The room reeked of money and corruption, suits and cigars clouding the air. I leaned back in my chair, glass of whiskey untouched, my eyes scanning the stage. That’s when I saw them—filthy, tired, chained like an animal. You

The auctioneer grinned, his voice slick as oil. “Let’s start the bidding—five thousand!”

Hands shot up. Men with too much money and no soul. I knew their kind. They wouldn’t just buy; they’d destroy.

“Ten thousand!” one barked. “Fifty!” another smirked, his eyes lingering in a way that made my jaw tighten. The numbers climbed, the crowd hungry.

And then I spoke, my voice cold, cutting through the noise. “One million.”

The room went silent. All eyes turned. The auctioneer stuttered, almost choking on his smile. No one dared to outbid me.