Checkmate.
In the suddenly stunned and eventually chaotic hall, anyone was free to place their bids, just as they were welco to publicly proclaim that they had the hots for the apple of Luca’s eye.
And for a price of three hundred five billion and two Star Coins, any of them could just as easily declare that they had no intention of staying in DG’s good graces by competing directly with its fad leader.
But who would be stupid enough to do that?
Apparently, not even Cassian Veyra, whose left eye twitched at the turn of events.
Clearly, bidding for Luca could still be tolerated as an expression of affection or admiration. But bidding against him for soone like Xavier Montclair would only invalidate his earlier win, and that was not sothing even he was willing to entertain.
From beside him, Rhys turned slightly, waiting for orders in case his boss decided a proxy bid was necessary. But honestly, even without Cassian making the slightest gesture—given the caras trained on them from every angle—the aide already knew they wouldn’t be bidding.
Because how could they, when absolutely no one else followed after Luca Kyros’ bid?
The pause stretched across the hall.
It hadn’t even been that quiet, and yet it felt like people reacted more with their bodies than their mouths, until the Master of Ceremonies finally stepped in to break the stun-like spell.
"Three hundred five billion and one Star Coins... going once."
His voice carried cleanly through the space, though it did little to ease the heightened tension.
"Going twice."
Still, no one spoke.
No one moved.
"Sold. The winner of this bid is—Luca Soren Kyros."
The finality of it settled over the hall, but Xavier couldn’t hear any of it, not really, because every word had long since blurred into the background, drowned out by the sheer weight of what his little wife had just done.
It wasn’t as if he was alone in that. Because even as he turned and made his way back to his seat, the people around him remained caught in their own states of shock, so still frozen while others muttered to themselves in disbelief.
But what most of the onlookers didn’t understand—and what truly fueled the reactions of those who knew Luca—was just how unthinkable that was for the richest penny-pincher they had ever t.
And yet, even as Xavier approached their table with a face so heated he could almost forget about his bloodline ability, nothing could have prepared the Imperial Prince for his little chipmunk’s greeting.
A delicate hand suddenly reached out, so abrupt and so close that the currently mindblown and dazed Prince didn’t even have ti to react.
So before the confused Xavier could gather a single coherent thought, Luca had already closed the distance.
Fingers curled lightly against his cheek, the other hand catching onto his clothes, and then—
He was pulled down without hesitation.
Soft, warm lips t his.
Bold enough that the air around them seed to freeze. The kind of public display that made people forget how to breathe.
It was quick and definitely unexpected. And yet, like always and probably forever, those lips practically captured his heart in one fell swoop.
For a brief second, the world seed to pause.
Then Luca pulled away just as quickly, his face bright with excitent as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.
"Hehe! Husband! We contributed a lot of donations!"
Xavier blinked.
Once.
Twice.
He really tried to process what had just happened with everything he had.
And then—
"Pfft!"
He covered his face with both hands, shoulders shaking as sothing between a laugh and a breathless release escaped him.
Because really.
After everything that had just happened, after the storm of thoughts and the kind of darkness he had let himself sink into, he should’ve known better.
His little wife had always been like this.
Unexpected.
Unrestrained.
And entirely his.
For a mont, the usually stoic Prince completely forgot where they were, forgot that there were people around them, forgot everything that wasn’t the person sitting right in front of him, and it wasn’t until Luca tilted his head in confusion that Xavier finally moved.
Because his heart felt like it was about to burst.
So he dipped down toward Luca, drew him in without hesitation, and when he leaned down this ti, there was nothing uncertain about it.
"Thank you, my love."
The words barely left his lips before he captured Luca’s in a kiss that felt deeper, steadier, sothing that he hoped would express just how grateful he was.
"!!!"
Luca hadn’t expected that.
But he didn’t pull away.
He wouldn’t.
Instead, he lted into it, arms lifting instinctively to wrap around Xavier’s neck as he leaned into the kiss, returning it without reservation.
Their hearts raced.
That sense of elation, of sothing finally settling into place, wrapped around them so completely that for a mont, the rest of the world simply ceased to exist.
Unfortunately for everyone else—
The rest of the world still very much existed.
And in their world that was zeroing in on the sudden display, the mont had just detonated into chaos.
Gasps rang out from every direction as people reacted all at once.
Parents scrambled to cover their children’s eyes, only to be t with loud protests as the children insisted on seeing.
Others stared in shock, while those who had long prepared their minds and bodies for such a day like this made it their life’s goal to take notes.
They were certainly witnessing one hell of a mont.
It was bold.
It was intimate.
And it was entirely impossible to ignore.
Any lingering regrets about not bidding earlier disappeared on the spot.
Because how could anyone possibly compete with that?
As if forgetting that Luca had only initiated a smooch, albeit boldly, the people of the universe had reached a sudden conclusion that the delicate, beautiful flower was clearly the domineering kind.
After all, they had just watched him pull a fully grown man into a kiss so unexpectedly that even Star Net seed to lag for a mont.
It didn’t matter that in reality, it was Xavier who returned it with fervor and a much deeper kiss.
No.
Because they had long been fixated on that part, when he pulled in such a well-built man.
Everything since then felt like it was moving in slow motion.
Even the glass that had slipped from soone’s hand in shock, rolling off the edge before finally dropping.
And only when it hit the ground—
Did the sharp clink break through everything.
Heads turned.
Including the couple, who finally turned at the sa ti.
"?!"
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