William turned to his wife and tried to put on a reassuring smile, "Of course, Charlotte. It's just a bit of an unexpected turn of events." Behind the smile, however, William began to plan the next steps to overcome the situation that had not gone according to his plan. He knew the game wasn't over yet, and there were still many battles to be fought in their war against Ethan and Iriana Kingslayer. The night continued with an increasingly intense auction process. William tried to keep his composure even though things were not going according to his plan. Each item auctioned by Ethan and Iriana continued to attract the attention of the bidders. Charlotte tried to ask William. "William, can I bid as well? There is one item that caught my eye." William replied with a cold expression, "No Charlotte. Don't spend a penny on this auction. They are our enemies." Charlotte was still adamant in her desire to convince her husband, "But the money we will give will not be for their benefit, Wi
William stood among the guests who were still sitting in awe. In a loud voice he shouted, "It's a fake!"A roar went up among the guests as William shouted. All eyes were on him and the Holy Grail on the podium. Ethan and Iriana Kingslayer looked at William with piercing glances that reflected anger.William stepped forward and challenged Ethan and Iriana. "Open your eyes, all of you! There's no way this thing is real. The Holy Grail is supposed to be an artifact from the year Jesus was on this earth. That means it was approximately the years six to four B.C. There is no way that an object from that year would have a modern design like what you see now. This is just a trick to fool you all!" he said with conviction.Ethan and Iriana, though visibly angry, kept their composure so as not to reveal their rottenness and disrupt the auction. They also thought quickly and found a solution so that the invited guests still believed that the object in front of them was the original Holy Grail.
William looked at Ethan and Iriana with a sharp look, "So everything is proven, right? You two tried to sell counterfeit items at that charity event and even used nonsensical excuses. So how do you want to take responsibility for that?"Ethan and Iriana seemed at a loss for words. They were backed into a corner and their mistake was exposed for all to see. Dr. Lawrence showed his analysis to the guests and briefly explained that this was not the real Holy Grail."I won't pay you a penny!" shouted one guest."I won't give you my money for what I bargained for either!" said another.Seeing the reactions of the guests who felt betrayed, Ethan tried to defend himself: "We may have made a mistake. But we really didn't know that the Holy Grail we were auctioning off was a fake. We also bought it for a high price without knowing if it was real or fake. So here too we are victims of fraud."Ethan's answer did not find sympathy among the invited guests. Instead, more and more people left the e
William met with Jaguar, Xavier and Mathew in a fancy cafe in the middle of the city. The cafe is decorated with a delightful classic European feel. Walls lined with beautiful wood paneling provide a quintessentially traditional touch, while softly glowing crystal chandeliers provide luxurious lighting. Tables with satin tablecloths and comfortable chairs add to the ambiance.European classical music plays softly in the background, adding elegance and a pleasant ambience. The smell of fresh coffee and the sweet aroma of French pastries on display added to the warmth of the atmosphere.They sat on upholstered chairs and enjoyed a cup of world-class coffee. A pianist played classical music in the corner, adding to the atmosphere. Their warm conversations and boisterous laughter filled the cafe, creating a memorable moment amidst the delightful classical European ambiance."I think you're overdoing it. Then I want forty-nine percent of the Salazar Group," Xavier said spontaneously, witho
"Let me emphasize this first, William. I am not your subordinate. Therefore you don't have to give me bonuses, gifts or anything else." Jaguar said.William had expected Jaguar to say that, considering that he was quite a powerful and influential figure, his pride must be high. This was the second time William had made an offer to Jaguar. The first time was when he wanted to acquire the Salazar Group. Based on his first experience dealing with Jaguar, who has a pretty tough character, William had to work extra hard to convince him."I am not giving this gift because I consider you my subordinate, Jaguar. This is my way of thanking you for helping me all this time. Think of it as a gift to remember our friendship." Said William.Jaguar looked at William for a moment before nodding in agreement. Although he stressed that he was not a subordinate, the feeling of mutual respect and team spirit was maintained. Jaguar accepted the gift as a form of friendship, recognizing that each individu
William's feelings immediately became chaotic as he remembered the past. His face couldn't lie, so he quickly changed his expression from blank to cheerful. He didn't want to look strange on this day when everyone should be happy.Despite the bitterness of remembering his past, William tried to confirm one point: "Jaguar, is the stone you're referring to some kind of water drop-shaped gem?"Everyone at the table was surprised to hear William's question. Jaguar, who was the most surprised, then asked, "How did you know? I didn't mention the shape."Again with a somber face. William then said, "If my guess is right, and hopefully not wrong. I might know where the Phoenix Tearstone is now." "WHAT?!" everyone at William's table said in unison, causing the other diners to turn their faces to them."How? How do you know where the stone is, William? Isn't this the first time you've heard about the stone?" asked Jaguar.William let out a long sigh, "I know because the owner of the stone is m
Emma revealed that the reason Charlotte had been targeted was because Ethan and Iriana believed that having Charlotte in their grasp would give them more control over William. They believed that William would be more vulnerable and easier to control if they had something very precious to him, which was his wife's safety.Emma explained, "They think that by threatening Charlotte's safety, they can force you to submit to their will, William. This is something only the most cunning people can think of, to find their opponent's weaknesses and use them to their advantage."William, even though anger had seeped into him, still showed great composure. He said, "They won't succeed. I'm not going to give up so easily, and I'm going to make sure they pay for their treatment this time.""So what are we going to do, William?" asked Charlotte."We're going to play their foul game. I'm going to make sure that it's not us who die, but them." William said with a straight face. The look in his eyes ra
The following afternoon, William, his team, and the Lysander family met in a room. The faces of William's team were obviously very familiar to the Lysander family. Xavier was the one with the worst image because he used to have problems with Emma Lysander. But thankfully, that was all in the past. Now everyone is working under the same vision to take down Ethan and Iriana.Besides Xavier, whose face is already familiar, there is also Mathew. Everyone certainly knew Mathew's identity, as he had been hired as a bodyguard during the launch. The only stranger in the room was Jaguar. Except for William and Charlotte, they thought no one else knew Jaguar."Aren't you the former owner of the Salazar Group?" asked Arthur."Ohhh...I'm surprised anyone recognized me. That's right, I was the former owner of the Salazar Group. Now the company has been taken over by Xavier and I only hold a small portion of the company's shares." Jaguar said."I didn't expect you to be part of my son-in-law's team