“About what?”
“The auction.”
“I want the truth,” I add quietly.
A beat passes, then another. And then—
He closes his laptop.
“Alright,” he says.
“I didn’t have much when they kicked me out,” he starts.
His voice is calm, controlled. But there’s something darker underneath it.
“Just a few millions. Whatever I managed to withdraw before they cut me off completely.”
“After a few months…” he continues, “I met the right people.”
A faint smirk touches his lips.
“The kind of people who know how to make money. Real money.”
I raise an eyebrow slightly.
“Not exactly legal, I’m guessing?”
He huffs a quiet laugh.
“No. Not exactly.”
There’s no shame in his tone.
“I didn’t care,” he says.
“About the legality. About the risk. About any of it.”
His gaze lifts to mine.
“I cared about one thing.”
“Never depending on anyone again.”
“I wanted power,” he continues.
“Control. I wanted the world—and everyone in it—to either respect me…”
His voice lowers slightly.
“Or fear me.”
And I believe him, every word of it.
He stands then, moving around the desk until he’s right in front of me.
“I also knew something else,” he says quietly.
His hand comes up, brushing lightly along my jaw.
