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Justin’s face darkened as his mind raced.
If Anna was willing to pay $9 million for the painting, $10 million wouldn’t be a problem.
She held back not because she couldn’t afford it, but because she chose to let Rosalind have it.
She did this on purpose.
But despite his thoughts, Justin couldn’t say anything.
No one had forced Rosalind to follow Anna’s lead in the bidding.
Rosalind had done so willingly, and that was her choice to make.
Bella remained calm throughout the rest of the auction, choosing not to bid on any of the other items.
Justin, on the other hand, was only interested in one thing—the antique rosewood chair.
He stayed quiet, waiting for it to come up.
The next item, however, was a pair of jadeite stones donated by Shannon on behalf of the Salvador Corporation.
The starting bid was set at $2 million.
Bella scoffed under her breath, her expression one of clear disdain.
She would rather spend money on the earlier replica than waste her time with these two stones.
Anyone who bid on them, in her opinion, was a fool.
Sure enough, as the auctioneer struggled to raise the price, the stones sold for only $2.
6 million.
Shannon’s smile faded as she sat back, feeling the sting of the low price.
Justin, however, remained unmoved.
The whole thing was beneath him.
No matter how much Shannon tried to impress, her donations couldn’t erase the fact that Gregory’s family had long been a source of embarrassment for Justin.
The auction continued with another item: a pair of azure porcelain teacups from the 18th century, donated by Ms.
Mila Larson of KS Group.
The announcement immediately caught the attention of every collector in the room.
Bella’s heart skipped a beat.
She turned quickly, scanning the crowd for any sign of Mila.
When Bella finally spotted her in the back row, she felt her stomach churn with anxiety.
Why didn’t Steven tell me Aunt Mila would be here?
She quickly shot a message to Steven: Why is Aunt Mila here? Why didn’t you tell me she was coming?!
Steven’s reply was just as panicked: I just found out too! Maybe the Chairman sent Madam Mila here as a last-minute contingency.
Bella cursed under her breath, her worry growing.
Damn it! Wyatt never plays by the rules! Almost everyone from the Salvador family was in attendance, and now with Mila here, it would be harder than ever to keep her true identity as the heiress of KS Group hidden.
As Bella’s anxiety built, she noticed Mila’s subtle gesture—a wink and an “okay” sign directed at her.
It was a secret message, and Bella immediately understood.
Oh, Aunt Mila, you’re always so wise.
The mood in the room shifted as people began preparing to bid on the porcelain teacups.
The auctioneer spoke of their rarity, highlighting that KS Group had generously donated them.
The contrast with Shannon’s jadeite stones couldn’t have been clearer.
The crowd murmured about the Salvador Corporation’s pitiful offering, with some even commenting on Gregory’s questionable taste in a wife.
Shannon, feeling the sting of embarrassment, sat rigidly in her seat, red-faced.
Her donation looked far less impressive compared to Mila’s.
It was a moment of humiliation that she couldn’t escape.
Justin, however, had finally shown some interest.
He spun his paddle in his hand absentmindedly, clearly deep in thought.
Bella whispered to herself, “That’s top-quality celadon, the color of rain.
”
When Justin heard her murmur, he couldn’t help but glance at her, surprised by her expertise.
There she was, focused entirely on the porcelain teacups, her fair skin glowing in the soft light.
For a moment, Justin couldn’t tear his eyes away.
He had always known Anna was beautiful, but seeing her in this light, so composed and elegant, took him by surprise.
It was as if he was seeing her for the first time.
Her beauty had always been there, but for the first time, Justin truly appreciated it.
