The items donated by Nelson and Melinda were all valuable. This included ancient vases, paintings, various jewelry, and even artifacts. It was clear that the elderly couple was very generous.Some guests were genuinely interested in charity, while others were there to show respect to the elderly couple. Some just wanted to put on a show. As a result, the auction was quite lively. More than a dozen treasures were auctioned off. They raised over 20 million dollars in donations.As the auction reached its climax, the emcee announced, "Ladies and gentlemen! Mr. and Mrs. Lowry Senior are deeply moved by your generous support. Our beloved Mrs. Lowry Senior has decided to put a treasure she has kept for over 40 years up for auction!"The next moment, Melinda walked onto the stage, carefully holding a blue velvet box. She opened it and gazed at the item inside for several seconds. Then, she spoke into the microphone, "This brooch was given to me by my husband when he proposed. It is a tok
Amidst the crowd, a gaze as cold as ice swept across the men below who were ogling Calla. His face had already darkened with rage.The auctioneer announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, this brooch is from the vaults of the Ephawinian royal family. It symbolizes a happy and fulfilling marriage. This is a rare and remarkable piece. "According to expert appraisal, the market value of this brooch is 2.6 million dollars. Our starting bid tonight is 2.6 million. If anyone is interested, please state your bid now!""2.6 million!" The first to call out from the crowd was a wealthy lady, who liked the brooch very much."2.8 million!""2.85 million!""Everyone, pay attention! Each bid increment must be at least 100 thousand dollars. Thank you!" the auctioneer quickly added."Three million!" Pierre suddenly raised his hand."Mr. Pierre Garland bids three million!" the auctioneer announced immediately.Calla turned to look at Pierre. At that moment, he was looking at her with an appreciative
Under everyone's gaze, Mercer stepped onto the stage. He shook hands with Nelson and Melinda, then took the microphone. Then, he turned to the audience. "Everyone, first I would like to apologize to Mr. Lowry Senior and his wife. I have taken something they cherish."He then lowered his head in apology to Nelson and Melinda.Mercer continued, "I bought this brooch today to give to the person I love most. I hope that my beloved and I can have a long, happy life together like Mr. and Mrs. Lowry Senior."Many young women in the audience looked envious upon hearing this. Mercer, a highly eligible bachelor, was a dream for many.Hearing this, Calla glanced at Sophie in the audience.At that moment, Sophie was listening to Mercer's speech with rapt attention. Her eyes filled with excitement and happiness.The next moment, Calla turned her gaze elsewhere. She thought that he must really love Sophie. From what she knew of him, he wasn't one to express his feelings easily. Saying somethin
Mercer stood very close to Calla, bending his head to remove the brooch. His scent enveloped her, making it hard for her to breathe. With so many eyes on them, she felt incredibly nervous.Luckily, the emcee had moved on to the next part of the party—dancing. The crystal chandeliers in the ballroom dimmed, and a melodious waltz began to play. The guests took their partners and started to dance.Mercer kept working on her dress. His fingers occasionally brushed against her skin, which drove Calla crazy. Her heart was in turmoil because of him!"Are you done yet?" Calla asked, irritated.Mercer didn't answer, still focused on the brooch."Why don't you get some scissors?" she suggested impatiently.He remained silent, making Calla so anxious she started to tap her feet. "Did you hear me?"By this time, Sophie had eagerly approached, followed by a concerned Pierre."Mercer, let me help you!" Sophie was already fuming, seeing Mercer so close to Calla.As Sophie approached, Calla
After Mercer and Sophie left early, the party started to wind down.As they were saying their farewells, Melinda took Calla's hand. "Ms. Sherman, thank you for your help today.""Mrs. Lowry Senior, it was my pleasure," Calla replied with a smile.Melinda lacked the obnoxious demeanor of a wealthy lady from high society. Instead, she was very kind and respectable."You remind me of myself when I was young. I hope we'll meet again." Melinda's eyes showed a hint of admiration."I'm sure we will." Calla nodded. Even though she said that, Calla knew their social statuses were worlds apart. They would likely never meet again. Regardless of the thoughts she harbored, Pierre drove Calla home in his Land Rover."You don't have to accompany me. I can go in on my own." Calla got out of the car, declining Pierre's offer to walk her to her door.But Pierre insisted, getting out of the car and walking her to the entrance of her complex. He smiled and said, "This old neighborhood isn't very
"Alright." Calla nodded, then turned to walk into the building.The old stairwell was dark, with only one dim light hanging overhead. Calla still felt a bit scared every time she returned, especially when coming home late at night.She finally reached the third floor, quickly pulled out her keys, and opened the door. She reached inside to turn on the lights, and the room was instantly illuminated.As Calla was about to close the door, she suddenly saw a dark figure standing outside. She was startled and her legs went weak.It was a man's shadow—and a tall one at that. The first two words that flashed through Calla's mind were "robbery" and "assault".The next moment, she tried to close the door shut—but it was too late. The dark figure stepped forward, grabbed the door, and had already put one foot in.At this point, Calla saw the man's face. It was Mercer.Seeing him, Calla angrily tried to slam the door shut. Despite using all her strength, she couldn't push him away.Soon, M
"Let go!" Calla used all her strength but couldn't break free. Mercer's large hand only tightened its grip, trapping her waist against his body. Her body was pressed against his, unable to move."Mercer, what do you want?" After struggling for a bit, Calla was out of breath, and her arms were numb."To kiss you!" Those were the first words he uttered since entering the room. He then lowered his head to seal Calla's lips with his. She swallowed her protests and discontent.His kiss came forcefully. Calla couldn't fend him off, but was also powerless to stop his advance. She tried to push him away, but it was futile. In the end, she could only passively accept it.When Calla felt she was about to suffocate, he finally released her.She took a breath of fresh air. Feeling nearly smothered, she could only temporarily lean against his chest. His hand still refused to release her waist."There's nothing between you and Pierre. Why didn't you explain it to me?" His low voice reached h
A scream then echoed through the room.Mercer grabbed Calla's waist and suddenly lifted her high. His grip was so strong that her delicate dress was torn.His eyes were terrifying, like a wolf fixated on its prey. He roared, "Calla, you brought this on yourself!"With that, he threw her down on the soft bed.It was the first time she saw such a frightening look in his eyes. Calla, who was usually stubborn and unyielding, instinctively inched backward.The evening dress was already off-shoulder, and after the struggle, it was in tatters. Calla reached up and tried to pull up the dress that had slipped down to reveal too much. But it was now nothing more than rags.Mercer threw off his jacket and then his shirt.His intentions were clear. As Calla backed away again, her back hit the headboard!"You... Don't do this, please. Or else I'll report—" Before she could finish her sentence, Mercer interrupted her. "Call the police? Go ahead!""You…" Calla could tell he was really fu