Ultimate Tycoon: Building the Richest Empire with System and Heroines-Chapter 50: Like You Said… I’m Quite Lucky

"Boy, why don’t we auction it?" Virgil said, his eyes gleaming behind those circular glasses.

Ethan blinked. "Auction?"

Even the Hayes family members exchanged confused glances. Natalie raised an eyebrow. Clarissa tilted her head slightly. Mina had no idea what was going on, but looked intrigued. Alistair just chuckled.

Virgil straightened in his seat like a professor giving a lecture. "As I mentioned, this painting is from over two hundred years ago. Painted by Da Goatcy — one of the greatest of all time."

He gestured at the unrolled painting again. "If you sell it quietly to one buyer, sure, you’ll make some money. But you’ll be wasting its real potential. What I’m suggesting is simple: auction it."

Ethan tapped his finger on the armrest. "Go on."

"In an auction, the right people will gather. Collectors. Historians. Billionaires who want to flex. Especially when they hear the legend behind it,that it brings prosperity to whoever owns it."

Alistair laughed suddenly. "Just say it, Virgil. You want to use this painting to boost your own auction house."

Virgil coughed into his hand, clearly caught. "Well... I won’t lie. It would be a highlight. The kind of item that turns a mid-level event into the most talked-about auction of the year."

Ethan smirked. "Now we’re getting honest. Keep talking."

Virgil leaned forward slightly. "The Knox Auction House—my family’s legacy—has been around for generations. We hold monthly auctions, but something like this... we’ll make it a special event. Invite-only. Big names. Overseas collectors."

He paused. "And if we market the painting with its name, history, and the so-called ’luck’ legend... trust me, Ethan, it’ll print money."

Ethan stayed quiet for a moment, watching him.

"Sounds like a good deal," he finally said. "But let me guess,if you’re helping me arrange all this, it means you want something too, right?" frёeweɓηovel_coɱ

That earned a laugh from Damian and even a small smile from Natalie.

Clarissa sipped her tea. "Smart boy."

Virgil raised both hands in mock surrender. "You caught me. Yes, I do want something. Not money though."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "No commission?"

Virgil shook his head. "No. Since you’re a special guest of Alistair’s, I won’t take a single penny. My only condition is: let me host the auction under my family’s name. The attention it brings will boost our reputation massively."

Alistair nodded approvingly. "Smart marketing move. And good business."

Ethan leaned back, crossing his arms. He weighed the offer for a few seconds. If he trusted anyone, it was someone who had Alistair Hayes’s trust. Besides, getting full profit from the sale, while someone else did all the heavy lifting?

"Deal," Ethan said.

Virgil grinned like a merchant who just found gold in a trash can.

"Wonderful! I’ll prepare the event. It’ll be scheduled for a week from now. I’ll send all the details to Alistair directly."

He gently rolled the painting up again and carefully placed it in a reinforced art tube he pulled from his bag.

"Now... Can I take the painting for prep work?"

Ethan gave a casual nod. "Sure. Just don’t go selling it early, old man."

Virgil laughed. "Boy, I might be old,but I’m not suicidal. I’m not crazy enough to cross the Hayes family."

He stood up, clutching the art tube like it was sacred treasure.

"I’ll be in touch. This auction... will shake the city."

------------------------------

The next morning, Ethan stretched his arm carefully.

No sharp pain.

He rotated his shoulder once... twice. A faint soreness, but nothing unbearable. Finally, he could move without feeling like his bones were rebelling.

"Guess it’s time for some exercise," he muttered, standing up.

He made his way out into the Hayes family backyard. He expected all of them to be here ,but right now, it was empty.

Well... almost.

Ethan stopped, eyes narrowing with a sly grin.

Natalie was there.

Dressed in a black tank top and fitted joggers, her hair tied in a messy ponytail. She was absolutely wrecking a punching bag, each hit landing with a crisp thud that echoed across the yard.

"Heh," Ethan smirked. "Perfect."

He stepped into the area, stretching casually as if he wasn’t planning anything.

Natalie noticed him mid-punch and rolled her eyes. "So thats what you were planning yesterday, stealing from Gregory."

Ethan laughed, positioning himself," Hey, it was mine to begin with , I paid more than $7000 for it," Well I did not.

Ethan raised his fists and started shadowboxing with exaggerated moves.

Natalie laughed. "What is that trash shadowboxing? I’m seriously starting to doubt how you survived that bus attack. You must’ve had crazy luck."

Ethan wiggled his eyebrows. "Why don’t you find out how trashy it is—personally?"

"Oh no," she said, backing away playfully. "You’re still recovering. If I accidentally break another rib, you’ll be stuck in our house even longer."

He grinned. "Scared? A policewoman afraid of an injured man?"

That did it.

She stepped forward and jabbed lightly toward his shoulder. Ethan dodged easily.

They circled.

Then, when she tried to grab his wrist, he spun lightly and stepped behind her. His hand brushed along her midriff, then slid around her waist.

"Whoa—" Natalie tensed.

Ethan leaned forward. "You’re fast," he whispered near her ear, "but your back’s wide open."

Natalie elbowed him off with a small glare. "Keep playing and I will break your other arm."

Ethan laughed, dodging again.

"Just checking your defense," he whispered, leaning close to her back, his hand lingering just a second too long at her lower back.

As she lunged, he slipped low, brushing his palm against her outer thigh while ducking past. She shivered slightly at the sudden closeness.

"Watch your legs," he teased.

"You perv—!"

Before she could finish, Ethan had lightly, playfully slapped her ass, then stepped back grinning like a kid who just stole candy.

"Mina was right," he said. "It does jiggle."

Natalie’s face went full red.

"You—!"

Ethan laughed and stumbled back dramatically. "Ahhh! My injury! I—I think something cracked again!"

Natalie froze mid-lunge, concern flickering in her eyes. "Wait—seriously?"

That’s when Ethan grinned, perfectly fine, and booped her on the forehead.

"You really fell for that?"

Her face went from worried to fuming in half a second. "You little—!"

They clashed again, this time both laughing

Ethan’s foot caught the edge of the mat, and Natalie, trying to counter, lost her balance. The two of them tumbled to the ground—

Thud!

Ethan on his back. Natalie sprawled over him, arms braced beside his shoulders.

Their faces are inches apart.

Too close.

Way too close.

And then—

Their lips brushed.

It was brief.

Accidental.

Natalie’s eyes widened. Her cheeks burned.

For a heartbeat, neither moved. Natalie’s breath caught , whether in surprise or something else, even she couldn’t tell.

Ethan stared, then smiled slowly.

"...Like you said," he whispered, voice smug as ever. "I’m quite lucky."

Natalie’s fist clenched.

"You’re dead," she growled.

And this time, Ethan didn’t dodge in time.

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