She Ordered Security to Throw Me Out of the Auction—Then She Learned I Was the Man Everyone There Answered To.

Alexander walked slowly toward the front row. Every movement was deliberate, unhurried, and devoid of anger. He approached Celeste’s reserved front-row table, where a velvet name card proudly displayed Harrington Enterprises.

With smooth, quiet precision, Alexander set the heavy silver tray directly in the center of her reserved table, right beside her ice bucket and crystal glass.

A soft ripple of quiet laughter broke out among the nearby elite.

Celeste turned around fast, her heels clicking sharp against the marble. Her eyes flashed with disgust as she saw her pristine table cluttered with dirty champagne flutes. She looked at Alexander, who remained standing just two feet away, looking down at her with cool indifference.

"You have a lot of nerve," Celeste hissed under her breath, stepping closer so the surrounding guests wouldn't hear her break composure.

Alexander said nothing. He simply turned his head slightly, returning his gaze to the auction's centerpiece painting on the main stage.

Celeste followed his eyes, a cruel smile curling her red lips. She let out a loud, mocking laugh that drew the attention of the surrounding rows.

"You couldn’t even afford the frame," she sneered, her voice carrying across the quiet hum of the gallery. "People like you don't look at art. You scrub the floors after the real owners leave."

Alexander didn't flinch. Instead, his gaze shifted down to the velvet-covered bidding paddle resting on Celeste’s table. The number 007 was embossed in gold leaf across its surface.

Slowly, Alexander reached out. His large hand closed around the heavy wooden handle of her bidding paddle.

Celeste froze. "Touch that again, and I’ll have you—"

Before she could finish her threat, Alexander applied a fraction of his strength.

CRACK.

The solid hardwood paddle snapped cleanly in two.

The sound echoed through the quiet gallery like a gunshot. The room instantly fell dead silent. Surrounding billionaires turned in horror. Celeste’s breath hitched, her eyes widening in pure shock.