If he had kept raising the bid, won the item, and gifted it to Vivian Lynch, he would have been the hero who threw away a fortune to win a lady’s smile.

But instead, not only did he fail to get the item, but it also ended up in the hands of his ex-girlfriend. How infuriating.

Chase Lockwood returned to their private room, his face dark with anger, and immediately had his secretary investigate the Celestial Suite next door.

"Sir... we couldn’t find anything."

Chase Lockwood narrowed his eyes. ’Throughout all of Argent, anyone with this kind of power must have a status on par with the Lockwood Family.’

’It could only be one of a handful of families. As long as I spend a little time, I’ll definitely find out who it is.’

"I’m giving you three days. If you can’t find out, you can get lost." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Chase Lockwood’s expression was foul.

"Do you think Miss Kane will go to the VIP lounge to thank him? How do you think a woman can possibly thank someone for a two-hundred-million-dollar gift she got for nothing? Don’t tell me Miss Kane has... given up on herself and let some man become her sugar daddy?"

Vivian Lynch was trying to stir up trouble, hoping to make Chase Lockwood look down on Mia Kane and grow to despise her completely.

But upon hearing this, Chase Lockwood shot to his feet.

"What’s the situation next door?"

"Next door... the lights are off."

The lights being off meant the person had already left and wouldn’t be participating in the rest of the auction.

He glanced down and saw that Mia Kane was no longer in her seat either.

His heart lurched. A trace of panic, one he himself hadn’t even realized was there, surfaced within him.

"Who was that in the Celestial Suite? Mia, do you know them?"

"I think I know who it is. I’m going to see him."

"I’ll go with you."

"Owen, it’s complicated. I’ll explain everything to you later. You should head back first, I still have things to do."

"But..."

"Owen, trust me this once. I won’t get hurt."

Mia Kane finally managed to persuade and reassure Owen Sinclair, convincing him to leave first before she headed to the VIP lounge herself.

She didn’t expect to run into Chase Lockwood in the corridor.

She ignored him and walked past, but as she did, he grabbed her by the wrist.

"Mia Kane, where do you think you’re going?"

"Someone gave me such a valuable gift. Naturally, I’m going to thank them."

"So you’re really willing to stoop so low as to sell your body. I could understand when you submitted to those kidnappers; you had no choice. But what are you doing now? Selling your body for wealth and glory? How did you become this kind of person?"

"What does it have to do with you?"

Mia Kane forcefully yanked her hand back.

"Don’t you know you’re embarrassing me by acting like this?"

Mia Kane found it laughable. She had thought Chase Lockwood was trying to play the hero and save a fallen woman, but it turned out he was only worried about his own reputation.

’He’s afraid I’ll drag him down in the future.’

"Get out of my way."

Mia Kane had lost her patience, and Chase Lockwood couldn’t be bothered to explain, so he tried to drag her away by force.

"Let go of me!"

But the difference in strength between a man and a woman was too great. As Chase Lockwood forcibly dragged her downstairs, Mia Kane suddenly remembered the self-defense technique Adrian Preston had taught her.

’Against a man, be fast and precise. Aim straight for the groin.’

"HISS—"

Chase Lockwood took the kick and hissed in pain, doubling over and leaning against the wall.

Mia Kane used the opportunity to break free.

Chase Lockwood’s face was pale. ’That was a hard kick. It won’t make him unable to have children, will it?’

Terrified, she stumbled backward, watching as Chase Lockwood slowly sank to his knees, drenched in a cold sweat from the pain.

She didn’t dare delay and quickly dialed 911.

Just then, Vivian Lynch arrived.

"Mia Kane, what did you do to him? Chase... Chase..."

Chase Lockwood fainted from the pain.

The ambulance arrived quickly, along with a police car, and Mia Kane was taken away.

Vivian Lynch accused her of malicious assault.

As Vivian Lynch got into the ambulance, she glared at Mia viciously. "If anything happens to Chase, I’ll make you pay with your life!"

Mia Kane was taken to an interrogation room, where she recounted everything from beginning to end.

Soon, the report from the hospital came back. It wasn’t destroyed, but the injury was serious. He would definitely need to rest for a few months to see if there were any long-term effects.

Chase Lockwood was still unconscious, and Vivian Lynch was relentless, insisting that Mia Kane be sent to prison.

"You can request a lawyer for your defense."

She could still contact the outside world. Mia Kane picked up her phone, and an image of Adrian Preston appeared in her mind.

’It seems I’ve caused him trouble. He must regret marrying me.’

She keyed in the number, wanting to call, but for some reason, she couldn’t muster the courage.

An unknown amount of time passed before a female officer came to inform her.

"Mia Kane, you’ve been bailed out."

Mia Kane was stunned. When she walked out of the interrogation room, she saw Adrian Preston signing paperwork.

The police officers were extremely respectful toward him, speaking very politely.

"You... what are you doing here?"

"Why didn’t you contact me?"

"I... I was too ashamed. I caused trouble for you."

"Look at me. Do I look like someone who’s afraid of a little trouble?"

"Am I going to jail?"

"Chase Lockwood was harassing you. It was self-defense. What jail? Come home with me."

The last four words echoed in her ears as if by magic.

Mia Kane instantly came back to life and followed in Adrian Preston’s footsteps.

...

「At the hospital」

Chase Lockwood had been unconscious for a day, and numerous doctors had come to examine... it. A very important test now was whether he could get an erection after the injury healed. The mere thought of all those people watching to see if he could rise to the occasion made him feel like he’d already gone limp.

Especially with Vivian Lynch constantly whispering in his ear, "Chase, no matter what happens to you, I’ll always be with you. I’ll never leave your side."

It was giving him a massive headache. ’I’m not useless yet!’

"Did Mia go thank that person afterward?"

Vivian Lynch froze, staring at him in disbelief. Chase Lockwood’s tone wasn’t accusatory. ’He still cares whether Mia was fooling around with another man?’

"She hurt you this badly, and you’re not even angry with her? She was so vicious; she was trying to cripple you! I wanted to send her to prison, but she got out so easily. It’s infuriating! I heard someone bailed her out. It looks like she’s been doing very well since leaving you, like a fish in water."

"I’m tired. Have the secretary come in. I have some things I need to discuss."

Vivian Lynch felt like she had punched a bale of cotton; Chase Lockwood showed no reaction at all.

She had no choice but to call the secretary in.

"Where did Mia Kane go afterward?"

"Miss Lynch called the police directly, and Miss Kane was taken into custody."

Chase Lockwood furrowed his brow. He had never intended for Mia Kane to go to prison. The last time she’d attacked him, he hadn’t pressed charges either.

Otherwise, Mia Kane would have been dead ten times over.

"It’s fine as long as she’s out. Is she short on money? Go give her five million. Tell her to behave herself and stop embarrassing me."

The secretary nodded and left, but turned back at the door.

"Is there something else?"

"We’ve identified the guest in the Celestial Suite."

"Who?"

Chase Lockwood’s eyes instantly sharpened.

"It’s..." The secretary hesitated, not even daring to look at him.

"Speak—"

Chase Lockwood barked out the command.

"It’s... It’s your close friend, Adrian Preston. President Preston. Also, he was the one who bailed Miss Kane out of the police station."

Chase Lockwood’s fists clenched violently.

"Adrian Preston?"