Chris asked, “What’s the Flameforge Sect doing repairing the teleportation array?”
Harrison Passos replied, “It was an order from the Hall Master himself. I don’t know what they’re planning.”
Hearing this, Chris frowned.
The Flameforge Sect repairing the teleportation array couldn’t be something simple. Could they be planning to enter Earth? But Earth had long entered the Age of Decline, with its spiritual energy nearly depleted. Even if the Flameforge Sect managed to enter Earth, what good would it do?
If Earth hadn’t fallen into the Age of Decline, its Aetherbinding practitioners wouldn’t have been so desperate to flee to Aethelgard.
Chris asked, “Is the teleportation array operational?”
Harrison Passos nodded. “Yes, it’s ready to use.”
Chris acknowledged with a nod and walked toward the array.
The disciples of the Flameforge Sect, seeing Harrison Passos leading the group, didn’t dare to say a word. Harrison was the eldest young master of the Passos family and held a special status in the Flameforge Sect. They were merely ordinary disciples and couldn’t afford to offend him.
Without paying attention to the others, Chris took an Essence Stone and placed it in the groove of the teleportation array.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed as the array began to activate.
Moments later, the array started spinning faster and faster until Chris and his companions vanished into a flash of white light.
As the teleportation array activated, Lindsay Windson and Mara Wainwright looked tense.
Teleportation was risky. If they encountered spatial turbulence, they could end up in an entirely different location.
Chris murmured to himself, “Finally, I’m returning. I wonder how Esther and Hope are doing now.”
As he spoke, a flash of white light engulfed him.
—
Middleton Chester Group, Branch Office
Esther was as busy as usual, her desk piled high with documents. Among them sat a photo frame showing a family of three: Chris, Esther, and Hope.
She often glanced at the photo, her eyes reddening.
Grinding her teeth, she muttered, “You bastard. It’s been a year, and you still haven’t come back…”
As she spoke, tears began to slide down her cheeks.
Knock, knock, knock.
A series of knocks broke the silence, and her secretary entered the office.
The secretary said, “President, here’s an invitation from the Middleton Auction House for tomorrow’s event.”
Esther nodded. “Got it. Thank you.”
The secretary placed the invitation on the desk and quietly left.
—
The Next Day: Middleton Auction House
The auction was the grandest event in Middleton, drawing many elites and socialites.
A Porsche pulled up at the entrance, and Esther stepped out of the car.
Over the past year, she had grown more mature and composed.
Once inside, the auction began shortly.
The host took the stage, smiling. “Today, we have a unique item sent by an anonymous donor.”
With those words, a beautiful staff member brought out a tray covered with a red cloth, concealing its contents.
The host continued, “I’ve never seen anything like this before. According to the appraisers, this treasure is priceless.”
The crowd buzzed with excitement, their expressions filled with curiosity.
The host lifted the red cloth, and a brilliant light burst forth, dazzling everyone.
The audience stared in stunned silence.
On the tray lay a gemstone, unlike anything anyone had ever seen.
The host announced, “This mysterious gemstone has an opening bid of one billion dollars. Let the bidding begin!”
The staggering starting price drew sharp gasps from the crowd.
Esther, though surprised, remained indifferent. She wasn’t one to chase material possessions and had no intentions of bidding.
The auction quickly heated up.
“One billion!”
“Two billion!”
“Three billion!”
Within moments, the price soared to five billion.
“Ten billion!”
A voice echoed across the room, silencing everyone.
All heads turned toward the entrance, where a man wearing a hat slowly walked in.
The host, visibly excited, asked, “Does anyone wish to bid higher than ten billion?”
Silence filled the room.
Ten billion for a gemstone-no one dared to outbid. Spending that much was sheer extravagance.
The host declared, “Sold! This mysterious gemstone goes to the gentleman for ten billion!”
Suddenly, a staff member whispered something into the host’s ear.
The host’s expression shifted to disbelief. “I’ve just been informed that this gemstone was consigned for auction by the very man who just bought it!”
The crowd erupted in shock.
Who would auction their own item only to buy it back, especially with a hefty auction fee? This man had just given away millions in fees for no reason.
The man who had just purchased the gemstone was none other than Chris.
Chris stepped onto the stage and spoke to the host. “I’d like to say a few words.”
The host handed him the microphone.
Chris scanned the audience, his voice calm but resonant. “Many of you are probably wondering why I spent ten billion to buy back my own gemstone. The reason is simple-I wanted to give this gem to the person I love most in this world. To my wife.”
In the audience, Esther stared at Chris, her eyes wide in disbelief. She thought her mind was playing tricks on her.
Her body trembled as she realized it was really him.
Chris continued, his tone filled with emotion. “We’ve been through so much together. She was once a noble young lady, and I was a penniless wanderer. Yet, she defied her family and married me, a man with nothing to his name.”
Suddenly, Esther stood up and shouted, “You bastard!”
All eyes turned toward her.
Tears streamed down Esther’s face as she looked at Chris, overwhelmed with emotion.
Chris smiled at her, his voice soft but firm. “Esther, I’m back.”
Esther couldn’t hold back anymore and began sobbing uncontrollably.
Moments later, she turned and ran out of the auction house.
—
Driving her Porsche through the city streets, Esther’s face was soaked with tears.
For a whole year, she had missed Chris every single day.