PART 6 — THE FACE IN THE PORTRAIT
The grand lobby became so quiet that the ticking of the antique clock above the staircase sounded deafening.
Every eye followed Arthur's gaze.
The enormous family portrait hung beneath the crystal chandelier.
For more than thirty years it had overlooked every auction, every celebration, every charity gala held inside Laurent Royal Auctions.
Guests had admired it countless times.
No one had ever questioned it.
Tonight...
they looked at it differently.
The young master slowly stepped closer.
The portrait showed the Laurent family at the height of their glory.
Sebastian stood proudly in the center.
Beside him was his late wife, Eleanor.
Behind them stood Arthur.
Several senior executives from that era.
And in the far right corner—
Almost hidden in the shadows—
A middle-aged man with silver-framed glasses.
He wore an elegant navy suit.
His expression was calm.
Almost forgettable.
The young master frowned.
"I've never seen him before."
Arthur answered quietly.
"Most people never noticed him."
Sebastian's breathing suddenly became uneven.
His face turned pale.
"No..."
Arthur nodded.
"You finally remember."
The old billionaire whispered a name he had not spoken in decades.
"Victor..."
Gasps spread throughout the hall.
Several retired board members immediately recognized it.
"Victor Beaumont?"
"The former legal director?"
"I thought he died years ago."
Arthur slowly shook his head.
"No."
"He disappeared."
"Those are very different things."
The room fell silent once again.
Marcus stared at the portrait.
His eyes widened.
"I remember him..."
Everyone turned.
Marcus swallowed hard.
"He never raised his voice."
"He never attended public events."
"But..."
"He approved every confidential document."
Arthur smiled sadly.
"Exactly."
"He never wanted attention."
"Because real power doesn't stand in the spotlight."
"It stands behind it."
The sentence chilled everyone.
For years...
they had feared the wrong man.
The young master continued studying the portrait.
"There are only four people standing."
Arthur nodded.
"Look again."
The young master narrowed his eyes.
Near the bottom corner—
Almost invisible—
A little boy held Eleanor's hand.
His face had been painted only in profile.
The painter had deliberately hidden most of it.
The young master's heartbeat accelerated.
"...That's me."
Sebastian closed his eyes.
"Yes."
Arthur slowly approached the painting.
Then pointed toward Victor Beaumont.
"Look carefully."
Everyone leaned closer.
Victor's hand rested gently...
not behind his own back...
but behind the child's shoulder.
Almost touching him.
Almost...
claiming him.
Arthur whispered,
"That wasn't accidental."
The guests looked confused.
The young master asked,
"What does that mean?"
Arthur took a deep breath.
"Three weeks before you disappeared..."
"Victor asked Sebastian to sign new inheritance papers."
Sebastian lowered his head.
"I refused."
"Why?"
"Because the documents transferred control of the Laurent Foundation."
Arthur nodded.
"Not immediately."
"But after your son's eighteenth birthday."
The young master frowned.
"So if I disappeared..."
Arthur finished the sentence.
"...there would be no legal heir."
The realization struck the room like lightning.
Sebastian whispered,
"My God..."
Arthur continued.
"The foundation controlled nearly forty percent of the Laurent family's voting power."
"If there were no heir..."
"The board would appoint a trustee."
Marcus looked horrified.
"Victor."
Arthur nodded.
"He didn't need to own the company."
"He only needed to control it."
The young master looked toward the executives.
"So everything..."
"...started because of money?"
Arthur slowly shook his head.
"No."
"It started because of pride."
Everyone looked confused.
Arthur continued.
"Victor believed he built this empire."
"He believed Sebastian only received the credit."
Sebastian sighed deeply.
"I trusted him."
"He was my closest adviser."
"He knew every vault."
"Every account."
"Every family secret."
Arthur answered quietly,
"And that's exactly why he became dangerous."
Suddenly—
One of the oldest board members slowly raised his hand.
His voice trembled.
"I remember something..."
Arthur looked toward him.
"What?"
The elderly man hesitated.
"The night before the child disappeared..."
"I overheard Victor arguing with someone."
"What did he say?"
The old director closed his eyes.
"He said..."
"'If the boy stays...'"
"...'everything we've built belongs to him.'"
Silence.
"'But if the boy disappears...'"
"...'history can be rewritten.'"
The room became ice cold.
The young master's fists slowly tightened.
Not with rage.
With disbelief.
His entire childhood...
Had been stolen...
because one man refused to accept someone else's legacy.
At that moment—
The doors burst open.
A security officer hurried inside.
"Mr. Laurent!"
Everyone turned.
"We found something inside the CFO's office."
Arthur immediately stepped forward.
"What?"
The officer carried a small black metal box.
"It was hidden behind the wall safe."
Sebastian frowned.
"I've never seen that."
The officer placed it on a marble table.
It had no lock.
Only one small engraving.
A dragon.
Exactly like the young master's pin.
The room fell silent.
The young master instinctively reached toward it.
Arthur suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"Wait."
The young master looked surprised.
"What?"
Arthur's voice became unusually serious.
"If Victor prepared this..."
"It wasn't meant to protect the truth."
"It was meant to bury it."
Sebastian slowly asked,
"Can it be opened?"
Arthur nodded.
"But only one person has the right."
He looked directly at the young master.
"You."
The young master gently placed his hand on the dragon emblem.
There was a soft metallic click.
The lid slowly opened.
Inside...
There were no jewels.
No money.
No contracts.
Only three objects.
A faded family photograph.
An old silver key.
And...
A VHS videotape with a handwritten label.
Everyone leaned closer.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Victor Beaumont.
Across the white label were seven chilling words:
"The truth begins the moment this plays."
No one spoke.
No one even breathed.
The young master slowly picked up the tape.
Sebastian stared at it with trembling eyes.
Arthur quietly whispered,
"I've spent twenty-two years looking for that tape."
The young master looked toward the old television displayed inside the private VIP lounge.
Then back at the tape.
He took one slow step forward.
The entire auction house followed behind him.
Because everyone understood...
The answers they had searched for over two decades...
were waiting inside that cassette.
The young master stopped in front of the television.
His thumb hovered over the PLAY button.
The screen remained black.
Then—
May you like
He pressed it.
To be continued...
