Chapter 10 The Auction
378%
02:26:58
Finished
Benedict drew a deep breath, swallowing down the frustration clawing at his chest. Losing control wouldn’t help–not now, not with everything already crumbling.
Daniel hesitated before speaking. “Sir, Suzanna called earlier. She said M. Mabel Landon isn’t doing well. She wants to know if you’d like to continue with conservative treatment.
Daniel had been with Benedict long enough to read his mood, and right now, he could tell Benedict was furious. The failed collaboration and Mabel’s worsening health weren’t helping matters.
Benedict clenched his fists, but his voice stayed steady. “There’s a reagent at the auction tonight. It’s supposed to be effective for her condition. We’ll go after it and return after that. Any progress on the investigation?”
Daniel shook his head, looking uneasy. Benedict’s lips pressed into a thin line, his expression darkening further.
Two years ago, the hospital fire was ruled an accident; a careless nurse smoking in the storeroom. But Benedict knew better. The blaze had been deliberate, a calculated attempt to kill Mabel.
If Francesca hadn’t been there that night, whoever planned it might have succeeded.
The memory tightened like a vice around his chest. Mabel had been distant ever since, wracked with guilt and grief. She blamed herself for everything, and Benedict couldn’t shake the weight of it either. He’d failed her, failed Francesca. And now it was too late.
Officially, the fire was labeled an accident, but Benedict’s investigation painted a different gory. The nurse, the supposed culprit, had taken her own life to avoid prosecution. Her family moved to another city without a trace, leaving the trail cold.
And even weirder, Francesca’s body had never been recovered. No remains, no leads, no closure. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
Benedict had tried to reach out to her family, desperate for answers, only to hit another wall. He didn’t even know who her relatives were.
It struck him like a blow to the chest. He had been married to Francesca for three years, and yet he knew so little about her.
“Keep digging,” Benedict said firmly, his voice edged with steel. “Don’t let the nurse’s family out of sight. Whoever’s behind this… they won’t get away with it.”
Daniel adjusted his glasses, about to speak, when his phone lit up with an incoming call. Seeing “Suzanna” on the screen, he wisely stayed quiet.
The auction kicked off at 8 p.m., and as Benedict walked in, he ran into Mark from Grandance Group. Mark flashed a casual smile and waved him over to a seat.
Suzanna reached out to grab Benedict’s arm, but he smoothly dodged her without even looking. She shot him a glare, clearly pissed, but kept quiet.
During the break in the auction, Benedict brought up the topic of their potential collaboration. Mark leaned back in his chair, a sly smile on his face. “I heard you flew in by private jet just for this, Mr. Landon?”
1/2
78%
Chapter 10 The Auction
02:23:65)
Finished
Mark chuckled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “If you can afford a jet, Mr. Landon, do you really need anyone else’s help? It’s a little odd to come begging, don’t you think?”
Benedict clenched his jaw, but he didn’t say anything. Suzanna looked like she was about to snap back, but one cold look from him shut her up.
Upstairs, the VIP room overlooked the whole auction. It felt like an opera house; perfect views, but Benedict was too distracted to enjoy it.
The host came back on stage, apologizing to the crowd. “Due to some changes, we’ve had to adjust the lineup. Next up, we have an antique vase that’s truly a one–of–a–kind piece…”
Benedict rubbed his temples, irritated. This wasn’t why he came. He was after that reagent, something that could help slow cancer growth. It was one of the main reasons he had flown out here.
As for the Grandance Group deal, he could tell that ship had sailed. If he wasn’t walking away with that reagent, though, this whole trip would’ve been a waste.
Just as his frustration peaked, something, or rather, someone, caught his eye. A fleeting figure, hauntingly familiar, moved through the crowd below.
Σ
He instinctively pushed his chair back, ready to stand, but when he looked again, the figure was gone.
Suzanna glanced at him, surprised. The auction item had switched, and now they were presenting the new reagent. It came from a secretive overseas organization, and only 200 doses existed worldwide.
Every cancer patient who had used it had seen some level of improvement. The cancer cells either stopped spreading or even started shrinking.
So, naturally, when this drug was released, it created a huge stir globally, becoming a lifesaver for cancer patients everywhere.
However, after the initial 200 doses were snapped up, the organization didn’t produce any more for a long time.
This made the price of the first batch skyrocket. On the black market, each dose had reached a mind- boggling 2 million dollars. People were paying insane amounts for it.
That was why this auction had so many eyes on it. The hype was real.
As expected, the bidding was fierce. Even when Mark called out 3 million dollars, there were still bidders jumping in.
Benedict frowned. Then, he heard a voice shout, “4 million dollars!” from the VIP room across the way. The crowd went wild. That was already double the black market price.
And the fact they jumped the bid by 1 million dollars meant someone was clearly determined to get their hands on this.
Benedict shot to his feet, not because the price was crazy, but because that voice… it sounded way too familiar.
12.40 F, 9 May
