From Neglected Wife to CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 157

When Dad was still around, he taught me everything he knew about old paintings and antiques.

The fan in my hand now was something special. Its frame was made from tortoiseshell, but not the usual kind. This was tortoiseshell-glazed porcelain, the kind that first appeared during the Song dynasty. It looked ancient, and when I ran my fingers over the ribs, it was warm and smooth like jade—a feeling that only comes from being cherished for years.

From afar, I’d thought it might be a scroll painting. But now that I could really look at it up close, I was almost sure. I’d need to take it home to examine the details, but my instincts rarely steered me wrong.

The second item up for auction was a brush washer from the late Qing dynasty. It was in pretty good condition, but honestly, there are so many like it out there. It wasn’t rare, so it wasn’t worth much.

The starting bid was thirty thousand, and an elderly gentleman in the back bought it for a hundred thousand.

It was a charity auction, after all. Most people were here to show support, not to hunt for treasures. These pieces would probably end up sitting in someone’s study, more a symbol of generosity than anything else.

As the night went on, the items being auctioned off grew more valuable. The real highlight was a set of top-grade emeralds, incredibly rare—so rare, you couldn’t even put a price on them.

I kept watching with interest. This was Elliot’s turf, and I was just here as his plus-one. Even bidding on the fan felt a little bold.

Elliot won a delicate eggshell cup—a masterpiece by a famed Jingdezhen potter from the Ming dynasty. The porcelain was so thin it was almost see-through, the glaze soft and glowing, and the whole thing was feather-light. The price was sky-high, too.

Jeffery picked out a yellow jade statue of Guanyin. It was a modern piece, but the quality of the stone and the precision of the carving were top-notch. He paid two million for it.

Remy went for a set of pink diamond jewelry, bidding two point two million.

But those were just warm-ups. Everyone was waiting for the real showstopper.

Finally, the last item was brought out.

A staff member pulled off its cover and the whole room erupted in excitement—gasps everywhere.

It was a three-piece emerald set: a raw emerald stone, a gold ring set with emerald and an adjustable band, and a gold hairpin studded with emerald and pearls.

Starting bid: fifteen million. This was the main event.

Even after that earlier six-hundred-million jade sale, these emeralds still stole the spotlight.

Fifty million, once.

Fifty million, twice.

Just before the third call, Elliot finally lifted his paddle, relaxed and unhurried, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Sixty million.”

“Mr. Swanson bids sixty million. Do I hear any higher? Sixty million, once. Sixty million, twice…”

Remy’s thin face lit up with victory, but the moment he was outbid, frustration flashed in his eyes. He raised his paddle without missing a beat. “Sixty-five million.”

Jeffery wasn’t about to give up. “Sixty-six million.”

Remy was all emotion, but Jeffery was strategic, always adding just a million more. It might have seemed petty, but it was smart—no matter what, he was always ahead, even if only by a sliver. That kind of move could really mess with your opponent’s head.

Elliot stayed as steady as ever. “Seventy million.”