Chapter 11: A legacy bought in silence
940 Words
DAMIEN’S POV
The moment I lifted my paddle, the air changed.
Eyes darted around the hall, quick, greedy and calculating.
From me, to the woman standing at my side, to the dagger gleaming under the auction lights.
Because they all knew one thing — I don’t bid on things without value.
So if Damien Salvatore had raised his
paddle for a mere dagger, then it was no longer just a dagger.
And greed always follows certainty.
“One point five million.”
A woman in a tailored emerald dress lifted her paddle, calmly but alert.
“One point eight.”
Another voice followed almost instantly.
Then another.
“Two million.”
“Three.”
“Four point two.”
The numbers climbed too fast for an object whose history is supposedly almost erased.
Within minutes, the price surged past reason.
Seven million.
I didn’t move.
Neither did Vincenzo Romano.
The dagger that was meant to be reclaimed quietly for Lola had turned into a competition….because people like to gamble when they think they’ve spotted hidden treasure.
They assumed if he and I were interested, then the dagger must be priceless.
Vincenzo’s gaze slid toward me, calculated and expectant. Like he was trying to decipher my next move.
He wanted me to speak, to fight him openly.
Instead….
I lowered my paddle. My movement, deliberately unhurried.
A ripple went through the hall. Confusion, disbelief and murmurs.
I saw Vincenzo visibly stiffened.
His brows drew together slightly, irritation flashing behind his eyes. I knew he hadn’t anticipated my move.
I leaned back in my seat, crossing one leg over the other, my expression unreadable.
I wasn’t playing games.
I was letting him drown in his expectations.
The auctioneer cleared his throat nervously trying to ease the tension.
“Seven million…”
No movement from me.
The crowd turned in my direction before quickly looking away when my gaze coldly met theirs.
As expected, they turned to Vincenzo.
He had piqued their interest in the bidding at first before me.
Now he was cornered by it.
Backing out would mean humiliation.
Pushing forward meant bleeding money his syndicate couldn’t afford—not now, with the Romano family struggling at the edge of bankruptcy.
I could practically hear his thoughts racing.
Giving my brow a slight raise, I waited for the prey to take the bait.
One….
Two….
Three…
A silent countdown was going on in my head.
“Seven point five million.” Vincenzo uttered through gritted teeth, trying as much as possible to keep his tone in check.
There it was.
The bait.
I let the silence stretch for a bit, like I was giving up the dagger. Long enough to make him uncomfortable. To make him realize his impulsive mistake of trying to burn money when his family is struggling.
Only when I saw disbelief and realization starting to settle in his eyes did I lift my paddle again.
“Ten million.”
The hall erupted with gasps and whispers.
Everyone, wondering why I was so interested in a simple dagger.
Beside me, Lola’s fingers tightened painfully around my sleeve. Her breathing uneven.
I felt her sway like the ground had slipped out from beneath her feet.
However, I simply ignored it.
“Ten million going once…” the auctioneer announced.
The room went dead quiet.
“Going twice…”
“Eleven million.”
A rough voice came from above. Lola froze completely beside me.
Every head snapped upward.
A man sat in a wheelchair in the shadows of the upper gallery, dressed in black from head to toe. His face partially obscured by a mask.
From the beginning of the auction, he was unnoticed due to his sitting angle, not until he wheeled himself forward.
Vincenzo cursed under his breath.
The game had just changed.
Three players.
This time around, no one dared to join.
Vincenzo muttered several words under his breath before dropping his paddle, leaving the two bidders.
“Going for 11 million once….”
“Going for 11 million twice….”
“15 million”. I calmly interrupted.
Ohh..okay….The auctioneer stammered trying to find his words. “Going for….”
“15.5 million”. The man chirped.
The room erupted once again. As no one had ever dared to directly challenge me in a bid before.
Lola was trembling now. I felt it—felt her fighting not to collapse as her entire bloodline was auctioned like entertainment.
A frown settled between my brows.
That was enough. I no longer had the patience to watch her go through all phases of shock while she barely looked composed on the surface.
“Twenty million.”
My voice cut through the noise like a blade. Silence falling through the hall.
The masked man raised his paddle hesitantly before dropping it again.
The auctioneer swallowed.
“Twenty million… going once…”
No movement.
“Going twice…”
Vincenzo stared at me, fury and defeat warring in his eyes.
The man upstairs also remained still.
“Sold.” The gavel struck. The sound echoed loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Finally, the dagger was reclaimed.
I exhaled lazily and turned to Lola, holding her before her knees could give out.
“Breathe,” I murmured, low enough that only she could hear.
Her eyes were glassy, stunned and still fixed on the stage. As if trying to recover from what just happened.
“It’s over.”
No one else in that room mattered anymore.
The dagger that carried her family’s name—her father’s legacy—was no longer for sale.
It now belonged exactly where it should be.
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