chapter 111
Chapter 111
The hall was already filled with voices, but the tension in the air made every sound feel heavier. Servants moved in and out, making final arrangements, while guards stood at every corner like statues. Tonight was not an ordinary night. Everyone could
feel it.
Catherine walked in, walking towards Adrian sit.
The moment she saw him, her face lit up.
“Adrian!” she called, her voice bright with excitement as she hurried toward him. “I heard you arrived early. I was worried you wouldn’t make it.”
She stopped in front of him, her eyes shining. “You look good. Really. I knew you wouldn’t disappoint.”
Adrian smiled faintly. “You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not,” Catherine said seriously. “You always do things properly. That’s why everyone trusts you.”
Before Adrian could reply, another voice cut in.
“Manager Catherine.”
Lucas had approached them, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. “This is amazing-”
Catherine didn’t even let him finish. She turned her head and said flatly, “I think you shouldn’t cause trouble here Lucas brown. This is an event hosted by me, I think you should learn to stay in your lane”
“Not at all Manager Catherine, I just came to say hello, and for your grand invitations” He let out.
“I know you well enough Mr Brown, so I wouldn’t let what happen at the medical City repeat itself.”
“Alright, I think I will just go back since you’re not in the mood for completion” He let out walking away.
Adrian scoffed.
Catherine didn’t respond. She simply turned back to Adrian and said, “Come with me. The banquet is about to start.”
Lucas stayed where he was, watching their backs as they walked away. His face remained calm, but his mind was already moving
fast.
So she doesn’t trust me anymore, he thought.
His gaze slowly shifted to the center of the hall, where the main stage had been prepared.
Just then, a loud, clear voice echoed through the hall.
“Attention, everyone.”
The hostess of the house stepped forward, her presence commanding silence almost immediately.
“The banquet will now begin.”
The chatter slowly died down. All eyes turned toward the stage.
“Tonight is not just a banquet,” she continued. “It is also a special auction and a special test.”
Servants began to move again, this time carrying large covered trays.
Catherine’s eyes narrowed slightly. Adrian also looked toward the stage, curious.
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The hostess raised her hand. “What you are about to see are twenty pieces of gold.”
The servants placed the trays down and removed the covers.
Under the bright lights, twenty gold pieces shone brilliantly.
Some were big. Some were smaller. All of them looked valuable.
A low murmur spread through the crowd.
“But,” the hostess said calmly, “only one of them is real.”
The ball went quiet.
“The other nineteen are perfect imitations.”
This time, the murmurs grew louder.
Adrian frowned. “Only one is real?”
The hostess continued, “This will not be an easy competition. The real gold is hidden among the fake ones. With the naked eye, you will not be able to tell the difference.”
She paused, letting the tension build.
“You will each have only one chance to choose.”
A ripple of unease spread through the guests.
“Once you choose, there is no changing your decision.”
She looked around slowly before saying, “This is a test of judgment, not luck.”
The hostess’s words settled heavily over the hall. For a moment, no one spoke.
Then she continued, her voice calm and controlled.
“This is an auction, but it is also a test. You are free to bid on any piece you want. You may observe them as long as you like. Touch them. Compare them. But remember–only one is real.”
She gestured lightly, and the servants stepped aside, allowing the guests to approach the long table where the gold was displayed.
“Once you make your purchase,” she added, “there will be no refund. No exchange. Whether you walk away with the real one or a fake one will depend entirely on your own judgment.”
A quiet tension spread through the hall.
People began to move.
Some walked confidently toward the table. Others hesitated, watching from a distance, trying to see if someone else would reveal something first.
Low voices filled the air.
“They all look the same,”
“There must be a trick.”
“No one would make it this simple.”
Catherine stood beside Adrian, her arms crossed, her eyes sharp as she studied the gold from afar. “This is bold,” she said
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quietly. “If someone makes a mistake here, they’ll lose face… and a lot of money.”
Adrian didn’t answer. His eyes were fixed on the table.
Not on one piece.
On all of them.
Across the hall, Lucas stood with a glass in his hand, watching everything with a calm expression.
Exactly. That’s why this works, he thought.
The fake ones were perfect. Weight, color, shape–almost impossible to tell.
Almost.
He glanced briefly at one particular piece near the middle of the table.
As long as no one notices that detail… this will go exactly as planned.
Several guests had already started bidding.
One man laughed confidently as he pointed at a piece. “I’ll take this one. Triple the starting price.”
A servant carefully wrapped the gold and handed it to him.
The man looked proud, already imagining himself as the winner.
Not far away, another woman chose a different one, after only a few seconds of looking.
Some people relied on instinct.
Some relied on confidence.
Some relied on greed.
One by one, pieces were taken away.
Catherine frowned. “They’re moving too fast. If this were me, I’d be more careful.”
Adrian finally spoke. “Sometimes people trust their eyes too much.”
She looked at him. “And you?”
“I don’t trust them at all,” he replied.
Lucas watched the table slowly empty.
His fingers tightened slightly around his glass.
Don’t rush. Take the wrong ones first. That’s fine.
But then
Someone stopped in front of the table and didn’t move.
He didn’t pick anything.
He didn’t bid.
He just stared.
Lucas’s eyes narrowed.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
