Ashes

Outbid

“Mabel was right,” Steve clenched his jaw. “You are a stupid piece of s**t!”

“Yet you can't go ahead with this audition until I'm seated.”

“Oh Ash,” Steve clicked his tongue, “The Dyn's would surely destroy you when they find out you made such a statement in their auction house.”

“They wouldn't dare,”

“Then I will,” Steve stomped his foot on the ground.

“Good luck with that.”

Steve chuckled, “Such an ego.

Security!” Gesturing at one of his’

“Drag him out of here”

“Stop right there!” Ellie’s voice rang from the entrance just before Steve's security could lay a hand on Ash.

Ash smiled.

Steve hurried to Ellie to give her a handshake but her bodyguards shoved him aside.

As Ellie got to where Ash sat, she bowed.

“Ellie Ray at your service, sir.

My apologies for keeping you waiting.”

Ash nodded.

“Let's get started then.”

“On it, Sir”

Steve stood behind, mouth agape.

“Isn't that your friend?” Mabel whispered to Steve.

“We're not that close… I just got her number from my dad's phone. But why is she taking orders from Ash?”

“Is that all you care about? My sister has been blacklisted!”

“You know what sweetheart?” Steve steered Mabel and led her towards the regular seat.

“Why don't we just sit over there and continue with the business of the day. We can't be spending our time with your pretentious ex.”

“But this is a sick joke. It's… It's madness.”

“I know, but trust me, Ash would crack pretty soon, he can't keep up his act forever. I'd make sure I outbid him at every item he bids.”

“How many times does that young man have to prove to you that you have nothing on him?” CEO Harry, who happened to hear Steve, chipped in.

“Mind your business!” Steve gritted.

“I would take that advice if I were you.”

Ellie, who happened to be the auctioneer, cleared her throat and the auditorium, once buzzing with whispered alliances, sank into a tense silence.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” she let out a smile, “we will proceed with lot one.”

Mabel's fingers trembled in her lap as her eyes remained fixed on Ash. He didn't look like the loser she threw out yesterday. He was calm, grounded, and different.

Lot one, a silver-plated bag, went live.

“Opening bid, fifty million.”

“Sixty,” someone said immediately, not even batting an eye.

The room stirred.

“Seventy,” another bidder called.

“Eighty,” the first bidder followed smoothly.

Steve leaned forward. “Hundred.”

“Do I hear a hundred million?”

Silence.

Steve’s cheeks rose in a smile.

“Going once…

Going twice”

The gavel slammed.

“Sold!”

Mabel let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “I can't believe you did that, Steve” she whispered to Steve.

But Ash didn’t look defeated. If anything, he looked… amused.

Lot Two began.

“Opening bid, one hundred million.”

Lot after lot followed the same pattern until lot fifteen began; the only moment Ash chose to bid.

The screen lit up with the image of an ancient artefact, but no one seemed to know its worth, as it looked dusty and dirty.

“Opening bid,” Ellie began, “two hundred thousand.”

Steve laughed weakly. “There’s no way anyone would even buy that for five thousand.”

Ash’s voice rang out. “Three hundred.”

Mabel gasped.

Steve shot to his feet. “For that worthless piece of s**t?”

Ellie turned, her eyes cold. “Sit down, Mr Steve. Or you will be escorted out.”

Steve looked around wildly and slowly descended into his seat.

“Three hundred going once”

No one countered.

“Going twice…

Sold!”

The gavel struck for the final time.

The murmurs that followed the final strike of the gavel were confused, almost mocking. A few people shook their heads, others leaned back in their seats, already dismissing the artefact as junk purchased on impulse.

Steve scoffed loudly. “Congratulations, Ash,” he muttered under his breath. “You just wasted three hundred thousand on scrap.”

Ash didn’t respond. He remained still, fingers laced, gaze fixed on the display screen where the artefact slowly rotated. Under the harsh auction lights, the object looked unimpressive; tarnished metal, chipped edges, faint inscriptions barely visible.

Ellie’s eyes, however, had narrowed. She leaned closer to her tablet, scrolling quickly. Her composed expression cracked, just enough for those watching closely to notice.

“Hold the floor,” Ellie said sharply.

The room froze.

“This item,” she continued, her voice slower and deliberate, “will require authentication verification before it is released to the buyer.”

A ripple of interest surged through the auditorium.

Steve straightened. “What verification? You just sold it.”

Ellie didn’t look at him. “Because the preliminary scan was… incomplete.”

She gestured, and two attendants carefully wheeled the artefact closer to the central podium.

As the lights shifted, the dull surface caught a strange gleam.

Ellie inhaled once, steadying herself.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” she said, “Lot Fifteen is not an ornament.”

She tapped the screen. The image zoomed in on a barely visible crest etched into the metal.

“Aurelian origin. Pre-dynastic! Lost for over sixty years.”

The room erupted.

Chairs scraped. Voices rose. CEOs leaned forward, eyes wide.

“That’s impossible…”

“The Aurelian Seal vanished…”

“Only three were ever made…”

Steve’s blood drained from his face.

Ellie turned toward Ash and bowed her head slightly, acknowledging Ash's authority.

“Mr Ash,” she said, “you’ve just acquired a relic valued at no less than twelve billion.”

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Mabel’s breath hitched. Her fingers dug into the armrest as she stared at Ash.

Steve stood abruptly. “That’s a lie,” he snapped. “This is staged…”

“Sit,” Ellie said flatly.

Steve froze.

“This auction,” Ellie continued, “operates under the Dyn Cartel’s seal. Fraud is punishable by eradication. Choose your next words carefully.”

Steve sank back down, trembling.

Before anyone could recover, movement stirred near the front row.

A woman rose.

Her silver hair was pinned neatly, her posture regal and her eyes sharp with years of command. Whispers followed her like shadows.

“The Valemont heiress?”

She stepped forward, heels clicking softly against marble.

“My name is Seraphina Valemont,” she said, her voice calm yet resonant. “And Lot Fifteen belonged to my family.”

All eyes locked onto her.

“My grandfather lost it during the Purge. We searched for decades.” Her gaze shifted to Ash. “I never imagined it would return to us this way.”

She inclined her head.

“You have my gratitude, Mr Ash.”

Ash stood, unhurried.

“I didn’t buy it to return it,” he said evenly.

A few gasps escaped.

Seraphina smiled.

“Of course,” she said. “Which is why I’m here to offer you something more fitting than money.”

She turned slightly, ensuring everyone heard.

“The Valemont estate owes you a favour. Political, financial, or otherwise.” A pause. “Redeemable at any time.”

The weight of that statement slammed into the room harder than any bid.

Ellie swallowed.

Steve looked like he might be sick.

Seraphina extended her hand. “Consider it a reward attached to your purchase.”

Ash accepted her hand briefly. “I’ll remember it.”

She nodded once and left the auditorium.

Mabel's chest felt tight, panic crawling up her throat. She watched as Ash sat back down, calm, untouchable, no longer the man she believed was broken and weak.

She stood.

“Ash,” her voice shaking.

Heads turned.

Steve reached for her arm. “Sit down.”

She pulled away.

“Ash, please,” she continued, stepping closer to the VIP section. “We need to talk.”

Ash didn’t look at her.

She swallowed hard. “I didn’t know,” she said quickly. “I didn’t know who you’d become. If I had…”

“That,” Ash cut in calmly, finally meeting her eyes.

Her knees felt weak, her lips trembled.

“Zara,” she whispered. “Please. Take her off the blacklist. She didn’t know what she was doing.”

Ash gazed at her for a long moment.

“You chose him,” he said softly. “You chose comfort over truth.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I was wrong.”