Chapter 9 Heart of the Ocean

But that wasn't Nathaniel at all—it was a stunning girl in a custom-made purple haute couture dress! The plunging neckline showed off her deep cleavage, and her flawless skin and otherworldly presence made the fabric seem light and airy, perfectly showcasing her figure. And those eyes! Bright and clear, they grabbed your attention and wouldn't let go. "Who's she?" Chloe blurted out. Before her assistant could answer, Isaac rushed over with the news. The good news? The person they were expecting had shown up. The bad news? It was the hostess. "Why her?" Isaac was dumbfounded. Had Nathaniel lost his mind? Sending a hostess to represent him at the Sisyphus auction? "Do you know her, bro?" Chloe's face darkened. As the spoiled heiress of the White family, she felt anyone stealing her spotlight deserved the worst. "And where on earth is Nathaniel? Didn't he receive his invite?" Trying to keep his calm, Isaac hinted that the invite was actually with that woman—the hostess. "What?!" Chloe was taken aback. "How could Nathaniel do something so stupid? A hostess? It's fine for a fling, but to represent him? Isn't that shameful?" "Miss White, that clueless woman is actually my sister," a voice suddenly chimed in from beside them. Ava saw her chance and joined the conversation, unaware of the hostess's talk. She pointed at Celeste disdainfully, "She's just a country girl. Grew up in nowhere, hasn't seen much of the world, doesn't know a thing about how to behave in society… she dressed like that just to show off!" "From the countryside?" Chloe felt her superiority swell. She was the daughter of a top-tier wealthy family. This little country girl, despite possibly charming Nathaniel, was no threat to her. "So… the rules must be upheld. Today, I'm the star," Chloe thought. The idea of a hostess getting ahead of her, after all her years of effort without even getting close to Nathaniel, made her seethe with jealousy. But, given her high status, she couldn't lower herself to deal with the hostess personally. "Don't worry, Miss White! If my sister messed up, it's up to me to set her straight. It's her first time here, she obviously doesn't know the auction rules. I'll just tell her she has to bid on something to leave… and she surely doesn't have the money… she'll be embarrassed…" Ava quickly agreed, perfectly in sync with Chloe. This was an excellent opportunity to get back that ten million, with interest. Meanwhile, Celeste, who had been lingering near the entrance, looked up and locked eyes with Ava on stage. Celeste couldn't help but smile despite the venomous glare from Ava. She hadn't caught sight of her sister when she first arrived and was wondering how to create a bit of drama that might necessitate a visit to the police station. After milling about for a good ten minutes, her sister finally showed up, ready to confront her. "Look who decided to show up—my dear sister!" …… Sure enough, it wasn't long before Ava was by her side, all smiles and brimming with fake warmth. "This is your first time at a charity auction, right? Bet you're not familiar with how things work here." "That's right, I'm totally out of my element." Celeste played up her naivete, even managing to look a bit daunted after taking her seat. It was her first time at such a lavish event, and being a bit overwhelmed was only natural. Ava, seeing her reaction, couldn't hide her disdain. Celeste, who wouldn't back down from a fight at home, is now too timid to speak up! She's nothing but a pretty face with no substance. If it weren't for that incident with my implants, Mr. Ford would surely prefer me... Once Celeste makes a fool of herself, Mr. Ford will drop her, and I'll be there to pick up the pieces. With newfound confidence, Ava gestured towards the stage. "They're auctioning off items donated by the wealthy—all for a good cause." Then, she turned to Celeste with a sly twinkle in her eye. "Did you know? Every guest is expected to bid on something tonight." "Oh, really?" Celeste thought to herself, Does she really think I'm that naive? There were about a hundred guests but only sixty-three items—clearly, not everyone was expected to bid. Nevertheless, she nodded, pretending to be clueless, and gripped her bidding paddle. "Which one should I go for?" "That one there, see? The 'Heart of the Ocean'. Isn't it stunning?" Ava was doing her best to coax her sister into bidding. The 'Heart of the Ocean' is the priciest item tonight—worth a billion! If Celeste bids on it, we're in for a show. "It's way too pricey, maybe something else..." As Celeste murmured to herself, Ava saw her chance and gave her a little push, causing Celeste to accidentally raise her paddle. "You—" Celeste began, but before she could react further, the auctioneer had already started calling. "Number 8! Bidder number 8 has the Heart of the Ocean!" "Going once! Going twice!" "Sold! The evening's highlight, 'Heart of the Ocean', just sold to bidder number 8 for a billion!" The bidding was scarce and the price steep, so to avoid the item going unsold, the auctioneer quickly concluded the sale. Applause erupted throughout the venue. Celeste's face went pale as she turned to Ava, narrowing her eyes, "Did you do that on purpose?" "What if I did? Congratulations, sis, you just landed a treasure... though I wonder if you can actually afford that billion." Ava was looking pretty pleased with herself as she shot Celeste a disdainful glance. She didn't bother to keep taunting her though; she had to hurry and fetch Chloe to witness Celeste's embarrassing moment. This time, Ava was determined not only to make Celeste look bad but also to get in good with the influential Miss White. By aligning herself this way, she hoped to catapult the Sterling family to new heights. Celeste, on the other hand, merely bowed her head slightly, her beautiful face calm and unreadable. She coolly watched Ava walk away. She was well aware of Ava's scheme. Bidding on the "Heart of the Ocean" was simply playing right into her hands. Celeste wondered what Ava's reaction would be when she actually came up with a billion to seal the deal. Ava thought she had Celeste trapped, but what would happen when the tables were turned? Would Ava lose her cool and make a scene? Hmm… If that wasn't enough drama to get the police involved, maybe Celeste should add a little more fuel to the fire.