Chapter 49
Richard raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Tiffany’s sudden burst of excitement. “Are you interested in this?” he asked.
Tiffany chuckled and replied, “Not really. I just haven’t been here before, so it’s all a bit new to me.”
Tiffany sounded perfectly serious, but Richard gave her a knowing look. He thought, ‘Not been here before? Who’s she kidding?’
ne: before
When it came to Tiffany, Richard figured that her words could only trust about half of what she said-the rest was just noise.Têxt © NôvelDrama.Org.
They had only been seated for a short while when Tiffany checked the time, deciding it was about time to get ready.
Suddenly, Tiffany frowned, clutching her stomach with a pained expression. “I don’t feel so good. I think I ate too much and fast, and now my stomach’s killing me.”
“I’ll take you to the hospital,” Richard said, standing immediately as if to carry her out.
Tiffany backed away quickly, shaking her head. “No, no! I just need to hit the restroom!” Then she spun around and darted off seen.
Richard didn’t argue, sitting back down to wait patiently. But even after the auction had started, Tiffany was nowhere to be Where was Tiffany?
After heading to the restroom, Tiffany had changed into a different outfit, put on a mask, and disguised herself with simple makeup. She was now ready to take her place backstage as Treasure Tower’s new appraiser.
This auction was all about money, so Frank had come in person. When he first saw Tiffany, he was startled, thinking she was an imposter.
Just as Frank was about to confront her, Tiffany spoke up first. “My previous identity wasn’t very convenient. So, from now on, this is how I’ll be showing up at events.”
Frank studied Tiffany closely. Although he didn’t know exactly which wealthy family she belonged to, his decades of experience in the field had taught him to be flexible.
In fact, Frank thought this was a good idea-less ha**le in the future. So he gave her a nod of approval.
But the older, more seasoned appraisers weren’t as accepting. They were not pleased that Frank had hired such a young, inexperienced girl.
One of them, dismissing Tiffany outright, barked, “Hey, kid! Get over here and clean up this mess. Don’t you know the rules?”
‘Rules? Rules are meant to be broken,’ Tiffany thought, completely ignoring him.
Seeing Tiffany put on white gloves calmly, a few of the appraisers got angry. “Young and clueless! You don’t know what you’re getting into. You’ll be in tears soon enough!”
“Arrogant, full of yourself! You have never faced any real hardships, right?” another scoffed.
The appraisers sat together, grumbling to each other.
As for Tiffany? She acted like she hadn’t heard a word, focusing on the treasures entirely that would soon be displayed at the auction.
Then the appraisers were left speechless. ‘Has she really just ignored everything we said?’ one appraiser thought.
It felt like a punch landed in thin air-frustrating and unsatisfying. Then they were determined to teach Tiffany a lesson.
One of the most senior appraisers, someone with significant authority called John, walked over and said sternly, “You’re new, so you have no business touching those antiques. Today, you’ll be in charge of showcasing those instead.”
With that, John pointed dismissively to a glass case filled with diamonds and some modern jewelry made from rare gems.
While the diamonds and jewels were valuable, especially coming from the Treasure Tower, the auction attendees were mostly there for the rare antiques. Compared to those, these pieces were of little interest.
It was clear John intended to sideline her, and if things went poorly, Tiffany might not sell a single piece.
Tiffany didn’t get mad. The auction was about to start, and she didn’t want to stir up trouble. Then she moved away from the antiques section and headed toward the jewelry.
John snorted in satisfaction. “At least you know your place.”
The auction began, and Tiffany was scheduled for the final segment. After the antiques were sold, it would be her turn to present the jewelry.
By then, most of the important guests would have already left, and if they did, she’d be left with an empty room.
The older appraisers exchanged knowing smiles, waiting to see Tiffany fail eagerly.
An hour passed, and all the treasures had been showcased. The final item was a painting by a famous painter, titled Autumn Rhythm.
It wasn’t the original, just a replica, yet an elderly bidder purchased it for sixteen million dollars.
Almost everyone at the auction had come specifically for this painting, so only a couple of other antiques were sold, bringing the total to just over twenty million dollars.
It wasn’t as much as they had hoped for, but it wasn’t bad either.
As Tiffany prepared to take the stage, the older appraisers couldn’t resist taunting her. “Good luck, little girl. And don’t feel too bad if nothing sells. You can always have a good cry afterward!”
Suddenly, the laughter echoed in the room.
Meanwhile, Tiffany walked up to the stage.
As she expected, a small portion of the guests had already left, and many others were now gathered around Richard, eager to cozy up to him. Someone said gently, “Mr. Hampton, what a surprise to see you here!”
It was as if the auction had already ended.
The moment Tiffany stood on stage, for some reason, Richard, who had been looking at his phone, lifted his head suddenly.
Richard’s sharp, cold gaze scanned the crowd, landing on her with uncanny precision. Instantly, Tiffany felt a wave of pressure and nervousness.
Before coming on stage, Tiffany had checked her disguise carefully. Even someone who knew her well wouldn’t recognize her up close.
Soon, Richard looked away quickly, his chiseled face as impassive as ever.
Tiffany breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up the microphone, not caring whether anyone was paying attention, and began. “Ladies and gentlemen, there are still a few special treasures I’d like you to take a look at.”
Tiffany intentionally lowered her voice, making it sound a bit m**ed.
Most of the guests barely glanced at the stage, seeing only an ordinary-looking girl. They paid no attention, continuing to chat and laugh among themselves. The room was a mess of noise.
In the vast hall, the only person showing any respect was Richard. He glanced at the people trying to cozy up to him, and with a faint smile, casually remarked, “It’s kind of rude to be so noisy, don’t you think?”
Richard’s tone was light, revealing no emotion, but his words made everyone freeze.
When the big shot spoke, you listened. Then the room fell silent immediately. Those trying to get close to Richard laughed awkwardly and returned to their seats quickly.
As for Richard, his powerful aura remained undiminished, creating an invisible barrier that kept everyone at a distance.
The room, once loud and chaotic, quieted down in an instant.