The auction finally ended. Jason left the Auction House with an expression that hadn't changed once all night—calm, detached, and unreadable.
Behind him, staff carefully loaded the newly acquired treasures into the armored Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked at the entrance. The crisp night air of Manhattan carried the faint scent of rain and exhaust, yet to Jin and Elsa Hayes, the moment felt almost surreal.
Seeing each priceless artifact—gold, paintings, and gemstones—being moved into the car, the two women's eyes shimmered with envy and admiration.But as the final case was sealed, a trace of melancholy crept into their gaze. They knew they wouldn't see these masterpieces again.
Jason turned slightly, his deep gray eyes sweeping toward them."Jin," he said evenly, "there's something I need your help with."
Jin blinked, startled. "Of course, Mr. Carter. What can I do for you?"
"I'm not particularly familiar with antiques and fine art. Once everything's moved to my estate, I wouldn't know how to arrange or preserve them properly."His tone was polite, almost lazy. "Could you help me with the display setup—and show the house staff how to maintain them?"
While he framed it as a request, the authority in his voice left no room for refusal.Still, Jin's pulse quickened—not out of fear, but anticipation.
Her eyes lit up like a child's. To be that close to these treasures, to handle them, to personally curate their presentation—it was a dream she'd never imagined coming true.
Jason knew exactly what he was doing.
He wasn't the type to give anything away freely. Even the women in his life—Holly, Quinn, Grace—had only been given use of the penthouses and villas under his name, not ownership. Everything could be revoked at his word.
He and Jin weren't in any kind of relationship, so naturally, she wouldn't receive anything tangible.But to let her see, to touch, to breathe the same air as these symbols of power and beauty—that was more intoxicating than any gift.
As the saying went, money isn't meant to be spent for women—it's meant to be shown to them.
And Jason knew how to show it perfectly.
Jin's voice trembled with excitement as she replied, "I'd be honored to help."
Jason smiled faintly. "Good. Then let's go."Olivia—his tall, sharp-eyed assistant—opened the Cullinan's back door.
They didn't return to the Bayshore Estate, which had a modern European interior. Jason had always said it was "Holly's domain."
Instead, they drove out of the city toward the Crescent Ridge Estate, a secluded property nestled on a forested hill overlooking the Hudson River—his newly bought sanctuary. Its design was a fusion of East Asian artistry and minimalist modern architecture: curved eaves, koi ponds, bamboo-lined walkways, and hand-carved wooden beams.
Within an hour, they arrived.
Jin and Elsa's jaws dropped the moment they stepped out of the car.
The courtyard alone looked like a living museum—bonsai trees worth hundreds of thousands lined the path, the stone lanterns imported from Kyoto, and a koi pond so large it reflected the moonlight like glass.
Two maids dressed in traditional Japanese-inspired uniforms stepped forward, bowing slightly. One handed Jason a warm towel to wipe his hands, while the other helped him remove his coat and replace his shoes with soft cashmere slippers.
The sight left both women utterly speechless.This was wealth on a level they had only read about.
Soon, the auction treasures were unloaded.The wedding carriage replica was placed in one of the interior galleries, while the gold bar, the emerald bracelet, and Rockwell's A Quiet Promise were carried into the main salon awaiting arrangement.
Jason leaned back in a lounge chair on the courtyard terrace, where a tea set was already prepared.
When he saw Jin and Elsa eagerly circling the treasures like excited curators, he chuckled softly."No rush," he said. "Have some tea first."
They turned to protest—until they noticed the tea set.
Their eyes widened.
The tea table itself was made of African blackwood, polished to a mirror finish, likely worth well over fifty thousand dollars.
Then there were the cups—two full sets.One was a modern porcelain set wrapped in natural bamboo, clearly from an earlier private auction.The other was more extraordinary—an antique blue-and-white porcelain tea service, handcrafted during the late Ming Dynasty, imported from China decades ago. Each cup alone would fetch over thirty thousand dollars.
And then they saw it.
The teapot.
Elsa's breath caught. "Wait—hold on. Is that… the Eggplant-Section Zisha teapot? The one that sold for over a million dollars in Hong Kong a few years ago?"
Jason looked up from his chair, entirely calm. "You're not mistaken."
He reached for the pot, poured a cup with smooth precision, and continued,"A friend gave it to me."
Jin and Elsa exchanged a glance—half awe, half disbelief.A friend? That was the kind of "friendship" most museums could only dream of.
Jason took a slow sip of the tea, his expression unreadable under the warm courtyard lights.The faint aroma of aged oolong rose through the air, mingling with the night breeze and the soft sounds of a nearby water fountain.
Inside, the treasures waited to be placed, the air heavy with the fragrance of luxury and history.
