"No, I can afford it." Melody took a sip, and immediately raised her sign. "Two hundred and fifty thousand!"The guests whispered when they heard that. "That's crazy! It’s just an ordinary portrait."Those novice embroidery enthusiasts who bade just now backed down when they saw Melody’s interest in that portrait. They knew they couldn’t compete with her.The auctioneer called, "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, going once!"Everyone glanced at Christopher in unison.Not all of them liked silk hand embroidery, but they liked to gossip. They were curious whether Christopher would compete with Melody again.The host called again, "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the second time!"They guessed Christopher was uninterested in the portrait."Do I have more than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars? Alright, then…"Seeing that the host was about to close the bid, Christopher raised his sign calmly and said steadily, "Three hundred thousand."After a short observa
The tug of war soon reached its climax.This time, Melody didn't act impulsively. Instead, she pondered for a moment before raising her sign. "600,000 dollars."Christopher countered, "650,000 dollars."Melody frowned. "660,000 dollars.""700,000 dollars.""730,000 dollars."Christopher was convinced she didn't understand appreciation. He finally raised his sign for the last time. "1,200,000 dollars."The brand representative was moved to tears. He hadn't expected to find someone who truly appreciated the embroidery piece, and was willing to pay such a high price for it.The auctioneer announced, "1,200,000 going once!"Melody didn't raise her sign again. Instead, she lowered her gaze in silence.Albert was concerned. "What's wrong? Do you need more money? I can help you buy it."She shook her head. "No need. I don't want it anymore."Albert was puzzled. "Why? You clearly liked it a lot."The auctioneer, without waiting for their conversation to end, quickly continued. "1,
"If you like that kind of silk hand embroidery, I'll try to help you find an even more beautiful one, alright?" Albert consoled her.He had despised Christopher for a long time. His animosity towards Christopher was different from his feelings toward Melody. It was a fierce clash between two alpha males, compounded with a bit of...an undisclosed grudge.Originally, he wanted to console Melody. However, he ended up getting heated. "He clearly doesn't understand anything, but he wants to fight for love. He’s so arrogant, it’s despicable! “Mel, letting him off so easily is too frustrating. How about we come up with a way to teach him a lesson?” Albert raised his fist and made a striking gesture. "We can hire a few people, find the right time, and give him a beating! What do you think?" Watching Albert, Melody was rendered speechless.How should she put it? Could Albert be her real brother? Their thoughts were so in sync, this could be considered a kind of unspoken understandi
The distance between the two of them suddenly closed in; close enough that Christopher could even see Melody's long and thick eyelashes distinctly. Her eyes remained clear and bright, but they would never look at him affectionately again. A sense of powerlessness filled his chest. He lowered his voice, and demanded, "What's your relationship with Albert?"That's it? He came to the restroom to ask such a boring question?Melody was annoyed. In the past, he was relatively decisive; now, she felt he was getting more and more petty. It seemed never-ending."I think I have no obligation to tell you, Mr. Bolton," she said impatiently, raising her eyebrows and not hiding her resistance. "We're strangers now, and I don't need to explain these things to a stranger. Let go of me." Her tone was cold, as if she didn't want any further entanglement.Hearing this, Christopher’s eyebrows furrowed. The word strangers stung his heart like a tiny thorn. He suddenly remembered Melody's cautious y
Christopher's face darkened with frustration, but he couldn't do anything about it. He shouldn't have trusted Melody earlier; he should have asked all the questions directly. There were still too many mysteries left unsolved.Why did she marry him in the first place? What was her obsession with that silk hand embroidery? Did she have some knowledge of silk hand embroidery?However, he quickly dismissed the idea. Melody had no knowledge of embroidery or anything similar. She was just an ordinary woman. How could she transform into a completely different person after their divorce?The anger he couldn't vent began to occupy his thoughts once again. He angrily punched the wall. "Shit!"He realized that he couldn't contain his curiosity about what she was hiding.—The intermission wasn't very long. After a short break in the lounge, the auction continued with great momentum. The host's voice echoed, "Please take your seats, ladies and gentlemen. The auction is about to continue."C
Christopher watched the two of them engage in lively conversation, exchanging words. Melody also used her body language as she talked animatedly. He could feel his own body radiating coldness, and it sent shivers down his spine.Ethan observed from the side, thinking that Christopher looked like a walking refrigerator.Christopher's gaze couldn't leave Melody at all. This woman was nothing but obedient during their marriage, but after their divorce, she wouldn't even spare him a glance.She was absolutely ruthless!—"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the surprise we've prepared for you. The car race is about to start. Please take your seats and enjoy the show!"All the male guests and their female companions had already seated themselves. Since the auction had left plenty of time, the addition of a car race only enhanced the excitement. It was also an excellent opportunity to socialize with more people.Looking around, the audience consisted of well-dressed men and women, presen
The girls looked at each other, their eyes filled with envy. To be so beautiful and have such a handsome guy accompany her, what a fortunate life!Melody was smiling happily, when she suddenly felt someone approaching from behind. She turned to see that Albert had moved to sit beside her."I was so bored sitting there alone. I wanted to be closer to you," he said.She chuckled, and allowed him to stay. She gestured towards Levian, and said, "See that guy in the black and red jacket? He's my third brother, and he dotes on me."Albert's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he looked somewhat uneasy. Melody was too absorbed in cheering for her brother to notice his subtle expression.Meanwhile, Christopher's face turned even darker. Watching Melody cheer for Levian was a thorn in his side. She had never smiled at him in such a genuine manner, so radiant and sincere.Ethan knew that Christopher was feeling jealous, and teased, "That guy’s pretty smooth, but women tend to like that type.
Afterward, she turned to Albert. "Here, this is my brother. You couldn't see him clearly from afar, but now you should get a good look, right?"Albert just smiled. Levian, upon seeing him, immediately straightened his posture. There was a brief flash of sharpness in his eyes, which quickly disappeared.The two exchanged glances, their expressions subtly nuanced. Neither of them spoke; they simply maintained this indescribable balance.Levian was the first to extend his hand. "Hello."Albert responded with a smile. "Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you."The exchange seemed smooth and without any issues. However, the strange atmosphere they created didn't escape Melody's attention. What did it mean for them to look at each other for such a long time?Did they know each other?Melody squinted and asked, "What's with those expressions? You seem like you've met before. Brother, do you know Albert?""Of course I’d recognize such a handsome face," Levian replied playfully, a mischievou