Josette Sunray used a blank check for her male assistant at the auction and snatched away the limited-edition luxury watch that was initially reserved for me.

When everyone looked astonished, she was the only one who winked at me mischievously.

"Oops, it looks like even our great chairman, Mr. Ronan Cruz, can slip up sometimes, huh?"

"You have too many watches to wear anyway, so give one to Steven Palmer."

I smiled and didn't make a scene.

I turned around and swept away all the watches in the luxury stores in the city. I piled them all in front of her and let her give them as much as she wanted.

As the top young gun in the capital's elite circles, the women who wanted to marry me were probably lining up worldwide.

Why get hung up on one woman?

——

Later, in the auction hall buzzing with wealthy bidders, I loosened my tie, my gaze fixed on the auctioneer's limited-edition Patek Philippe.

Only seven existed worldwide and I was determined to have one.

"Twenty-five million."

A calm, clear voice came from a second-floor private booth, causing a stir throughout the hall.

My fingers tightened on the handrail and my knuckles turned white.

I didn't even need to look to know who it was.

Josette leaned lazily against the balcony railing, her red lips slightly curved in a smile and her fingertips played with the exquisite bidding card.

The auctioneer excitedly announced, "Miss Sunray bids twenty-five million! Any higher offers?"

I raised my paddle. "Thirty million."

"Thirty-five million."

Josette's lazy voice drifted down.

Whispers gradually rose and those who knew were puzzled.

They wondered why Josette bid with me.

I raised my paddle again. "Forty million."

"One hundred million, I'll use the blank check for that."

Josette's voice remained nonchalant, as if the act of "blank check" was nothing to her.

The entire hall fell silent.

Blank check was auction house jargon, meaning that no matter how much I, as the opponent, bid, she would increase her bid by one million until she won the bid.

It was a blatant display of wealth and an open provocation to me.

I stood up and turned to look at the second floor.

Josette wore an emerald green velvet dress that made her skin look like snow.

She tilted her head at me, smiling like a sly cat.

"Mr. Cruz. Don't get petty with an intern."

Her voice echoed through the booth's speakers, reaching everyone in the hall.

"You have a lot of watches anyway, so I'll give this one to my assistant as a birthday gift."

Next to her stood a young man in a white shirt and black suit, with a handsome face.

He was a presidential assistant who hadn't been with the company for a month since his campus recruitment.

Steven awkwardly lowered his head, but couldn't hide the smile playing on his lips.

The auctioneer glanced at me hesitantly several times. Seeing that I didn't move, he finally brought down the hammer.

"One hundred million for the third time. Congratulations, Miss Sunray!"

Applause broke out. Josette waved elegantly, then left the booth with Steven.

As she passed by me, she gave me another playful wink.

I stood there, the muscles beneath my clothes tense.

I could feel the probing gazes of those around me.

Everyone in the business world knew that Josette was the fiancée of the heir to the Cruz Family empire.

Yet, right now, she was personally fastening the limited-edition watch she had just bought onto the wrist of a male assistant, right in front of everyone.

Moreover, she'd used my black card to pay for it.

"Mr. Cruz … "

My secretary asked cautiously.

I said lightly, "It's okay, I'll go out and smoke a cigarette."

Out on the balcony, the moonlight danced across the pool below. The water shimmered in the wind like a broken mirror.

Not long after, Josette also came out with Steven trailing behind her.

"Mr. Cruz, what do you think of the watch Miss Sunray bought for me? Pretty nice, right?"

His words were polite, but his face was full of smugness.

Seeing the smug look on Steven's face, I chuckled. "Such an expensive watch, even if she dared to buy it for you, would you dare to wear it?"

Steven's eyes instantly welled up with tears. His earlier joyful expression turned somber and he said with a hint of grievance, "I'm sorry, Mr. Cruz. You're absolutely right. It's way too valuable. I don't deserve to wear something like this."

"I'll return it to Miss Sunray immediately."

Looking at his humiliated state, it was as if I was the one bullying him with my power.

He went to unbuckle the watch strap, but Josette stopped him.

"Okay, okay, Ronan. It's just 100 million, not even pocket money for you. There's no need to scare Steven."

She leaned close to my ear, her breath warm against my skin. "When we get home, I'll give you a big surprise as an apology for Steven."

I kept a cold face and didn't respond or look at Steven again.

It was already late at night when I got back home.

I loosened my tie and asked the housekeeper to pour me a whiskey.

Sitting on the sofa by the French windows, the cigarette between my fingers slowly burned down to the filter.

My phone screen stayed lit, showing a yellowed photo.

It was a picture of my childhood sweetheart, Winona Claire and me.

I carried her on my back and was chased by a puppy.

In the photo, she was laughing, her eyes curved like crescent moons.

Memories flooded back like a tide.

She was sixteen that year, standing in a white dress at the airport. Her eyes were red, but she refused to cry.

"Ronan, you have to come find me," she said, holding her little finger. "Pinky promise."

