Novel Square
Chapter 99
The aroma of coffee permeated the private room as the chatting noises in the hall Rosted over constantly.
Stephanie glanced at Nancy, who had occupied the seat on Vincent’s right, before dropping her head to stare at her coffee.
For some reason, she sensed a silent display of power,
“Nancy, you’re in the wrong seat. Joseph has been sitting here all along,” Vincent said lightly.
Nancy chuckled. “I know. I just came to sit for a while after pouring some coffee.”
Seeing Joseph enter the room, she stood up and said, “Joseph’s back, I’ll return to my seat,”
She then came to sit beside Stephanie with a serene smile.
Silence soon ensued in the auction hall as an auctioneer of Timeless Treasures Auction House, Nathan Ross, went onstage to begin the opening remarks
for the evening.
The first item was an antique Victorian porcelain vase.
It was once auctioned off, but now the buyer intended to resell it.
After Nathan’s introduction came the bidding for the evening’s first item.
Soon, someone bought it at two times the original bidding price.
The second and third items were also porcelain pieces. After fierce bidding from porcelain lovers, they were sold respectively at 5 million and 6 million
dollars.
When it came to the fourth item, Stephanie’s eyes lit up.
Nathan, a hale-and-hearty-looking man aged around seventy with white hair and an equally white beard, introduced the item. “Here’s a rare and exquisite diamond tiara. With natural diamonds weighing up to 190 carats, it’s the tiara inlaid with the most diamonds. These diamonds originated from South Alendor, have FL clarity, and have undergone rigorous craftsmanship. The starting price is 40 million dollars.”
This auction item not only had a collector’s value, but it was also the best gift for a lover.
All the big shots raised their bid paddles the moment Nathan finished speaking.
Soon, the tiara’s bidding price reached 200 million dollars.
Several big shots thought the price was beyond its value and stopped bidding.
Nat!
was overjoyed. After all, 25% of the price difference beyond the auction item’s original price belonged to Timeless Treasures Auction House.
Sm-ing, he looked at a private room on the third floor. Opulence’s bid of 200 million dollars. Going once! Going twice! Going…”
“300 million dollars!” Vincent’s clear voice rang out as he pressed the voice transmission button, making everyone gasp.
His bid was 100 million dollars more than the current bidding price.
The bidder gave up upon recognizing Vincent’s voice.
$11:02, Fri: 8T May
Firstly, he felt the tiara wasn’t worth an extra 100 million dollars. Moreover, bidding with Vincent equated to making enemies, which was unwise.
Nathan beamed. “Serendipity’s bid of 300 million dollars going oncel Going twice! Going thricel Deal! Congratulations to Serendipity for securing this unique tiara!”
Vincent fixed his intense gaze on Stephanie. Do you like it?”
“I do, but the price has exceeded its value,” she replied.
Vincent held her hand. “Nothing matters as long as you like it. Quite a few accessories are coming up. Tell me if you see something you like.”
With a smile, Stephanie replied, “Okay.”
Nancy tightened her grip on her coffee cup. She never thought Vincent would spoil Stephanie so much.
Jealousy surged within her as she secretly observed their warm interaction.
“Aside from my beauty and good figure, I’m one of the best in scientific research. In what way am I inferior to Stephanie, that b**h? she wondered.
She quickly composed herself, not letting anyone notice her underlying wrath.
Joseph butted. “I smell love in the air, and it sickens me.”
“Have you had dinner?” Vincent glanced at him.
His question caught Joseph off guard. “Not yet. Why do you ask?”
“I think you can s k i p dinner tonight. After all, you’ve been fed with our public display of affection, Vincent remarked with a grin.
The corners of Joseph’s mouth twitched. He found that since Vincent got married, he had become very unruly.
After that, Vincent won the bid for a rare, fancy color diamond at 180 million dollars. The pear-shaped, vivid blue diamond weighed 19 carats and appeared extremely pure and dazzling.
Everyone at the auction knew Vincent was extremely doting toward his wife, especially the women present, who were green with envy. After all, how many men would spend 4 8 0 million dollars to please a woman?
All they could think to make themselves feel better was that Vincent was making up to his fiancée for his physical disability.
Meanwhile, Nathan began introducing the following auction items: two paintings from Claude Monet’s “The Water Lilies” series.
Vincent paid special attention as he planned to gift Annabelle artwork.
“I remember Mrs. Jimenez has the first two paintings. These are the last two,” he said.
h nodded, “Around five years ago, Mrs. Jimenez willfully secured the first two paintings in an auction. Many people were shocked at the time as weren’t the complete series. However, she smiled and confidently said she would find the other two in her lifetime.”
Nancy observed the details on the big screen. “Claude Monet’s paintings are indeed worthy of their reputation. The water lilies are so majestic. No wonder many people like them.”
Nathan announced, “The starting price for the final two paintings is 6 million dollars. The bidding begins!”
Many people present were thinking, ‘If I can obtain these remaining paintings and gilt them to Mrs, Jimenez, I’ll be helping her achieve her goal.’ After all, the Jimenez family was extremely wealthy, and their move back to Jacaster indicated their intention to expand within the country.
11:02 Fri, 31 May MD.
If one could befriend the Jimenez family,
lly, their collaboration would be m
mutually beneficial.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.
Hence, people were shouting out bids continuously the moment the auctioneer’s words fell.
Since Vincent planned to gift Annabelle artwork in the first place, this was his best opportunity,
88%
However, a sun-kissed hand grasped his wrist, preventing him from pressing the voice transmission button. “Don’t bid for them,” Stephanie advised.
“Why?” Vincent inquired.
“The paintings are fake,” Stephanie said.
Everyone present was shocked. After all, given Timeless Treasures Auction House’s well-established reputation, selling counterfeits at their auctions would jeopardize it.
Joseph was puzzled. “How can you tell?”
Meanwhile, Nancy was convinced that Stephanie was pretending to be an expert.
These paintings are exceptionally vivid, with well-defined layers and rhythmic strokes. How could they be fake? She must be spouting nonsense!” she thought.
Before Stephanie could explain, a woman bid 40 million dollars.
No one followed up with a bid after that.
Joseph clicked his tongue. “That’s Madeline, the third of the Jimenez family’s five children. I heard the Jimenez family moved back to the country to find their biological daughter.”
“Biological daughter?” Stephanie asked curiously
Joseph nodded. “Yes. It
It seems their youngest daughter was switched at birth. I wonder what became of the real daughter and how she’s doing.”
“How could that happen?” Stephanie remarked wit
with
Hafrown.
Joseph shrugged. “Right? It’s rumored that the Jimenez family only found out when Megan Jimenez was fourteen but chose not to search for the real daughter with great fanfare to avoid causing her mental stress. However, they still failed after all these years. By right, locating her through DNA testing is possible. To put it bluntly, either the girl’s information isn’t on the internet, or she’s already dead.”
As he spoke, Nathan had begun the final pricing. “Bid of 40 million dollars for Claude Monet’s “The Water Lilies” paintings going once! Going twice! Going…
Stephanie pressed the voice transmission button. “Those paintings are fake!”
Everyone was shocked. Nathan followed her voice until his gaze fell on the third floor private room.
He was displeased as her words would cost him money and credibility.
“Ma’am, can you provide any proof that these two paintings are fake?” he asked.