I'm in Mota, and they all want me to confess my feelings!

Doing that would only annoy him and be pointless.

Besides, she had no right to interfere in Duanmu Yan's private life.

unless……

That disguised identity became real.

"So, Second Miss, what's our next move?"

"No rush, wait until Giacomo is desperate and does something rash."

……

……

Since the incident was exposed, Giacomo has lived in fear every day.

He knew better than anyone how the Motari family would retaliate.

The Motari people never truly forgive and forget their blood debts.

The first phase of retaliation has now begun.

The Motari family is withdrawing capital on a large scale and acquiring the Fachibina family's assets at almost zero cost.

Giacomo's wealth is shrinking almost every second, like sand flowing in an hourglass, silently but rapidly.

And this is just the beginning.

Next, there will be a second step, a third step... until finally, he and his family will be completely swallowed up and sink into an abyss where no one can see them.

Giacomo clearly realized that if he didn't take action, he would face certain death.

Although he understood that even if he fought back, the outcome might still be the same.

But at least, amidst the struggle, there remains a sliver of hope for survival.

Although the Fachipina family secretly served the Order and the Fissare family, they were also deeply involved with the Mortari family.

For this reason, neither the Faisaleh nor the religious order cared about the fate of the Facibina family.

They were even happy to use it as bait—once the Motari family crossed the line, they could use it as a pretext to attack them.

In their eyes, the downfall of Fácsbin was not a loss, but a valuable piece in their game.

They were eager for the family to perish, because its death would give them an excuse to take action.

But maybe…

Giacomo could also choose to turn the tables and completely disrupt the situation, forcing Motari to do whatever it takes to break the current peace in Laguna.

By then, even if the Fachipina family were to perish, Motari would be destined to die with them!

“That woman!” Giacomo clenched his fist and slammed it on the table. “If I kill her… the Motari family will never let this go! Even if I die, they will pay for it!”

His eyes were bloodshot and his face was haggard, but a kind of madness, almost tangible, enveloped him like a shadow.

"Yes... kill her!"

"She must be killed!"

At first, it was just a suppressed whisper, but it gradually turned into an uncontrollable, manic laugh.

He had made up his mind—to take action on the day of the auction.

Completely turn everything upside down!

Volume One: Chapter Forty-Nine - The Auction Begins!

That night.

The rain poured down, washing over the buildings along the street and shrouding the entire city of Laguna in dark clouds.

Koleta sat quietly in the car, looking up at the lights that were blurred and dimmed by the rain, their wet shadows swaying uncertainly outside the window.

Since the Motari family broke with the Fachipina family, the latter has never ceased trying to repair the broken alliance.

But the Motari never forgive betrayal—once disloyal, never trusted again.

Giacomo will naturally resort to desperate measures.

And this is exactly the situation that Koleta is happy to see.

Only in this way could her family find a legitimate reason to take revenge on the Order and the Fesari family, who were both eyeing her covetously.

Or……

Using "debt repayment" to describe it is more accurate.

"Second Miss, are you sure about tonight's operation... it's just the two of us?"

Duanmu Yan slowly parked the car in front of the auction venue and turned his head to look at Koleta beside him.

Koleta's face didn't show much emotion; she simply nodded slightly. "The fewer people, the better. If we arouse that guy's suspicion, all our efforts might be in vain. I want to give Giacomo the illusion that this operation is a sure thing."

"But along the way, I always felt..."

Before Duanmu Yan could finish speaking, his gaze had already turned to the window. The rain continued to wash over the streets, and although the area was full of parked cars and many well-dressed guests, he still felt a vague unease.

"Somewhat something is wrong."

“If things go smoothly, I’ll actually find it boring. Giacomo might launch an attack at the auction, and I’ll handle those attackers. As for you…” Koleta gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, turned to him, and smiled softly, “Just protect the painting and get out of here safely.”

—Should I stuff the big red thing in my crotch and then leave? That's something I'm good at.

"And what about the second young lady? Doesn't she need my help?"

Although Duanmu Yan was well aware of her master Lin Qi'er's strength, she still couldn't help but ask.

What if she gets hurt?

Koleta tilted her head, her fingertips lightly stroking her fair chin, and said in a relaxed tone, "Oh, are you worried about me? Don't worry, I've seen much bigger scenes than this. These small fry can't do anything to me."

Seeing her composure, Duanmu Yan refrained from saying anything more. He looked out the window again and whispered, "But it seems there are some members of the Buddhist order among them. Are you sure it's alright?"

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care who bids, I’ll definitely be the one who wins in the end.” Koleta shook her head slightly, picked up a mask and put it on, then handed him a matching pure black one. “Let’s go, the auction has begun.”

……

……

This was Duanmu Yan's first time attending an auction.