And as Jin gazed at Jason—surrounded by art, wealth, and quiet authority—she couldn't tell what shimmered more brightly under the moonlight:
The emerald bracelet on the table…or the man who treated it as if it were nothing.
The "friend" Jason Carter had mentioned was none other than law firm that was hired for the land case. They had just closed a long string of lawsuits over a batch of high-profile real estate investment contracts—a messy legal storm that ended in there complete victory.
Technically, they hadn't won every case outright; most had been negotiated into settlements. But Jason had still walked away with more than ten million dollars in profit.
As a token of gratitude, they given him the Teapot, valued at over one hundred thousand. A gesture that, to any outsider, looked absurdly generous.
But of course—it wasn't just gratitude. They had his own agenda.
The Urban Renewal Project, a massive 200-acre commercial land development on the outskirts, had become the most sought-after investment in the state.
Every corporation, luxury brand, and tech firm wanted a piece of it.
They didn't need Jason to hand him land; merely being aligned with him meant guaranteed profits.
So, in that light, a six-figure teapot was more than a gift—it was an investment in loyalty.
Jin and Elsa both stared at Jason in shock when they heard the story.
Someone had given him a 100,000 teapot just to "say thanks"? That said everything about the kind of influence Jason Carter wielded.
While the household staff prepared tea, Jin's fingers brushed the sleeve of her silk blouse. "Mr. Carter," she said softly, "I've studied the art of tea service before. Would you like me to do it?"
Jason tilted his head slightly. "Please," he said, gesturing toward the table.
The maid instantly stepped back, bowing her head in acknowledgment. Jin took her place, her every motion deliberate, calm, and elegant.
She had clearly studied tea ceremony—not in the traditional Eastern sense, but in a refined, modern way: posture, precision, presentation. Every movement was practiced, the flow of her hands smooth as a melody.
She warmed the pot and cups, poured the water in graceful arcs, skimmed the foam, and stirred the leaves with a delicate touch. Her slender fingers gleamed in the golden courtyard light, every gesture like a painting.
Just watching her was a pleasure.
Soon, the aroma filled the air. Jin bowed slightly and presented Jason with the first cup.He accepted it and took a sip.
It might have been his imagination, but somehow—tea brewed by her hands really did taste better than when the maid prepared it.
Jason smiled faintly, then motioned for her to sit. Only after he did so did Jin dare take her own cup, moving with soft restraint.
Beside her, Elsa tried to imitate the same grace, though her hand trembled slightly as she lifted her porcelain cup. Considering each one was worth nearly thirty thousand dollars, the tension was understandable.
After that single round of tea, they returned to their work—helping unpack and arrange Jason's auction treasures.
The emerald bracelet remained sealed in its case—they didn't even dare open it.But the other items—the Rockwell painting, the gold bar, and the porcelain tea service—were positioned with care and precision.
Jin clearly understood aesthetics. Her sense of proportion, lighting, and harmony was impeccable. The bamboo sculptures, hand-carved ivory screens, and sandalwood cabinets each found their perfect place. Once arranged, the salon exuded a natural, effortless grandeur.
Jason didn't move from his chair.He simply watched—calmly, silently—as Jin moved about the room with the quiet elegance of a swan.
If anyone else had seen this scene, they'd be stunned.
This was Jin—the standout art history graduate from Columbia, often featured in high-profile gallery circles, and a name whispered among collectors as the "modern renaissance muse."
A woman dozens of men admired from afar—now moving at Jason Carter's command, her every motion deliberate and devoted, like a personal curator serving her patron.
And if someone could see what Jason saw—her favorability meter—they'd be even more shocked.
Jin: Favorability +5.
Jin was utterly enchanted.
Everywhere she looked—the bonsai in the courtyard, the antique wood table, the centuries-old tea set, the silent glow of the Rockwell masterpiece—it all felt like stepping into another world.
This wasn't just a mansion.It was a living gallery—every piece carefully chosen, breathing the aura of a man who understood both power and beauty.
And the man himself—Jason Carter—sat in quiet confidence at the center of it all.
His profile against the amber light was almost unreal. Handsome, composed, yet unreadable.The kind of man women dreamed of, but few could approach.
Helping him arrange these priceless treasures…it almost felt like she was part of that world—like she belonged to it.Like she was his.
She knew it wasn't true, of course. But the feeling—of being that close—was dangerously intoxicating.
The system tone rang in Jason's mind, cool and mechanical:
"Jin's favorability has exceeded 80. Status bar updated."
Name: Jin
Age: 22
Beauty: 8.6
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 108 lbs
Favorability: 15 → 80
Past Relationships: None
Health Conditions: None
Jason took another sip of his tea, his lips curving slightly.
Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
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