Chapter 817

Chaos never bothered Carol. In fact,she seemed to thrive on it-watching everything unfold like her own private show.

Unlike her, Nikolas recognized the brutal patterns of Hamilton's mind-cold control wrapped in charm,masked behind expensive suits and power plays.

Turning to Daniela, he murmured, "I don't think it's a good idea to compete for the cufflinks. I don't care how valuable they are-they're still just accessories.My father is not the type to let something go if it's caught his eye. He'll burn everything down to claim it."

With a slow tit of her head, Daniela gave him a soft,unreadable smile. Her gaze drifted toward the velvet display box beneath the auction lights. "And what makes you so sure that I'm any different?"

Nikolas blinked, momentarily thrown. "What are you talking about?"

Daniela finally turned fully toward him, eyes unwavering. "You're afraid of your father, aren't you?You think no one can challenge him. But tonight,you'll see it for yourself. Whoever stands across from me-him included-won't wvin."

Up on stage, the auctioneer was still building anticipation, listing the cufflinks' origin and craftsmanship.

Meanwhile, Nikolas couldn't take his eyes off Daniela.

Even after she looked away, the impression she left lingered.Something in the way she carried herself-so unshaken, so certain-rendered him speechless.

In that single moment, Daniela became blinding. He could barely stand to look at her, yet couldn't look away.

His chest tightened. A strange pressure surged through him-half awe, half something else he couldn't quite name. Words abandoned him. Daniela's presence made sure of that.

As the final piece of the night, the cufflinks commanded a ceremonial pause before bidding opened. The auctioneer gave everyone time to admire the item up close.

Seated at the very front, Hamilton appeared entirely at ease.

A few guests gathered near his row, beaming with polite admiration. "Mr. McCoy, you look so confident.Should we assume you're walking away with the cufflinks tonight?"

Hamilton responded with a confident smile.

The person continued, "Mr. McCoy, you're truly remarkable. Everyone knows that you collect cufflinks. No one would dare compete with you for them."

Another voice interjected, "We'll probably never get to lay eyes on something this rare again." "Mr.McCoy, if you sold your collection of cufflinks,you could probably afford a small nation."

Boasting wasn't Hamilton's style. He believed dominance didn't need an introduction. Power didn't ask for attention.

But cufflinks were his weakness. At a time like this,he couldn't hold back and said, "When it comes to cufflinks, I'm hands down the best. No one else would even dare to call themselves second. These cufflinks are flawless, and no matter what it takes,they're going home with me tonight."

Raising his head, Hamilton locked eyes with Daniela from across the room. His voice carried a quiet menace. "Anyone brave enough to challenge me,go ahead and have a try."

That look didn't go unnoticed. Meeting his stare with ease, Daniela turned ever so slightly in his direction.She had caught every word. Every thinly veiled threat.

But instead of flinching, Daniela smiled, just enough to be seen. "Is that so? Then I guess I'll be the one to test that claim tonight."

Earlier, the auction organizers had quietly handled financial checks behind the scenes, making sure each bidder had the funds to match their ambition.

When Hamilton's turn came, the staff moved to skip him entirely, as if verification were beneath him.

There wasn't a single person who questioned the financial strength of McCoy Group. They were more than capable of covering the cost of any auction item.

But today, right when the organizers were on the verge of skipping Hamilton's verification, Daniela stepped in and said, "Why is it that Mr. McCoy doesn't have to verify his assets?"

The air went still for a second before laughter erupted. Guests turned to each other, some covering their mouths, others howling opoenly.

"What is Daniela even saying?" "That's hands down the most ridiculous thing l've heard this year!"

"Did she seriously question why Mr. McCoy doesn't have to prove his assets? Unbelievable!"

"Verify his assets? What's next, asking the sun if it plans to rise tomorrow?"

Laughter rippled throughout the hall, rising in waves.Even the auction staff exchanged bemused glances at Daniela's audacity.

One organizer finally stepped forward and offered a stiff explanation. "Mr. McCoy has never been asked to verify his finances."

"Is that so?" Daniela turned to Hamilton. "Are we calling this special treatment? That doesn't exactly sound fair, does it?"

Still perched like royalty, Hamilton didn't bother dignifying the comment with a reply. A small flick of his fingers summoned the organizers, and his secretary rose, already prepared with documentation.

Meanwhile, the whispers behind them only grew louder,fueled by mockery and disbelief.

Once the secretary provided the documentation of Hamilton's assets, the organizers showed him even greater respect.

Then, the staff walked over to Daniela, carrying themselves with an air of indifference.

From her purse, she retrieved a single bank card and passed it forward with a faint smile. "Go on."

Gasps filled the room again, followed by another round of barely-contained laughter.

"Is Daniela truly unfamiliar with the rules, or is she simply overflowing with confidence?"

"One bank card? Does she seriously think that's enough? Either she's clueless about the rules or she thinks her personal checking account is comparable to McCoy Group's vault."

Verification at this level required a comprehensive summary-assets under her name, liquidity, property,the whole deal.

Instead, all Daniela handed over was a single card.

The staff member couldn't even hide his smirk. With a scoff, he took it with two fingers like it was beneath him. "Alright then. Let's run this and see what you've got."

He moved toward the machine, swiped the card, and turned to glance at the screen.

For a moment, no one breathed. All eyes were fixed on the man expected to burst into laughter.

But that reaction had never appeared.

Instead, the staff member stood frozen, eyes locked on the screen, comnpletely speechless.