Art is inherently pure, but the buying and selling of art has never been.

Every investment involving value is a commitment to and a bet on the future.

Time flows on. The works on stage appear one by one under the soft lighting, and then quietly change.

The people in the audience whispered among themselves, calmly analyzing the market potential of each piece of art, as if they were just another weight on the scales of profit.

Koleta sat quietly, seemingly indifferent to the surrounding chatter.

She still wore that calm, serene smile as she gently closed her eyes, waiting for her prey to appear.

Duanmu Yan stood beside her, constantly observing the surroundings, trying to find the attackers hidden among the bidders.

But he gained nothing.

Perhaps, the time is not right.

When will that be?

Perhaps, right now.

"Next item: The Dinner Party. Starting bid: 50,000 Monet."

When the auctioneer announced the name, Koletta, who had been keeping her eyes closed and biding her time, gently opened them and gazed at the painting on the stage with a smile in her eyes.

Before she could even raise her paddle, bidders had already placed their offers.

"Fourth bidder, 5.5 Monnets."

"Bidder number six, 6 Monnets."

Koleta was in no hurry to show herself. She preferred to give others the illusion of hope first, and then crush it with her own hands.

She enjoyed the feeling of being in control without making a sound.

Just as the auctioneer was about to bring down the gavel, she calmly raised her paddle.

"Guest number three, 100,000 Monaco!"

Upon seeing this, the guest who had been so confident of winning glared at Koleta and almost without hesitation chose to follow her and take photos.

"Guest number six, 110,000 Monacos!"

Of course, this time Koleta didn't rush to follow suit; she raised her paddle again just before the gavel was about to fall.

"Guest number three, 150,000 Monacos!"

The auctioneer's voice trembled slightly with excitement—this was a price rarely seen at recent auctions.

Upon hearing this sudden bid, the sixth guest—despite his deliberate attempt to disguise himself, the distinctive characteristics of the monastic order were still evident in his mannerisms—turned around abruptly once more, glaring fiercely at Koleta, before raising his paddle again.

"Guest number six, 160,000 Monacos."

This time, however, Koleta has no intention of offering any false hope.

"Guest number three, 200,000 Monacos!"

The auctioneer's voice trembled even more noticeably; she could hardly believe her eyes.

Even the other guests present couldn't help but hold their breath. They all looked at her, and only after seeing her clearly did they finally relax.

Koleta Motari – a renowned art investor in Laguna, and the second daughter of the Motari family.

In terms of both wealth and power, she was at the very top in Laguna. She never failed to acquire any artwork that caught her eye.

Upon hearing the bid, the monk's face darkened instantly. He gritted his teeth and fixed his gaze on Koleta with a piercing stare.

Clearly, his funds were no longer sufficient to keep up with the price.

"Two hundred thousand Monacos, twice."

The room fell silent; no one raised their placard.

"Two hundred thousand Monacos, three times! Sold!"

The auction gavel fell with a resounding crash.

Koletta rose gracefully, walked slowly onto the stage, and lightly touched the frame with her fingertips. On the surface, the painting "The Dinner Party" was as calm and peaceful as its name, showing no connection whatsoever to the secrets hidden by Lina Shitta for hundreds of years.

boom--!

A gunshot shattered the tranquility of the auction.

However, the bullet did not hit Coleta; instead, it veered off course and struck an empty wall nearby.

Koleta slowly turned around, first glancing at the direction the shot had been fired, then looking at Duanmu Yan, tilting her head and smiling: "Thanks."

Duanmu Yan nodded slightly, responding in a very natural way.

From the moment Koleta first raised her sign, Duanmu Yan had already noticed the presence of the sniper in the corner.

Just before the other man pulled the trigger, he grabbed a chair and hurled it, precisely interrupting the man's aim.

This gunshot was just the beginning.

In an instant, countless masked attackers poured out from every corner of the auction house, exuding murderous intent.

"Oh dear, it seems they couldn't resist any longer." Koleta watched the attackers with great interest, generating guns and bullets from gem-like crystals, and then gently tossed the painting in her hand into Duanmu Yan's hands. "Alright, according to plan, let's leave here with this painting."

“But, Second Miss—” Duanmu Yan still hesitated.

"Don't worry about me. Don't forget, I'm the executor of the Motari family. I've seen plenty of these kinds of situations. Besides, I don't like men who are too indecisive."

The young girl spoke slowly in a gentle tone that wasn't overly sweet.

"Oh, right. I haven't had dinner yet, remember to bring me a pizza."

Finally, she tilted her head slightly, the smile on her face never fading.

Duanmu Yan looked at her, his lips trembling slightly, but in the end he could only let out a helpless chuckle: "I understand, Second Miss."