"3 million and 430 thousand dollars! Mr. Maris just raised the bid to 3 million and 430 thousand dollars!" "That’s already beyond the value of this bronze cauldron!" "No surprise—it’s Mr. Maris!" "3 million and 430 thousand dollars, and he didn’t even hesitate." Listening to the murmurs around him, Maris shot Arthur a smug glance, as if to say, Country bumpkin, you really think you can compete with me? Megan, having recovered from her initial shock, cast Arthur a disdainful look. Is he just trying to make himself noticed? A mere nobody daring to go up against Mr. Maris? But before they could relish in their triumph, Arthur suddenly spoke again. "4 million and 117 thousand dollars." His voice remained calm and composed, as if he was completely confident in securing the bronze cauldron. Maris’s smug expression stiffened. Arthur’s unwavering composure made Maris question himself. Could he be from some elite, hidden family? After all, even a girl like Ashley had fallen for him. Even Megan started to doubt. Is he really just some nobody? The auction house had strict rules—once a bid was placed, it had to be honored. If he dared to raise the price, could he actually afford it? The moment Arthur placed his bid, the crowd erupted again. "4 million and 117 thousand dollars! Does he even understand how much that is?" "This cauldron started at 600 thousand dollars and has now skyrocketed to 4 million and 117 thousand dollars! That’s a massive jump." "He’s dead set on winning this. He won’t let it go." "Could there be some hidden value in this cauldron? Why is he so determined to get it?" The thought sparked new interest in the audience, making them restless again. Maris, gritting his teeth, raised his paddle without hesitation. "5 million dollars!""5 million dollars! Mr. Maris just raised the bid to 5 million!" "That should finally shut that guy up." "That’s 5 million dollars! Even for a wealthy upstart, it’s not an amount to throw away on antiques." "At his age, could he have secretly taken money from his family?" "If he’s bidding this high, maybe he really does have money." Just when everyone, including Maris, thought Arthur had reached his limit, Arthur’s voice rang out again. "6 million dollars." Even Ashley was completely stunned. With each bid, Arthur left her more and more in shock. Now, he had raised it all the way to 6 million dollars! Unable to hold back, Ashley leaned closer to Arthur and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear. "Does this bronze cauldron have some hidden value?" She knew Arthur was always cautious. He wouldn’t do something meaningless. Could it be that he had discovered some secret worth fighting for? She wasn’t the only one thinking this—Maris and the rest of the room had the same suspicion. Over the past two years, Maris had earned his family a fortune through antique deals. Seeing his confidence, neither Zane nor Stephen interfered with his bids. They trusted his judgment. Their reason for attending the auction was simply to observe the man who had dared to cross Maris. They had no intention of stopping him from making purchases. Arthur silently shook his head at Ashley. In the same hushed tone, he replied, "There’s no hidden value." Ashley’s eyes widened in shock. She stared at him in disbelief. Realizing they were in public, she quickly composed herself but couldn’t resist leaning in again. "What do you mean?"Arthur replied honestly, "There’s no value at all. This cauldron has a concealed flaw. Forget 6 million dollars, it’s not even worth 600 thousand dollars." Ashley’s pupils contracted sharply. Even though she tried to contain her reaction, she couldn’t stop herself from staring at Arthur in astonishment. Is this really the Arthur I know? Isn’t he outright scamming them? Seeing Ashley’s shocked expression, Arthur leaned in closer and whispered, "They disrespected you last night. Consider this a little lesson for them." Ashley gazed at Arthur, her heart suddenly warming. She felt a surge of warmth spread through her chest. Ashley knew—Arthur cared about her. He couldn’t stand seeing her treated unfairly. After a pause, she asked, "But aren’t you afraid of offending them?" Arthur smiled nonchalantly. "I already offended them last night. What’s a little more today?" Ashley froze for a moment before breaking into a smile.