My heart resisted, but my mouth could hardly refuse. "Um… I'm really looking forward to tonight… Cough, cough, I'm absolutely not looking forward to it!"
When night finally fell, I put on the evening gown Captian had prepared for me. The pale-purple dress made me look much more mature than usual. Before stepping out, I put the Blood-Pigeon ring back on. Its blood-red gleam set off my snow-white skin like a piece of flawless white jade.
The auction would be held in Alchimie City. It was an extremely grand event, only organized once a year, so the nobles of Alchimie would rack their brains just to obtain an invitation, almost as if owning one could prove the purity of their aristocratic bloodline.
Captian changed out of his coat, switching into a black suit. The suit fit him perfectly, outlining that flawless physique of his. From afar, he was like a walking surge of hormones, impossible not to be drawn to.
Of course, that only worked if one ignored the vicious ruthlessness in his eyes and the cold aura surrounding him.
When we arrived at the auction, it was already past six. The auction would officially start at seven, so we still had about twenty minutes to wait.
Right then, Hunter walked up to Captian and whispered, "President Anderson, I've confirmed it. That man's target tonight is a Demeter sculpture from the Oliptics Dynasty."
Captian nodded, his expression unchanged.
I blinked. I faintly heard something about "Demeter." Could it be that Captian was actually interested in a Demeter statue?
What a strange hobby.
Hunter exchanged a few more words before leaving.
The auction hall was packed full of nobles and high-society figures dressed extravagantly. Their way of speaking and even the way they walked carried a strange, hard-to-describe elegance that honestly scared me a little.
A village girl suddenly thrown into a high-society auction… terrifying indeed.
I tugged lightly on Captian's coat, sticking close to him so I wouldn't accidentally make a fool of myself. Feeling my reliance, Captian suddenly reached out and enclosed my small hand in his. Our fingers interlocked, and a warm, steady temperature flooded into my skin.
I jolted, my face instantly burning hot. My whole body felt tangled and nervous.
The moment we stepped fully into the auction hall, I grew even more anxious. All those famous people turned their gazes toward us. Occasionally, I even heard some of their conversations.
Apparently, they were marveling that President Anderson had come this year and even brought his young wife along.
Just like a victorious man ranked first on the wealth charts, dragging along a young and beautiful wife… only her family background was a bit lacking.
Nervous, I tightened my grip on Captian's hand. The Blood-Pigeon ring on my left ring finger instantly released a brilliant flash. The dazzling light caught everyone's attention, and the hall erupted in murmurs.
The Blood-Pigeon ruby embedded in the ring.
Rumor had it that this gem appeared once in Mozzalisa City years ago and was bought by Captian for several billion, disappearing from the market ever since. A one-of-a-kind existence.
But now, the Blood-Pigeon had reappeared on my hand.
Which meant… President Anderson had turned the legendary Blood-Pigeon gem into a wedding ring for his young, beautiful wife.
They immediately swallowed their earlier words.
Clearly I was the real winner in life. To tame President Anderson so completely, well, that required true capability.
Their gazes grew even more fervent, and I could practically feel the gears turning in their minds. They had all seen the uproar on Facebook before, thinking Captian was only putting on a show. But seeing us together tonight, seeing the ring on my hand, they finally realized the situation was anything but simple.
If this wasn't love, then what was?
If they could get on good terms with me, then being on good terms with President Anderson would naturally follow. Nothing to lose only gain.
Feeling those hungry wolf-like gazes from all directions, I grew even more uneasy and inched closer to Captian. In that moment, a faint scent of my perfume drifted to him, and his eyes seemed to relax in quiet delight. His arm slipped naturally around my waist, making even this crowded auction hall feel much more tolerable to him.
Our seats had been reserved long in advance. With Captian's status, we naturally sat in the front row a perfect vantage point. I sat beside him with nothing blocking my view.
Many socialites clearly wanted to come over, but the cold aura radiating from Captian kept them frozen in place. They stayed in their seats, worrying uselessly.
At seven, the auction officially began.
When the girl from backstage stepped out, I suddenly grew tense. My fingers twisted nervously, my heartbeat a mess. She wore a tight red leather dress that revealed every curve, her face temptingly alluring like a fox spirit in a drama.
She said a few opening words before announcing the start of the auction. The first item displayed was a Renaissance-era folding screen depicting mountains and rivers a strong sense of antiquity hitting us head-on.
"This is a Renaissance folding screen. Starting bid: one hundred thousand USD."
"One hundred fifty thousand."
"Two hundred thousand USD."
The screen was eventually purchased by a wealthy woman.
Next came various antiques. Neither Captian nor I were very interested. I was so bored I nearly dozed off.
The fourth item brought out was a Demeter statue crafted in the 19th century. The goddess's white marble figure was smooth and luminous, glowing under the lights.
I sat up immediately. If I wasn't mistaken, this must be Captian's target. It really did look lifelike and beautiful.
Its starting bid was also one hundred thousand USD, but not many people competed.
Captian lifted his bidding paddle, lips slightly curved.
"Five hundred thousand USD."
My eyes widened.
He raised it straight to five hundred thousand?!
Truly a rich idiot.
Then, a middle-aged man's voice rang out, firm and forceful:
"Five hundred fifty thousand."
Captian's smile deepened, a faint glint flashing in his eyes.
"Six hundred thousand USD."
The same resolute voice answered:
"Six hundred fifty."
"Eight hundred thousand USD."
Captian didn't back down adding another hundred fifty thousand.
Sitting beside him, I went from shocked… to numb. Captian never played by the rules, after all. If he added one-fifty now, he'd probably add two hundred later… maybe even three hundred.
Treating money like scrap paper.
The firm voice hesitated for a moment. After a few seconds, he bid again:
"Eight hundred fifty."
"One million."