Amelia Wright looked at the person next to her in confusion. Why was Julius Shaw bidding on this painting?
No one in the Shaw family likes paintings.
The attendees were all stunned. Who added so much money out of nowhere?
When everyone saw who spoke up, they thought it was only natural.
The Shaw family is rich and powerful!
After Julius Shaw spoke up, there was a brief silence in the hall.
Then, an old man's voice broke the silence.
"Hold on, you kid from the Shaw family, why are you bidding on my painting? Are you going to give it to my little apprentice? Whatever she wants, I can paint it for her, no need to spend this money."
Amelia Wright slightly opened her small mouth and looked at the old man waving at her.
Why is the teacher here?
Robert Reed's good intentions were not accepted by Julius Shaw.
Julius Shaw looked as if Amelia Wright belonged to him and said: "I will buy her what she likes. No need for others to give it."
Robert Reed widened his eyes and shouted: "Who are you calling 'others'? Am I 'others'? She's my only little apprentice, I'm her teacher, a teacher for one day is a father for life, so I'm practically her dad, who are you calling 'others'!"
Julius Shaw looked completely unreasonable: "Anyway, I've bid, this painting is mine."
Robert Reed blew his beard and glared: "Anyway, I'm not selling it. I want to give it to my little apprentice."
No one expected such a dramatic scene.
It wasn't the price of the auction causing the argument.
It was two people arguing over wanting to give a gift to Young Mrs. Shaw.
But it was a thirty-million-dollar painting! Not just a stone on the roadside.
Who's scrambling to give something like this?
Marsh Smith murmured with a bad expression: "So, Amelia likes it too."
Ava Wright listened to Marsh Smith's murmur and, in her loss of composure, knocked over the teacup in front of her, causing quite a few people nearby to frown.
Marsh Smith drew back his thoughts, apologized to the people around him, and reproachfully gave Ava Wright a glance, saying: "Ava, be careful."
Ava Wright did not respond, her nails fiercely pinching the armrest of her chair, about to lose her mind with anger. What she wanted, she couldn't get!
Amelia Wright hadn't even spoken up, yet people were scrambling to give!
How did things turn out like this?
When did it start?
It started the day Amelia Wright married into the Shaw family in her place.
If she'd known it would be like this… if she'd known… she'd rather marry herself!
Even marrying a cripple is better than this frustration.
"Ava, what's wrong? I wasn't blaming you, it's just a broken teacup, I was only asking you to be careful, breaking things at such events doesn't look good." Marsh Smith continued to explain.
Ava Wright took a deep breath. She couldn't be so defeated; she was the princess of the Wright family, destined to live above others. She must marry into the Shaw family's eldest son and stomp everyone else down.
Ava Wright hung her head in grievance and said: "I'm fine, it's all my fault, I was careless."
Seeing Ava Wright like this, Marsh Smith couldn't bear to blame her anymore and immediately tried to console her.
Few people noticed this small interlude.
Most were watching Julius and Robert Reed.
More so, watching the one they were fighting to give gifts to, Amelia Wright.
At this moment, Amelia Wright was staring at the man in the wheelchair, her gaze becoming increasingly rigid.
This isn't right!
Julius Shaw isn't right!
Amelia Wright had seen Julius Shaw's morbid demeanor and had seen Julius Shaw shackled in a room; he even didn't recognize people from Imperial Garden. It was impossible for him to be this rational, arguing so much.
Whatever he wanted to do was simple and brutal, a violent malice that wanted to shred people!
Even if he treated her differently, that's merely encountering a toy he's curious about, insistently wanting to keep it by his side. If resisted, he wouldn't hesitate to tear up this toy.
This level of rationality wasn't possible.
The person in the wheelchair… wasn't Julius Shaw!
Then who could it be?
It could only be… Godfery Shaw!
What was Godfery Shaw doing? Why did he pretend to be Julius Shaw and appear?
Amelia Wright forced herself to remain calm and probed: "Second Young Master, I don't want that painting. The eldest gave me a secondary card, if I like something, I'll bid for it myself."
The man in the wheelchair glanced deeply at Amelia Wright, stopped arguing with Robert Reed.
Amelia Wright's heart skipped a beat.
Indeed, it was… Godfery Shaw.
If it were Julius Shaw, even if she said she didn't like it, Julius Shaw would likely snatch it and tear it up in front of her for fun.
Amelia Wright suddenly remembered being at Jade and Gold Pavilion, where she was so rude to Godfery Shaw.
Even threatened to knock him out...
Amelia Wright was completely confused right now.
She actually wasn't afraid of Godfery Shaw. Amelia Wright, reborn, feared no one; it was Godfery Shaw's five years of care in her past life that earned Amelia Wright's current concession. She didn't want to anger him or confront him head-on, which is why in front of Godfery Shaw, she'd repeatedly soften, restraining her own thorns.
Seeing how she treated Julius Shaw, one would know she wasn't hesitant at all.
Amelia Wright remained tense.
Until the end of the auction.
The last highlighted auction piece appeared.
A high-purity, pigeon egg-sized pink diamond.
Only then did Amelia Wright's attention return to the auction hall, as the Wright family's main gemstone appeared.
The host on stage began to enthusiastically describe the pink diamond's value, as if using all the splendid words she knew.
Actually, no introduction was needed; everyone present could see the pink diamond's value, though most didn't even have the qualifications to participate in the bidding.
Oliver Wright eyed the pink diamond in the distance with an expression of determination.
Amelia Wright remembered that this pink diamond was auctioned in her past life for two hundred million.
This was almost a third of Wright Corporation's market value.
She did her utmost to help back then, and the Wright family had nearly snatched this business deal, like a free ride.
This time Oliver Wright planned to use Amelia Wright as a pawn in the same way.
But this time, who would end up as the pawn was anyone's guess.
The charming host passionately announced: "The starting bid for today's final featured pink diamond is eighty million."
This price was just the opening bid, and everyone knew their own limits, with few calling out bids.
Oliver Wright remained calm and did not bid at first.
He only spoke with extreme confidence when there were only three bidders left.
The price soared, the tension thrilling everyone.
It's just a gemstone; even with ample funds, few were willing to spend such a fortune to collect one stone.
Ava Wright couldn't even focus on her anger anymore, listening to the bids, praying they'd succeed.
She understood well that if they succeeded in this deal, Wright Corporation's value would more than double, and if lucky, she could maintain a good friendship with that actress, bringing immense benefits.
"Two hundred million; going once!"
"Two hundred million; going twice!"
"Two hundred million; going three times, sold! Congratulations to Oliver Wright for winning this century pink diamond!"
Oliver Wright stood and nodded to those around him, officially saying: "Thank you all for yielding."
Amelia Wright's face was also full of a dense smile.
Godfery Shaw suddenly turned to Amelia Wright and said: "You're not happy? If you want this pink diamond, you can also bid."
Amelia Wright's smile froze. How did Godfery Shaw see the hostility through her joyful facade?