He was tall, broad-shouldered, every line of his posture radiating authority.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was just about to say something when the lights in the hall dimmed suddenly. A hush swept through the crowd.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A beautiful woman stepped gracefully onto the stage, her long crimson gown shimmering under the spotlight. She bowed her head slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWelcome, everyone,\u201d she began with a warm smile. \u201cI\u2019m your auctioneer for today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The crowd murmured softly, excitement and anticipation buzzing in the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy to say that there will be many unique items here today, items that everyone will want, items that nobody expects.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes swept the room, the corners of her lips curving knowingly. \u201cI hope you are one of the lucky ones, and if you\u2019re not lucky\u2026well, you can always try another day.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are two rules we have in the auction house, and everyone here must follow them, irrespective of your status or\u00a0<\/p>\n
wealth.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first rule,\u201d she continued, \u201cis that nobody should attempt to obtain an already purchased item by threatening or forcing another bidder. If anyone is caught doing so, there will be consequences, and that person will be banned from ever entering the auction house again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She paused, scanning the crowd. \u201cAnd the second, and most important, rule, if an item is auctioned and nobody knows its true worth, once purchased, there are no refunds. Whether you buy something worthless for a fortune or something priceless for a single coin, the deal is final. This place is not for the cautious. The auction,\u201d she said with a playful lilt, \u201cis a gamble.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I leaned back in my seat, crossing one leg over the other with ease. I could still feel his gaze on me, but I ignored it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was probably overthinking things. There was no way that man was here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now that we\u2019re all seated,\u201d the announcer\u2019s voice boomed through the hall, \u201clet the auction begin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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12:43 Tue, Dec 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Hope Is Not Optional \u2014 Manuel Flores 27 Chapter 27\u00a0 Chapter 27\u00a0 Selene\u00a0 Kane was about to raise his voice […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27821","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-ruthless-tycoons-obsession-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27821"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27821\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}