Chapter 68

Grace wasn't surprised when Colton showed up.

After all,the Pearson family owned this auction house,and the third floor was their personal viewing area.

It only made sense that someone capable of offering such a staggering sum for the Rejuvenation Pill would be Colton. And for Colton, who had recently undergone detox, the pills would be especially useful,acting as a restorative aid in his healing process.

But what puzzled Grace was why he had come looking for her out of the blue. She asked directly, voicing her thoughts, "Do you need something from me?"

"I did1. I didn't realize it was you bidding for the pills earlier. If I had known, I wouldn't have tried to outbid you," Colton replied honestly.

He signaled to Dominick, who was standing behind him,to bring the expensive pills forward. "If you are in urgent need of them, they are yours."

Dominick swiftly handed her the finely crafted box.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of shock at how

willingly Colton gave up the pills. Was it possible that he had developed feelings for Grace?

"These are for me?" Grace arched a brow. "You paid a hefty price for them. You should keep them. They are beneficial for your recovery."

"It's fine. You healed me, and I'll manage even without the two pills," Colton replied, acknowledging her past help, especially when she had saved his life.If she was this eager to obtain the pills, ithad to be urgently required.

It probably wasn't easy to produce these pills.Otherwise, with her level of skill, she would have brewed up a fresh batch by now.

Grace wasn't one to stand on ceremony.Since he was insistent, she accepted the box without hesitation.

Eliana needed the pills urgently, and Grace planned to make more soon and repay Colton double. She didn't want to owe him a debt.

"Thanks. I'll be going now," Grace said, offering a brief nod of appreciation before taking the box and leaving.

After Grace left, the warmth in Colton's expression vanished, replaced by his usual cold demeanor. This brought a sense of relief to Dominick. The way Colton had looked at Grace had been unlike anything

Dominick had ever seen from him.

He wanted to ask Colton why he had given away such valuable pills, but he didn't dare speak up.

Later, Ryan showed up. After hearing what had happened, he wasted no time voicing the question Dominick dared not ask. "Seriously? You just handed those priceless pills over to Grace Miller? What's going on? Are you falling for her?"

To most who knew Colton, he came across as calculating,ruthless, and emotionally detached.Yet he also showed unwavering loyalty and generosity toward his close friends and subordinates.

Still, his generosity was never without purpose. It usually came with expectations.

Therefore,why was he so kind to Grace?

Colton wasn't just any mnan. With eyes constantly watching him and a secret identity to protect,he couldn't afford emotional entanglements with just any woman. Unless she had something of real value to offer him.

At Ryan's comment, Colton's calm, unreadable eyes narrowed slightly. Just as he was about to respond, his phone buzzed in his hand. He instinctively picked it up,and his pupils suddenly constricted.

Without a word to Ryan, he turned and headed straight back to his private room on the third floor,where everything he might need was within easy reach.

Once inside, he immediately began navigating his phone, clearly handling something urgent.

Having known him for so long, both Ryan and Dominick recognized the shift in mood and took up positions at the door to block any interruptions or prying ears.

Colton's phone wasn't an ordinary device. It was a custom-built model with several advanced systems.

As he swiped, the interface shifted to a different system, revealing a specialized program filled with lines of code.

While the codes might have seemed like gibberish to others, Colton understood them instantly.

He then navigated to his email and opened a top-secret message safeguarded by multiple layers of encryption.

After reading its contents, he erased it without hesitation.

Noticing that Colton appeared to be done, Ryan walked over, his usual carefree attitude replaced with

a rare seriousness.

"What's going on? Did they hand down new orders?"he asked, a thread of worry creeping into his voice.

Though Colton now held immense power and influence, it hadn't always been that way. He had gone through relentless hardship and shown unwavering grit to rise to where he stood today.

While he feared no one now, the one who had shaped and trained him into the formidable force he'd become still had a hold on him. If an order came down,he had no choice but to carry it out.

This was what had forged his cold, unfeeling persona,making him appear detached, emotionless, and incapable of placing real trust or affection in anyone.

"They have assigned me to eliminate someone,"Colton said calmly.

"Who is it?" Ryan asked, expecting it to be another drug lord or gambling kingpin.

"A secretly cultivated national genius," Colton answered. 1