Sophia Sullivan pressed the wooden box into Ethan Sullivan's hands.
Her voice remained calm. "I don't like owing favors. You helped me at the auction, so consider this championship prize my thanks."
She wouldn't take that two-billion-dollar black card without repayment.
The distant mountains melted into the ink-dark night, tree shadows swaying gently.
Ethan's gaze never left Sophia.
"Thank you, Ms. Sullivan," he said solemnly.
Whether coincidence or not, Sophia's risky decision to compete anonymously meant everything to him.
His lips pressed together as he opened the box.
A dazzling gemstone necklace lay nestled against velvet.
Countless diamonds framed a central ruby, its crimson glow radiant.
The image of a gentle, smiling woman surfaced in Ethan's mind.
"Xiao Chuan, should Mom wear this to your birthday party?"
...
His mother's serene face seemed to hover before him.
Ethan's throat tightened as his fingers traced the necklace's cool surface.
"This really is my mother's keepsake."
The familiar texture stirred longing.
This was why he'd entered the competition.
Even if Sophia hadn't won, he would've claimed it at any cost.
"To think it actually appeared here."
His voice turned hoarse, rough with emotion.
"This necklace is called Eternal Heart—a custom piece by a top French designer. It symbolized true love. How ironic."
That vibrant red pulsed like a living heart.
But human hearts change—what love lasts forever?
"Mr. Sullivan—" Sophia began, but Ethan had already lifted the necklace.
Then she sensed it.
Tick.
The soft sound pierced the silent night.
As the necklace left the box, a faint mechanical click came from its base.
Sophia's eyes sharpened. She snatched the box back.
Her assassin instincts flared to life.
"The box is rigged."
With practiced efficiency, she flipped it over and pressed a hidden panel.
The bottom sprang open, revealing circuitry.
A micro-bomb glared up at them.
State-of-the-art portable explosives from M-Country—lethal upon detonation.
The worst part—
The timer showed ten seconds remaining.
"No time!"
Sophia hurled the box away and yanked Ethan into the lake.
Boom!
The explosion shattered the air, water erupting skyward.
Shrapnel burst like deadly fireworks, the lake's surface convulsing.
Crimson bloomed through the water.
In the murky depths, weeds coiled around them.
Ringing ears. Numbing cold. Death had never felt so close.
The metallic tang of blood spread as warm arms locked around Sophia, shielding her completely.