Chapter 30
After talking with Caden, Harper started to get hold of herself.
She got up, straightened her dress, and smiled, “Alright, let’s get going.”
That was Harper. She might have a moment, but she always bounced back. She knew what had to be done.
Caden snapped his fingers and stood up too.
He hooked his arm, glanced at Harper, and winked.
Harper was a bit confused.
“I bet your sister’s not just hanging around. Don’t you want to get back at her?”
Harper got what he meant.
–
Since Emily was already here, she’d definitely be all over Alex, just like last time at The Lavien Mansion.
If Harper didn’t want to look like a third wheel, she had to play along with Caden.
wwwww
Harper nodded and gently took his arm.
Caden’s lips curled into a smug smile.
He seemed pretty pleased with how things were going.
He opened the door, and they walked out of the lounge.
The charity auction had already started.
From a distance, they could see Emily holding Alex’s arm, laughing and chatting, without a hint of sadness.
Emily had always wanted to be at the charity gala with him, and now she was.
After that mess, people were probably starting to wonder about Emily’s real deal
Some might even think Emily was Alex’s true love.
Meanwhile, Harper, the so–called wife, seemed to be forgotten.coven
Harper’s eyes flickered, and a self–mocking smile appeared on her lips.
Everything Emily wanted, she got
She wanted to join the Orsini family,
She wanted to steal Brad, and she did.
She wanted Alex, and she got him,
Thinking about it, a wave of bitterness hit Harper.
“Do you like playing games?” Suddenly, Caden asked casually.
“I like playing, and I have to win every game.”
Before she could answer, he eagerly responded.
He raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting.
“This game, I’ll play with you.”
For a moment, Harper couldn’t quite grasp what he meant and didn’t say anything.
Caden didn’t explain either. Instead, he led her to the front row and sat down.
174
Two seats away, Alex noticed Harper out of the corner of his eye.
She was holding Caden’s arm, smiling lightly, looking completely unbothered.
And beside her, Caden’s eyes were fixed on Harper, full of affection.
Alex’s gaze darkened, and his face turned cold.
At that moment, the auctioneer held up a ruby hairpin.
The hairpin was clearly an antique, with a simple design and a large ruby embedded in it. Under the lights, the ruby sparkled brilliantly, making hearts race.
As soon as Emily saw the hairpin, her eyes widened, and she exclaimed in admiration.
“It’s gorgeous. Alex, it’s really beautiful. I really, really like it.”
She grabbed Alex’s arm and gently shook it, pouting like a little girl.
“Alex, can you get it for me? You asked me what I wanted as compensation earlier, and I want this.”
To make up for his guilt, he should give it to Emily.
In the business world, Alex was always like this. It was his principle.
There was nothing money couldn’t solve, no favor money couldn’t buy. Everything was an exchange of interests.
So, Alex nodded slightly, indicating his agreement.
Emily was overjoyed, her voice rising in excitement.
“Really, Alex? Are you really going to give it to me? I love you so much.” She seemed to blurt out those words.
She seemed to blurt out those words.
Undoubtedly, Harper heard it too. Her expression remained calm, unperturbed.
Alex was going to divorce her, so it didn’t matter who he gave things to.
She had to make that clear. Whatever he did had nothing to do with her.
Caden seemed not to notice her. He looked at the ruby hairpin and made a conductor’s opening gesture.
“Game on!”
He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I told you, I’ll make sure you win.”
From this angle, Caden and Harper’s actions looked very intimate, like a couple whispering sweet nothings.
Alex’s face grew even darker.
At this moment, the auctioneer started the bidding.
Someone bid one million dollars.
Then, someone else bid two million dollars.
“Five million dollars!”
Alex steadily raised his paddle.
The auctioneer’s expression was excited as he shouted, “This gentleman bids five million dollars. Five million dollars once, five million dollars twice.”
All eyes turned to see that the person who bid five million dollars was Alex.
For a moment, everyone fell silent.
No one dared to bid against Alex. When Alex wanted something, he got it.
3/4
If nothing unexpected happened, Alex would definitely get the ruby hairpin.
“Five million dollars…”
Just then, the auctioneer’s expression froze, and he exclaimed, “Ten million dollars! This gentleman bids ten million dollars!”
The spotlight shone on Caden’s playful face.
He stood
up, waving to the crowd, making sure everyone recognized him.
“The eldest son of the Elikin family!”
Someone shouted in surprise.
In the circle, he was known as a playboy.
Many people started whispering. This was getting interesting.
Alex was steady and bold, while Caden was carefree and reckless.
The two were evenly matched. It was hard to say who would win if they really competed.
Some people quietly placed bets. Some bet
“Ten million dollars twice!”
The auctioneer shouted excitedly.
on Alex winning. Others said that with Caden’s arrogant and unrestrained nature, he would definitely win.
To be honest, the hairpin was worth at most three million dollars. Alex’s bid of five million dollars was already high, but now Caden’s bid of ten million dollars was a miracle.
At first, Emily was very pleased when Alex bid five million dollars
Now, seeing Caden openly bidding ten million dollars, she
was
“Alex, this is too much! He must want to give that hairpin
Very
unhappy
to
Harper.”
Hearing this, Alex immediately raised his paddle.
Emily pouted, puffing up in anger.
“Twenty million dollars!”
The auctioneer’s face lit up with joy, almost bursting with excitement.)
“Twenty million dollars! This gentleman bids twenty million dollars!”
Exclamations of amazement filled the room.
It was indeed Alex. When he made a move, he was determined to win.
Amidst the thunderous applause, Emily’s vanity greatly satisfied.
She straightened her back, a smug smile on her face.
st
She looked over provocatively, giving Harper a mocking look, as if to say, admit it, you lost!
Harper’s expression remained indifferent, unconcerned.
It was just a hairpin. It didn’t matter who he gave it to.
She had already made up her mind to let go.
She believed that anything that could be taken away from her never truly belonged to her.
Suddenly, the auctioneer’s expression froze, and he was speechless for a moment.
Following his gaze, they saw Caden leisurely holding up his paddle, with a bold “thirty million dollars‘ written on it.
