?Chapter 1401:


    His chest tightened. A strange pressure surged through him—half awe, half something else he couldn’t quite name.


    Words abandoned him. Dani’s presence made sure of that.


    As the final piece of the night, the cufflinksmanded 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 darepete with you for them.”


    Another voice interjected, “We’ll probably never get toy 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 ites to cufflinks, I’m hands down the best. No one else would even dare to call themselves second. These cufflinks are wless, and no matter what it takes, they’re going home with me tonight.”


    Raising his head, Hamilton locked eyes with Dani 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, Dani turned ever so slightly in his direction. She had caught every word—every thinly veiled threat.


    But instead of flinching, Dani smiled, just enough to be seen. “Is that so? Then I guess I’ll be the one to test that im 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, Dani stepped in and said, “Why is it that Mr. McCoy doesn’t have to verify his assets?”


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


    “What is Dani even saying?”


    “That’s hands down the most ridiculous thing I’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 ns to rise tomorrow?”


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