DEAR CHEATED GIRLFRIEND, I AM TRILLIONAIRE HEIR

CHAPTER 5 REWARD

The air in the auction hall was thick with anticipation as the final item was announced—the antique legal document that had drawn in collectors and historians alike. The auctioneer’s voice rang out, his tone filled with reverence for the supposedly priceless artifact.

But Karvel Cross wasn’t interested.

He strode through the dimly lit hallway leading out of the venue, his mind replaying the subtle discrepancies he had noticed earlier. That document was a forgery, plain and simple. It didn’t take a genius to see that the aging was artificial, the ink strokes inconsistent with the era it supposedly came from.

Just as he was about to reach the exit, a familiar voice called out from behind.

“You’re leaving already?”

Karvel turned to see Sophia Yale—approaching him, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. She looked at him with a mixture of intrigue and amusement, arms crossed as if trying to decipher a puzzle.

“The auction’s final treasure hasn’t even started bidding,” she added, arching an eyebrow. “I thought you’d want to stay and fight for it.”

Karvel smirked slightly but shook his head. “It’s a fake.”

Sophia’s expression faltered. “What?”

He shrugged. “The document. It’s been artificially aged. Whoever forged it made some basic mistakes. If you’re thinking of bidding on it, I’d advise against it.”

Sophia’s brows knitted together. “You’re sure?”

Karvel met her gaze evenly. “Positive.”

She hesitated, eyes narrowing as if analyzing his words for deception. Then, curiosity flickered across her face. “You have an interesting way of seeing things, Karvel Cross.”

Before he could respond, a sharp gasp cut through the conversation.

Sophia’s younger sister, a girl no older than twelve, had been admiring the blue diamond Karvel had won. She had picked it up from its box, her delicate fingers tracing over the gemstone’s surface. But within moments, her body stiffened, and she collapsed to the floor.

“Sienna!” Sophia’s voice turned frantic as she rushed to her sister’s side. She shook the girl gently, then more forcefully. “Sienna, wake up! What’s wrong?”

Panic set in as Sienna remained unresponsive, her breathing shallow, her skin turning an alarming shade of pale.

Karvel’s eyes darkened as he stepped forward. “Move aside.”

Sophia barely registered his words, her focus entirely on her unconscious sister. “Sienna, please! Open your eyes!”

“I said move,” Karvel repeated, this time with an authority that snapped Sophia’s attention to him. Without waiting for her compliance, he crouched beside Sienna and took her wrist, checking her pulse.

Weak. Too weak.

His gaze flickered to the diamond resting on the floor. Instantly, he connected the dots.

“She’s been poisoned.”

Sophia’s head snapped toward him. “What?!”

Karvel picked up the gemstone, inspecting it under the light. “Arsenic. Traces of it were left on the gem’s surface when it was unearthed.” His voice was calm, but beneath it was an edge of urgency. “She absorbed it through her skin.”

Sophia’s breath hitched. “Then we need to get her to a hospital—”

“There’s no time.”

Sophia’s stomach dropped at his words. “No…”

Karvel turned to her, his eyes steady. “If you take her to a hospital now, she won’t make it in time.”

Despair flickered across Sophia’s face, her fingers trembling as she gripped her sister’s hand. “Then what do I do? Tell me what to do!”

Karvel didn’t hesitate. “I can save her.”

Sophia looked at him sharply. “You can?”

His jaw tightened. “Yes. But you need to trust me.”

Sophia was silent for only a fraction of a second before she nodded. “Do it.”

Karvel exhaled slowly, then reached into his pocket, pulling out the velvet box that housed his family’s ring. He slipped it onto his finger, the weight of the heirloom grounding him as he focused.

The moment his fingers brushed against Sienna’s skin, the air around them seemed to shift. A faint energy pulsed from the ring, warmth spreading from his fingertips into her body.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then Sienna’s chest rose with a sharp intake of breath.

Her pale skin slowly regained color. Her fingers twitched before her eyelids fluttered open, dazed but conscious.

“Sienna!” Sophia cried, pulling her sister into her arms. “Oh my god, are you okay?”

The young girl blinked up at her in confusion. “What happened?”

Sophia let out a shaky breath, tears welling in her eyes. “You scared me, that’s what happened.”

Meanwhile, Karvel slowly withdrew his hand, slipping his ring off before Sophia could notice anything unusual.

Sienna turned to him, her expression still groggy. “Did… did you help me?”

Karvel gave a small nod. “You’re safe now.”

Sophia’s gaze snapped to him, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. “You…” She swallowed hard. “How did you do that?”

Karvel merely shrugged. “Experience.”

Sophia wasn’t convinced. But before she could press further, she turned back to Sienna, brushing strands of hair from her face.

“I owe you,” she murmured, voice thick with gratitude.

Karvel waved her off. “It was nothing.”

Sophia frowned. “Nothing? You just saved my sister’s life.”

Karvel didn’t respond, his attention already shifting elsewhere.

Sophia stood, reaching into her bag and pulling out a sleek gold card. “Take this.”

Karvel arched an eyebrow. “I don’t need a reward.”

“It’s not a reward. It’s a pass,” she clarified. “This gives you access to any property owned by the Yale family. It’ll come in handy if you ever need something.”

Karvel considered it for a moment before shaking his head. “Keep it.”

Sophia exhaled in mild frustration. “You’re a difficult man, Karvel Cross.”

A smirk tugged at his lips. “So I’ve been told.”

Just as he turned to leave, Sophia called out again.

“Wait.”

Karvel glanced over his shoulder.