Chapter 523

The moment Scales spoke, all eyes immediately shifted to Kali standing behind him, their faces twisted with the anger of betrayal.

"So President Carmichael was telling the truth after all!"

"Now that Scales himself has admitted it, that means the NecroBlitz Tablets weren't even developed by Ms. Glenwood-she just stole them from her family."

"Unbelievable. Ms. Glenwood has some nerve, lying about something like this. Absolutely two-faced."

"She didn't even bother to check if the pills were safe before putting them up for auction. Stupid and downright malicious."

...

Kali's face went pale, and she kept her head bowed, unable to meet anyone's gaze. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "I'm sorry. I lied... but I really didn't know the NecroBlitz Tablets were only a prototype."

She could practically feel the contempt in everyone's eyes, even though she didn't dare look up.

The anger in the room only seemed to grow as people glared at Kali.

"There's no point in listening to anything else you have to say, Ms. Glenwood. You're vain and a compulsive liar. You had us bidding on an unfinished drug, with no regard for anyone's safety or life. That's just reprehensible."

"Who'd ever trust a word from you again?"

"Shameless. And to think we actually believed your NecroBlitz Tablets were the real deal."

"Looks like President Carmichael was right to slap you earlier. If anything, she went too easy on you."

All the while, Scales stood by, watching coldly as Kali was bombarded with accusations. When it seemed everyone had vented their anger, he finally spoke up, his tone deliberately calm in an effort to ease the tension.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my granddaughter lost her head for a moment—you've said your piece, and if anyone still isn't satisfied, well, do as you see fit. I won't utter a word in her defense."

Kali knew she'd made a terrible mistake. She stood silently behind Scales, not daring to say a single word.

After a moment, when no one replied, Scales took their silence as silent assent.

He seized the opportunity and said, "It was my granddaughter's foolishness that caused all this

trouble tonight. On her behalf,

apologize to everyone here. Fol

my

sake, I ask only that you allow me to take the NecroBlitz Tablets back home with me."

His words hung in the air while the crowd exchanged glances, their expressions complicated, but no one spoke.

The grand hall fell into a tense, uneasy silence.

Suddenly, Citrine stepped forward, a sly smile on her lips. "Scales, I suppose you haven't heard-Kali's NecroBlitz Tablets have already been auctioned off for a staggering eighty billion dollars."

Of course Scales knew. His words had merely been an attempt to gracefully back out of the situation-and, more importantly, a message to the new owner of the tablets.

His eyes narrowed, gaze sharp as he fixed them on Citrine. "President Carmichael, I've already said it was my foolish granddaughter's blunder. Must you really be so relentless?"

Citrine glanced over her shoulder at Sebastian, then smiled sweetly. "You should be saying that to President Vesper, not me. He's the real victim here.”

She turned to both men, her voice pointed. "Just a reminder: once an item's been sold at auction, it can't be resold. If there's any dispute, the only way out is double

vet

compensation. There's no taking it back otherwise." sŵnovel

She looked deliberately at Sebastian. "Isn't that right, President Vesper?"

Sebastian, the so-called unlucky winner, raised his head slightly, shooting Citrine a deep, unreadable look before turning to Scales. His voice was cool and detached. The auction house has its own rutes. Your granddaughter made her mistake, now she has to live with the consequences."

"So President Vesper won't do me this little favor?" Scales asked, sizing up the unfamiliar face before him with a flicker of contempt, clearly underestimating Sebastian's influence.

His tone turned sour. "Double compensation isn't an option. The Glenwood family simply doesn't have that kind of money."