The shouts escalated,morphing into a cacophony of panicked yells as Grace,with a mischievous grin,uploaded the irrefutable evidence onto the secure server.
Within seconds,it was everywhere.
Every news outlet,every social media platform,every screen in the auction house,now displayed Victor Blackwood's meticulously crafted forgery and the damning proof of the Blackwood family's decades-long deception.
Victor Blackwood's face,previously a mask of arrogant confidence,crumpled like a discarded napkin.
He sputtered,attempting to deny the undeniable,but his words were drowned out by the rising tide of public outrage.
The new consortium,their faces ashen,tried to distance themselves from the sinking ship that was the Blackwood legacy,their frantic whispers lost in the storm.
Max,however,remained unmoved,a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.
He exuded an aura of calm amidst the chaos,the eye of the hurricane.
He'd anticipated their every move,countered their every strategy,and now,he was simply enjoying the show.
This was his playground,and they were merely puppets dancing to his tune.
"Checkmate," he murmured,the word barely audible above the din.
Meanwhile,Daisy,nimble and quick-witted,was navigating the backstage labyrinth like a phantom.
The chaos,intentionally amplified by Grace's well-timed leak,had created the perfect smokescreen.
She'd overheard whispers,snippets of panicked conversations from the new consortium,revealing their hastily devised plan B:to spirit away the Diamond Serpent amidst the pandemonium.
Following their hushed directives,she located a hidden vault,its entrance masked by a strategically placed tapestry.
Inside,nestled on a velvet cushion,lay the breathtaking Diamond Serpent,shimmering under the dim lights.
With a triumphant smirk,Daisy slipped the necklace into a specially designed pouch,its intricate locking mechanism clicking softly shut.
One down.
As the auction house descended further into bedlam,Athena was a whirlwind of controlled fury.
The consortium's hired muscle,a motley crew of thugs and mercenaries,made a last-ditch effort to seize the Serpent.
Big mistake.
Athena moved with the grace of a predator,her strikes precise and devastating.
A swift kick sent one sprawling,a well-placed elbow shattered another's nose.
Cries of pain mingled with the gasps of the onlookers,who watched,mesmerized,as she dismantled the opposition with breathtaking efficiency.
Each strike,each perfectly executed maneuver,was a testament to her unwavering strength,her fierce determination.
The air crackled with the raw power she unleashed,a palpable force that sent shivers down the spines of those who witnessed her wrath.
Back in the VIP box,Lily,ever the efficient assistant,meticulously arranged the final bidding documents.
Her eyes,however,kept straying to Max,her gaze filled with a mixture of admiration and affection.
He was a force of nature,a man who commanded attention without even trying.
"Everything is ready,Mr.Voss," she said softly,her voice barely audible above the commotion.
"The moment is almost upon us." Max met her gaze,a flicker of warmth softening his features.
He reached out,his fingers brushing lightly against hers.
A silent acknowledgment of her unwavering loyalty,her quiet competence.
The chaos began to subside,the initial shock of the revelation giving way to a hushed anticipation.
The auctioneer,his face pale but his voice steady,attempted to regain control of the room.
He announced the next item,a collection of rare Ming vases,but the audience remained restless,their attention fixed on the empty display case where the Diamond Serpent had once resided.
The air was thick with tension,a palpable sense of expectation hanging heavy in the room.
Max leaned forward,his eyes fixed on the stage,a predatory gleam in their depths.
The game was far from over.
In fact,it was just beginning.
He looked at Lily,a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"Lily," he began,his voice low and steady…
The chaos erupted like a carefully orchestrated symphony.
Shouts mingled with the shattering of glass as the diversion reached its crescendo.
The two men,their faces contorted in grim determination,lunged towards the stage,guns drawn.
But before they could even take aim at the Diamond Serpent,figures blurred from the shadows,moving with inhuman speed.
Athena,her eyes blazing with cold fury,materialized beside them.
Two swift,brutal strikes,and the men crumpled to the ground,unconscious.
The crowd erupted in panic.
Screams filled the opulent auction hall as people scrambled for cover,trampling over each other in their desperate bid to escape the sudden violence.
But amidst the chaos,Max remained seated,an almost bored expression on his face.
He calmly took a sip of champagne,his eyes never leaving the glittering Diamond Serpent.
"A little dramatic,don't you think,Athena?" he murmured,his voice barely audible above the din.
Athena,her breath still coming in short bursts,inclined her head.
"They were armed,Master Voss.I took the necessary precautions."
"Of course you did," Max replied,a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.
He turned to Lily,who stood beside him,her face pale but composed.
"Inform the authorities.Tell them I'll cover the damages."
Lily nodded,her hand trembling slightly as she reached for her phone.
The auctioneer,his face ashen,stammered into the microphone,trying in vain to restore order.
But it was too late.
The carefully constructed facade of elegance and sophistication had crumbled,revealing the raw,primal fear that lurked beneath.
From the balcony above,Victor Blackwood watched the scene unfold with a mixture of fury and disbelief.
His meticulously planned heist had fallen apart.
He hadn't anticipated Max's counter-move,the silent,deadly efficiency of Athena.
He cursed under his breath,his fists clenching.
Beside him,Sophia Laurent watched the scene with a complicated expression on her face.
A flicker of admiration crossed her eyes as she observed Max's unflappable demeanor amidst the chaos.
He was a force to be reckoned with,a man who seemed to anticipate every move,control every outcome.
Down below,Grace and Daisy emerged from the pandemonium,their faces alight with exhilaration.
"Phase two complete!"
Grace announced,a triumphant grin spreading across her face.
"Right on schedule," Daisy added,giving Max a playful wink.
Max rose to his feet,the Diamond Serpent now within his reach.
With a casual flick of his wrist,he deactivated the security system protecting the necklace.
He picked it up,the glittering diamonds catching the light,and slipped it into his pocket.
"Well," he said,addressing the stunned crowd,his voice amplified by a hidden microphone Lily had discreetly placed earlier.
"That was certainly…entertaining.I believe this concludes the auction for tonight.My apologies for any inconvenience."
He turned and strolled out of the auction hall,followed by his entourage,leaving behind a scene of utter chaos and bewildered onlookers.
Victor Blackwood,his face a mask of rage,slammed his fist against the railing.
He had underestimated Lucas Voss,the invincible tycoon of the city,and now he would pay the price.