"There''s no way that cheap replica ring is a real interspace storage ring," Belinda said coldly.


    If it were truly legendary, she would have bought it herself. She would never have let it slip into someone else''s hands.


    "You used a trick," she pressed on. "You hid the painting and made it look like it disappeared." Her eyes hardened. "Just admit it."


    "Denial," Alex sneered. "The first refuge of people who can''t handle the truth. Believe whatever helps you sleep."


    Belinda snapped, her patience gone. "Enough games. Where did you hide the painting?"


    Alex lifted a finger and pointed calmly at Sofina''s ring.


    "Believe it or not, it''s inside."


    Sofina''s fingers tightened around the ring.


    “Inside...?” she whispered, afraid to believe it was really worth fifty million dors.


    Alex''s smile slowly deepened. "Yes."


    Ragnar burst into a loud, forcedugh. "You expect us to believe a poor man''s fantasy? Very funny."


    “Whatever,” Alex said coldly. “I don''t need to prove anything to you—except that you''re blind."


    "Then show me!" Ragnar shouted, his voice sharp with challenge. "Take the painting out of the storage ring. Now. Show me it''s real."


    "Alex..." Sofina hesitated.


    Alex tightened his grip on her hand.


    "Trust me. No tricks. It''s an interspace storage ring. Just touch the ring and say, release the painting."


    Sofina nodded. She touched the ring and whispered, “Release the painting."


    The air rippled.


    Light bent.


    Thud.


    The antique painting dropped onto the table—whole, wless, untouched.


    Silence exploded.


    Someone stumbled back.


    Another gasped.


    “Damn, it is real interspace storage ring!"


    Belinda''s face drained of all color. “That''s... impossible.”


    Ragnar whispered, hollow, "Fifty million..."


    Alex tilted his head slightly.


    "Youughed at dreams. Turns out you wereughing at reality."


    Ragnar''s hands shook. "You said... you said it was fake."


    Alex nodded, calm as stone. “I said the replica was worth one thousand."


    He nced at Sofina.


    "I never said hers was."


    Belinda''s knees buckled. "We sold it for ny thousand..."


    Alex smiled-gentle, precise, deadly.


    "No. You returned it for ny thousand."


    Ragnar staggered back, his face gray.


    A duke''s son.


    Outbid. Outsmarted.


    "That ring is invalid. You have to return it to me," Belinda blurted out desperately. "You can''t buy a fifty-million-dor ring with ny thousand."


    The entire room stared at Belinda as if she had just imed she had three heads and six arms.


    “Even a three-year-old understands buying and selling,” Renata said with a tired sigh. "And you? You''re beyond saving."


    “Shut up. This transaction isn''t valid," Belinda snapped. "I want the ring returned."


    Everyone could see it clearly now-Belinda was starting to lose control.


    "Excuse me."


    A woman''s voice cut cleanly through the tension.


    The room froze. Every head turned.


    "Countess Marlena,” Sofina said in surprise. "What brings you here?”


    Marlena smiled lightly. "I wanted to meet you. I heard you acquired a painting the Eden Group founder is quite fond of.”


    Sofina hesitated, confused. Alex touched her shoulder and leaned in, whispering calmly, "I told the Countess about the painting. Why don''t you show it to her?"


    "Oh... yes." Sofina handed the antique painting to Marlena.


    Marlena unrolled it at once. Her eyes lit up with unmistakable awe.


    “Perfect,” Marlena said, delighted. "I''ve been searching for this piece for a long time." She looked up. "I''ll offer ten million dors for it. What do you think?"


    "What?!"


    Belinda''s voice burst out before she could stop herself.


    The entire room erupted in shock.


    A painting that sold at auction for five hundred dors-now suddenly worth ten million. It sounded insane.


    "Wait!” Belinda rushed forward. “Countess, how about you conduct the transaction with me instead?"


    Marlena turned to her, puzzled. "And who are you?"


    "Countess Marlena, I''m Belinda von Yorck," Belinda said quickly. "We met at Eden


    Group''s year-end banquetst year. Do you remember?"


    "Hm..." Marlena frowned slightly, searching her memory.


    "My father is Hermann von Yorck," Belinda added hurriedly. "Deputy general


    manager of the purchasing department at Eden Group!"


    "Oh." Marlena''s expression cleared. "Baron Hermann von Yorck. Yes, I remember."