I hooked my pinky around hers, feeling the tremble in her fingers. "Once I've fully taken over the family business, I'll first bring you back."

"Then I'll wait for you to marry me."

She suddenly came close, kissed me lightly on the cheek, then turned and ran into the security check channel, never looking back.

The cigarette burned my finger and I snapped back to reality, stubbing it out.

A lingering ache spread through my chest. I murmured to the empty living room, "I broke my promise."

The phone suddenly vibrated, then a notification popped up.

Steven had just updated his status.

In the photo, the Patek Philippe, which was auctioned for hundreds of millions, gleamed on his wrist.

But what stung even more was the ruby pendant hanging around his neck.

The large "C" character on it pierced my eyes.

That ruby pendant was passed down through generations of my family, symbolizing the Cruz Family heir.

[Thank you, Miss Sunray. It's the first time in my life that I've worn such an expensive watch. It's worth remembering!]

[I said I feared walking home alone at night and she gave me her family's heirloom for protection. Such a thoughtful boss, one in a million.]

My fingers tightened uncontrollably and the veins were exposed.

This was no longer just a provocation but a blatant declaration of war.

"What are you looking at?"

Josette's voice came from behind me.

I turned around and saw her walking towards me, wearing only a thin black lace underwear.

It was sensual and bold, full of a wildness that made my blood rush.

She had never worn this style in all our years together.

Her wet hair was draped over her shoulders and water droplets slid down her collarbones into the barely visible cleavage.

I would have already pinned her to the sofa if it had been yesterday.

Now, I just felt nauseous.

"Where did the pendant in the study go?"

I asked calmly, my voice as cold as ice.

Josette was taken aback for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. "That day, Steven came to the house to deliver client documents. He saw the pendant and really liked it, so I gave it to him."

She walked over and straddled my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and nibbling my earlobe, her face flushed.

"Forget all that, I just want you right now and I want you so badly."

I grabbed Josette's wrist with such force that she frowned.

"So you let him into my study?"

I asked slowly and deliberately, "You know, no one is allowed in my study without my permission, including you."

Josette's expression instantly turned cold.

She stood up from my lap, snatched her bathrobe and wrapped it around herself. "Ronan, are you out of your mind tonight?"

"You already said some nasty things at the auction and now you're acting like this at home? Don't you think that's going a bit too far?"

"Too far?"

I almost laughed out loud.

Steven seemed very considerate when he posted on social media to block his Miss Sunray.

I stood up, looking down at her. "Josette, I'm asking you, does emotional cheating count as cheating?"

Her eyes suddenly widened, then she snapped back loudly, "Only a dirty mind sees dirt everywhere!"

"Nothing is going on between me and Steven. We're clean. Go ahead and investigate if you want!"

"Also, if you don't like me giving people gifts, I'll have him return the watch tomorrow!"

"Is it necessary to be so angry?"

I shook my head and showed a sarcastic smile. "I'm not angry about a watch."

Josette thought I was backing down and her tone softened.

She reached out and touched my face with a bit of arrogance. "It's good that you are not angry. Then, I won't punish you for sleeping in the study tonight."

I let her lead me upstairs, lie down on the bed and close my eyes, pretending to fall asleep.

Once her breathing became even and relaxed, I went to the balcony, took out my phone and dialed a number.

"Dad, I've thought it over. I'll go through with the marriage arrangement with the Claires."

After hanging up, I sent a message to my secretary.

Putting down the phone, I looked at Josette's sleeping face.

She was as beautiful as an angel under the moonlight.

But I knew that angel was no longer pure.

The next morning, I arrived at the company earlier than usual.

Not long after I sat down, the office door was pushed open.

Josette rushed in angrily, followed by a red-eyed Steven.

She slammed the Patek Philippe watch hard onto my desk. "Ronan, I can't believe how petty you are!"

"He already agreed to return the watch to you and you actually had HR fire Steven overnight?"

"Doing such a despicable thing behind your back, are you still a man?"

I picked up the watch slowly, looked at it and swept it into the trash can beside me.

I called my secretary. "Have them come in."

Soon, more than a dozen luxury store managers came in with hundreds of famous watches in their hands.

They lined up in a row and bowed respectfully in unison. "Good morning, Mr. Cruz!"

I looked at Steven and said, "Since you like expensive watches so much, I'll grant your wish."

"Pick any you like. If you're not satisfied, we can bring in another batch. But you must return the pendant to me!"

Steven's face was flushed crimson. His gaze was fixed on the tips of his shoes and he wished he could disappear into the floor.

Josette snapped, "Ronan, what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Just because you have money, you think you can humiliate people like this?"

I said calmly, "What's wrong? You can give him gifts, but no one else can?"

"Don't forget, I'm also his boss."

Josette was momentarily speechless, then changed the subject. "Then why did you fire Steven? You at least owe me an explanation!"

"It was not my idea for him to be fired." I leaned back in the chair, crossed my fingers on my belly. "The inspection team found issues with his work conduct. He wasn't a suitable fit for the company. It's as simple as that."