Downstairs, Marina and the others noticed the silence from the second floor. It was clear the people upstairs weren't going to bid any higher. With a decisive bang of her gavel, Marina announced that the man in the cage had been sold for 135 million dollars to the man in the ghost mask.

The masked man casually tossed a 135-million-dollar check onto the table and took the cage, along with its occupant.

On the second floor, Yvette watched the masked man fade into the distance, her gaze intense. She could tell from his back how furious he was; he seemed impossible to appease.

Rory, itching to offer a sarcastic comment, hesitated as Yvette turned to her. Yvette's irritation was palpable, a cold aura that silenced Rory. "I've got things to do," Yvette said. "I'm out."

Rory couldn't tell Yvette where to go. She could only suppress her frustration, her expression darkening. "Yvette, Voraxia isn't Dungo Village. If you get into trouble or mess with the wrong people, no one will save you."

Without looking back, Yvette left, leaving Rory fuming as she watched her go. 'How clueless could she be?' Rory thought. 'Does she really think she can get away with anything? Once this batch is shipped back to the village, I'll make sure Holden hands Yvette over to me, and then I'll make her pay...'

At the hotel, Jeremiah sat on the couch, flanked by Emmett, Samantha, and Eagle King. They stared in shock at the man locked in the cage. 'What just happened?' they wondered. 'Mr. Chavez went out and returned with such a stunning man! What is going on?'

Charles had stepped out to handle something; had he been present, he would have recognized the man in the cage. It was Joe Yoder, the famous scion of Mysonna's underworld and sole heir to the powerful Yoder family, a family as influential as the Goodmans.

Joe stared in disbelief at Jeremiah as the latter removed the mask. 'Seriously?' he thought. 'This guy's even better-looking than me?' He categorized the three bystanders: beauty, scholar, and beast.

Having spent years in the underworld, Joe had seen many types of people. While these three didn't seem malicious, they were unsettling. He nodded toward the towel gagging him, signaling he wanted it removed.

Samantha turned to Jeremiah. "Mr. Chavez, where did you find such a handsome boy? Shouldn't we loosen his bindings? He looks like he has something to say."

Eagle King studied Joe, sensing a familiarity. But the last time he'd seen the man he recognized, he'd been over fifty. 'Is this youthful rejuvenation?' he wondered. 'Unlikely—no way could someone look this good after turning back time.'

Jeremiah lounged on the couch, his eyes icy and sharp, radiating authority. Watching Joe struggle, an inscrutable glimmer flickered in his gaze, sending a chill through the air. '100 million dollars? This man seems worth quite a bit to Yvette,' he snorted inwardly.

Having worked for Jeremiah for years, Emmett recognized the anger in his eyes. After a long moment, Jeremiah ordered, "Let him go."

Emmett quickly unsealed the cage, removing the cuffs and the cloth from Joe's mouth. As soon as Joe was free, he lunged at Emmett, attempting a surprise attack. However, the heir to the Yoder family was clearly untrained in ambush tactics. In an instant, Emmett pinned him to the ground.

Samantha raised an eyebrow. 'Does this dude seriously think he can pull off a sneak attack?' she thought. 'He's all looks and no brains!'

Emmett held Joe firmly, his eyes sharp. "Just behave," he said coldly.

Joe quickly assessed the situation and cooperated. "Hey, dude, can you let me go? I mean, look at me—I'm just a harmless pretty boy. No need to hold me down this tight, right?"

Eagle King nearly choked on his beer. 'Seriously, does this guy think he's some kind of hotshot? So annoying!' he thought.

Jeremiah glanced at Emmett, who relaxed his hold slightly but kept his eyes on Joe.

Rubbing his wrists, Joe casually sat on the floor as if he owned the place. He looked at Jeremiah. "You spent 135 million on me, right? No worries; I'm not here to waste your money. Just send me back to Mysonna, and I'll give you 160 million dollars in return."

It was clear to Joe that Jeremiah had no interest in him. People had always wanted something from him because of his looks; their intentions were transparent. But this man? He seemed genuinely hostile. Joe couldn't understand. 'Why did he spend so much money on someone he doesn't like? Is he trying to extort something from my grandpa?' he wondered.

Samantha, Emmett, and Eagle King exchanged glances. This guy had been auctioned off, yet he was boasting about having 160 million? Something was definitely amiss.

Jeremiah leaned back, his gaze fixed on Joe. "Your name."

After a moment, Joe replied honestly, "Joe Yoder."

As Joe finished, the door opened. Yvette stood there, observing everyone. Her gaze lingered on Joe, sitting on the floor.

Hearing the door, Joe leaped to his feet and rushed toward Yvette. "Watch out, Yvette!" the others shouted.

Joe reached Yvette, tears in his eyes. Unexpectedly, in front of Samantha and the others, he knelt and wrapped his arms around her legs, sobbing uncontrollably. He whimpered, "Yve, what are you doing here? Oh my gosh, it must be divine intervention! You have no idea how rough this has been for me. Those people were only feeding me one meal a day, shooting me up with sedatives, dragging me to some awful underground auction! I can't believe they thought I was worth 135 million dollars. That's ridiculous! 135 million couldn't even buy a hair off my head!"

Joe's emotion overwhelmed him; he forgot to wonder why Yvette was there. Standing, he abruptly changed his demeanor. He turned to Jeremiah, Samantha, and Eagle King, sneering with arrogance. "Ha! My friend Yvette is here! You can still apologize while it's not too late. I'm a pretty generous guy, and I'll forgive you. Otherwise, if Yvette goes on a rampage, you'll be doomed."

Joe's boldness left Samantha, Eagle King, and Emmett speechless. It was clear Joe and Yvette were close. They couldn't help but wonder, 'Why is Yvette surrounded by such a bizarre crowd? This Joe guy is clearly unhinged.'