    "Yes, I am his daughter," Belinda said eagerly.


    Marlena nodded once, then looked back at the painting.


    "And what about this painting?"


    "This painting was a gift from one of our ssmates for the ss reunion," Belinda


    said quickly.


    "If you want to buy it, Countess, it makes more sense to buy it from us. That way,


    the money can go to the reunion fund-where it belongs."


    "So it doesn''t belong to Sofina?" Marlena asked, still unsure.


    "It belongs to Sofina,” Renata cut in sharply. "She bought it legally through the auction. Ownership is already clear."


    "Renata," Belinda snapped, turning on her, “we are all ssmates. Everything herees from our ss How can Sofina take all the profit for herself? The money should be shared. That''s only fair


    "Yes," several people echoed at once.


    Countess Marlena raised a hand, stopping them. Her expression cooled.


    "It seems I''vee at the wrong time," she said calmly. "If the ownership of this


    painting is still disputed, I''ll wait until it''s settled."


    With that, she turned and walked out, shaking her head.


    Belinda''s eyes darkened.


    She had never liked Sofina. And she would never allow Sofina to profit from this. If


    herself couldn''t have it, then no one would.


    The moment the Countess left, the atmosphere turned thick and awkward.


    "Sofina," Belinda said, her tone sharp and using.


    "Why are you being so selfish? Are you really willing to destroy our ss friendship


    over money? You should give the painting—and the ring-to the ss."


    Renata frowned, her voice cold. "She won the auction fair and square. Why should she give up something she bought legally? Everyone earns their own money and bears their risks. Or are you trying to steal it?"


    She paused, then added coldly, "Are you really that desperate for money now? That


    poor?"


    "Me? Poor?" Belindaughed loudly. "I''m doing this for everyone''s benefit. I wasn''t


    fighting for myself, I was protecting everyone."


    Renataughed once, sharp and humorless.


    "You protected nothing but your ego."


    Belinda''s smile hardened. "So now I''m the viin for thinking about the ss? Let me make this clear. If she keeps it, she betrays every one of us." "Yes," someone eager to please her echoed, speaking in a syrupy, ttering tone.


    "Renata, don''t you know? Belinda doesn''t need money. Her father earns several million a year as a deputy general manager at Eden Group. Her family is incredibly wealthy."


    Belindaughed, clearly pleased with herself.


    "That''s just his sry," she said lightly. "My father has real authority in the


    purchasing department. And plenty of side ie."


    Her smile sharpened. "You all know Eden Group runs countless projects, right? For


    each one, my dad earns at least ten to twenty million.”


    A man sitting across from her leaned forward eagerly. "Belinda, I''ve


    been trying to get into Eden Group


    for years I''ve sent my resumé s many times and never heard back. Could you talk to your father? Maybe he could put in an internal rmendation?"


    Belinda nodded, rxed and confident.


    "Sure. Send me your résumé. I''ll mention it to my dad. If any of you want to work


    with Eden Group, my father can make it easy."


    "Thank you, Belinda!" others said quickly.


    "We want a project with Eden Group too. Can your father connect us? We''re willing


    to pay whatever it takes," another added.


    "Sure," Belindaughed. "Just contact me."


    Alex frowned slightly.


    He hadn''t expected Belinda''s father to hold that level of power inside Eden Group.


    That was... interesting.


    Very interesting.


    He decided then-he''d message Marlenater and have Belinda''s father removed.


    Belinda wasn''t finished. She turned to Renata with a smile that wasn''t kind.


    "Renata, I heard you''ve been trying to get closer to Eden Group too. I could ask my father to arrange something for you." Her eyes flicked toward Sofina.


    "But only if you teach your arrogant friend to stop acting like a bitch and share the profit with everyone here."


    Renata opened her mouth to argue.


    Sofina stopped her.


    “This ring was a gift from Alex to me,” Sofina said calmly. “You have no right to take what already belongs to me." She paused, then looked straight at Belinda.


    “As for the painting, I bought it legally at this auction,” Sofina said calmly. “But I''m


    willing to sell it back to you. Ny thousand. What do you think?"


    A ten-million-dor painting.


    For ny thousand. Belinda—and everyone else in the room-instantly believed it was the greatest


    bargain they would ever see.


    "Deal," Belinda said without a second of hesitation.


    "Sell it to me. Now."