Chapter 11
Three days later, Sebastian overseas conference finally wrapped up.
Rubbing his throbbing temples, he powered on his phone for the first time in days.
Dozens of messages poured in. Lily had sent over 99 messages, while Scarlett had only sent one.
He instinctively tapped open her chat.
It was a transfer notification.
[Transfer: $500,000]
[Note: Two weeks’ rent + medical bills]
Nothing else.
Sebastian frowned. Almost laughed from disbelief.
His long fingers danced over the keyboard:
[You think I need your money? What kind of relationship do you think we have that you’re keeping such strict tabs on
me?]
He hit send, then stared at the screen. Ten minutes passed, but no reply.
That was odd. Scarlett usually replied instantly.
This time, the silence was deafening.
He called her.
“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off…”
The robotic voice buzzed in his ear.
Sebastian blinked. Still sleeping?
His mind drifted-her eyelashes brushing her cheeks in sleep, lips slightly parted, that unconscious little nuzzle into his
. chest.
The corner of his mouth curved up involuntarily, a slow, gentle arc.
He opened her profile picture: a regal ragdoll cat with icy blue eyes. Aloof, proud. Just like her.
His finger brushed the screen without thinking. Then he typed:
[I’ll be back tomorrow night. Pick me up.]
No response. Still.
His expression darkened slightly as he lowered the phone and called his assistant. “How’s that thing I asked you to look
into?”
“Mr. Reed, it’s confirmed. That pearl necklace is going on auction tonight at Sotheby’s. It’s definitely the one Miss Shaw’s
mother used to wear.”
Chapter 11
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“Get the car.”
Half an hour later, Sebastian appeared at the auction hall in a sharp black suit. The gold-rimmed glasses on his nose only added to his cold, untouchable air. More than a few socialites tried to strike up a conversation, but he brushed them off
without a glance.
When the velvet cloth was lifted,,revealing the pearl necklace the crowd gasped.
“The starting price is one billion yuan.”
“1.1 billion!”
“1.2 billion!”
The bids climbed rapidly. Sebastian didn’t move.
Not until the price hit two billion did he raise his hand.
“Five billion.”
The room fell dead silent.
And just like that, the necklace became his.
In the car on the way back, his assistant couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Mr. Reed… I know Miss Shaw was upset you didn’t help her buy the necklace before. She’s probably been holding onto that. But if she knew how hard you worked to track down the real one-and that you spent that much to get it back for her
-she’d be thrilled.”
Sebastian ran a thumb along the edge of the velvet box. In his mind, Scarlett’s face lit up. “Would she?” he muttered.
“Of course!” The assistant brightened. “She’s the type who wears her heart on her sleeve. Kind of spoiled sometimes, yeah, but incredibly kind. Remember the new intern who spilled coffee on her dress? Everyone else was furious, but she just smiled and said, ‘perfect excuse to buy a new one.””
The assistant was still grinning when he noticed the air in the car suddenly drop ten degrees.
In the rearview mirror, Sebastian’s face had turned stormy.
“I-I’m sorry, sir,” the assistant stammered. “I spoke out of turn.”
“You like her?” Sebastian asked, his voice like frost.
The assistant’s hands trembled on the wheel. He nearly swerved into a guardrail.
“I-uh-”
“Tell me the truth.”
The assistant took a deep breath. “Miss Shaw… is the kind of woman it’s hard not to like. But don’t worry, sir. I know she
only has eyes for you. So I’ve never said anything. It’s just… a harmless crush.”
Sebastian’s expression softened-slightly.
But then the assistant, to his own horror, kept going. “Still… I do hope you treat her better.”
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“She deserves someone’s whole heart. Not this back-and-forth between her and Miss Whitmore.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed.
“Back-and-forth?” he repeated. “Care to explain that?”
The assistant had already come this far. He threw caution to the wind. “Exactly what it sounds like. One day it’s Lily, the
next it’s Scarlett. Mr. Reed… I have to ask. Who is it that you really love?”
