While 30,000 dollars appeared reasonable to the majority present, Natalie found this cost somewhat burdensome. That clarified Leslie's earlier statement about Luxumoon Jewelry embracing a high-end brand positioning."The bidding starts now, and guests who are interested can begin raising their paddles to make offers," the host declared, casting a glance across the entire venue.Sheldon promptly raised his paddle and confidently declared, "350,000."Natalie instinctively glanced at Sheldon, who exuded an air of undeniable confidence. She surmised Sheldon must have a strong fondness for that girl. Otherwise, why would he invest so much effort in preparing a gift for her?Shortly after, someone else placed a bid from the side. "400,000.""420,000.""500,000."As the bidding continued its gradual climb, a voice from the sidelines abruptly broke the rhythm, proclaiming, "1,000,000."The sudden surge in the bid successfully drew everyone's attention.The host, briefly caught off gua
Dressed in a stunning fishtail gown, Leslie made her entrance with meticulously applied makeup gracing her face.Her innate beauty was undeniable, evident in her slender brows, large eyes, rosebud mouth, and an overall elegant charm that radiated a subtle allure.With makeup on now, she became even more radiant and strikingly brilliant.Even supermodels like Elsie had a subtle change in facial expression the moment they stepped onto the stage. Elsie instinctively looked at Hugh and urged, "Let's go."He had no intention of leaving as he stared straight ahead at the stage and remarked, "We've come this far. Let's wait until it's over before leaving.""Hugh Gordon!" Elsie exclaimed, displeased. However, Hugh glared at her, and she refrained from saying anything further.Elsie was well aware of why he ended up with her, which was why she avoided pushing his limits too much. She had to tolerate it despite being aware that Leslie still occupied his heart. Hugh's gaze cut through t
Henry's words ignited a fiery rage in Natalie's chest.Natalie was taken aback. How could Henry comment like that about her? Did she lack any attractive qualities? He even went so far as to declare her useless! Was that truly how he perceived her?Natalie coolly met his gaze and said, "Are you deliberately holding me back just to belittle me?"Henry adjusted his expression and again demanded, "Come with me."With that, they entered another standoff. They stood in the corridor and glared at each other for quite some time.Natalie looked at him with a perplexed expression. "Aren't we supposed to go out? Why don't you lead the way? Why are you staring at me like that?""I told you, there are reporters here! Why don't you have even a bit of self-awareness?" Henry retorted with disdain."What self-awareness? Why don't you make yourself clear? I'm not a mind reader, you know?" Natalie rolled her eyes at him. Henry decided to stop arguing with her. Even if she remained unaware, hadn
Natalie laughed as she wore the necklace Henry had gifted her. It was a genuine, joyful laughter, or so it seemed.However, to Henry, her laughter cut sharply. It wasn't the mirth he had hoped for. Instead, he sensed that her happiness derived solely from the expensive necklace rather than the person who bestowed it upon her—him.It was a glaring display of her opportunistic and vanity-seeking nature, a side of her that always managed to surface regardless of the circumstances."Is this all you're worth, Natalie? A necklace?" Henry's sneer punctuated his disappointment as he turned on his heel and left with determined strides.Once Henry departed, Natalie's smile faded. She looked at the pendant in her hands, her expression complex as she examined it closely. While she liked the necklace, the weight around her neck felt burdensome. It symbolized Henry's contempt for her, yet his warning lingered, dissuading her from easily discarding it.After regaining composure, Natalie went b
Natalie lifted her eyes and met Lana's icy expression.Usually, with Sheldon as Natalie's support, Lana felt powerless. But today, with Sheldon away on a business trip, Lana was determined to make Natalie suffer a bit."Everyone here at Dawn Corporation is an architect selected through rigorous screening, and you …" Lana disdainfully glanced at the nameplate on Natalie's chest and continued, "are just a mere architect's assistant. Do you even deserve a seat?"All eyes turned to Natalie. Most people here harbored hostility toward her and believed she got in solely through connections.Knowing her situation well, Natalie cooperatively responded, "If Ms. Holmes says so, then I'll stand."Lana pulled back her gaze, a cold gleam flickering in her eyes. The drama of the day had only just started. Lana pledged to make sure Natalie would experience something noteworthy later!Soon, the meeting began. It was a session where several key architects took turns reporting their recent work.A
Sheldon paid close attention to every word Natalie uttered."I understand what you mean. I'll take care of this and make sure the person behind it is exposed!" Sheldon's tone carried a trace of displeasure.With Sheldon's help, Natalie felt more at ease. The helplessness that had enveloped her earlier dissipated."By the way, aren't you supposed to be on a business trip today? Why did you suddenly come back?" Natalie asked in confusion."The flight got canceled for some reason. I have to wait until tomorrow." Sheldon secretly celebrated the hiccup in his business trip, considering how Natalie might have faced today's situation alone if things had gone smoothly. "Thank you for showing up in time and helping me out today," Natalie expressed her gratitude with a smile.Sheldon smirked and spoke seriously, "After this incident, you'll likely face a lot of rumors. Can you handle it?"When the photos were first released, she felt a bit disoriented. But she had calmed down and mentall
A glint of coldness flashed in Henry's eyes as his lips tightened into a thin line, yet he remained silent.As Natalie observed him drive with a calm expression, her heart gradually sank with an ominous feeling. Natalie had an inkling that Henry wouldn't simply let matters rest.The vehicle navigated the road, but its direction diverged from the anticipated course toward the prison. Having a well-developed sense of direction honed from past visits to the prison, Natalie perceived the discrepancy."Is this the way to the prison?" Natalie asked directly.Henry gave a straightforward answer. "No.""Then where are we going?"Henry remained silent, focused on steering the wheel.Natalie felt uneasy and could only focus on the scenery outside the window.The prison was situated in the suburbs, and now, it was evident that they had strayed from the original route, finding themselves in another suburban area.Directly in front of them, a river stretched before them. Though a woode
Daniel looked at Henry fondly. He'd heard of their marriage when he was in prison.Every time the prison guards told him that Natalie had tried to visit him, he would feel his determination waver.He wanted to see his daughter. He had a lot of questions for her. However, he forced himself to drop the thought."Thank you for taking care of Natalie over the past few years. I should also thank your grandfather for helping me with all the trouble I left in my wake," he said. Even though he had been imprisoned, he could still guess what was happening outside.Henry smiled slightly and said dismissively, "It's nothing. Just doing what we're supposed to do." It didn't take long for Daniel to notice Natalie's baby bump."Is Natalie pregnant?" he asked, pleasantly surprised.Henry's expression soured.If Natalie was carrying his child, he would be happy. After all, that meant that he was going to be a father.Because of how Cliff had treated him throughout his childhood, he'd decided