"Ashley, it's me." Hearing that all-too-familiar voice, Ashley's heart trembled. She practically sprinted to the door and flung it open. "Arthur!" Her voice quivered without her even realizing it. She grabbed Arthur and pulled him inside, throwing herself into his arms. Arthur shut the door behind them with one hand and gently stroked her hair with the other. "Were you scared? I'm fine. I'm Arthur—I wouldn't do anything I wasn't sure about. Don't worry." Tears welled up in Ashley’s eyes. A whole night of anxiety melted into longing. Her body trembled slightly, and Arthur simply held her tightly, whispering reassurances. It took a long time for Ashley to finally calm down. She quickly checked Arthur over. "Are you okay? They didn’t do anything to you, did they? Let me see." Arthur let her inspect him without resistance. "I’m fine. They didn’t do anything to me." He spun around in place. "See? I’m perfectly fine." Seeing that he was truly unharmed, Ashley finally let out a breath of relief. Arthur noticed the dark circles under her eyes and asked with concern, "Did you stay up all night?" Ashley huffed. "How could I sleep when you weren’t back?" Arthur chuckled, warmth spreading in his chest. It feels good to have someone who cares. After freshening up and having breakfast, they curled up together and fell asleep. Arthur still had to attend the auction that evening. Although Arthur had injured Maris and his friends while remaining unscathed himself, it was ruled as self-defense since Maris had been the one to instigate the fight. Arthur faced no criminal charges. The police reviewed security footage from Opulent Haven Auctions and gathered eyewitness accounts, all of which confirmed that Maris had provoked the altercation and thrown the first punch.Even after Arthur called the police, Maris had gone as far as summoning gang members for backup. Liam, the lead officer, had a clear bias toward Arthur. He was even intrigued enough to ask Arthur about his fighting techniques. For one person to take on so many opponents without a scratch—it was no small feat. As for Maris and his friends, they hadn’t caused Arthur any real harm. Since they had suffered serious injuries themselves, their punishment was reduced. With Stephen’s intervention, Maris avoided criminal charges altogether. And just like that, the whole ordeal was over. Maris and his friends had taken a severe beating for nothing, left with nothing but injuries. Meanwhile, Arthur’s name spread throughout Seacity. Unaware of the growing buzz outside, Arthur had expected this outcome from the beginning. When they woke up, the sky had already darkened. After freshening up and eating, they headed back to Opulent Haven Hotel. The banquet hall, once chaotic from the fight, had been restored to its original state. Aside from whispers about Arthur and Maris, everything seemed as if nothing had ever happened. Yet, when people whispered now, they spoke not just of Arthur but of Ashley as well. Arthur and Ashley arrived just in time for the auction’s start. Ashley led Arthur directly into the auction hall. Not long after they sat down, they spotted a familiar face—Maris and Megan! Maris’ arm was still in a cast, hanging from a sling around his neck. Beside him sat a man who bore a striking resemblance to him, though he appeared slightly older. Unlike Maris, he carried an air of maturity. Another figure sat next to them, wearing a face mask. Judging by his hair and build, he seemed to be in his fifties. His expression was stern, and his sharp gaze was locked onto Arthur. Ashley leaned in and whispered to Arthur, "The man next to Maris is his older brother, Stephen. He also works for the city government and is Zane’s right-hand man. And that masked man—he’s their father, Zane." Ashley wasn’t sure how to feel about Zane. Growing up, he often visited the Gibson family and had always treated her and her sister kindly. She didn’t necessarily like him, but she had always treated him with respect. However, after what had happened last night, she could never see him as a trusted elder again.Arthur nodded without saying much. Their seats weren’t close, but Arthur could faintly hear Maris speaking. His voice was filled with anger. "He actually dared to show up! Does he even have the money to bid on anything here?"