Chapter 7

The organizers were efficient. They quickly brought over a POS machine so Vivian could pay by card, and her winnings were delivered to the suite at the same time. Vivian had just signed her name when the next item on the stage caught her eye. The gemstone necklace the host was introducing was her mother's keepsake. Vivian didn't hesitate. She lifted her paddle. This time, Logan didn't let it go. After several rounds, he declared an all-in bid. Whispers rippled through the room. Vivian gave up and stood, then walked over and knocked on the partition to the suite next door. It didn't open. A moment later, someone else bid. After a few more rounds, the price had already climbed far past what the piece was worth. Once Logan declared an all-in bid, he was locked in. No matter how high the price climbed, he had to keep bidding and couldn't back out. The auction surged into a frenzy. In the end, Logan took it for 30 million dollars. The bracelet itself was only worth about two million dollars. Vanessa clicked her tongue. "Has he lost his mind?" Vivian rubbed her temples. She had no interest in watching anything else. "That was my mother's keepsake. I need to go over there." Vanessa stood with her. "I'm coming with you." Vivian shook her head. "No. I can handle it." She opened the suite door and stepped out, and the doors to the suites on either side opened at the same time. A group emerged from the suite on the left. Leading them was a man in a dark shirt. The warm lighting carved out the broad shoulders and narrow waist beneath the fabric. Several men in suits followed him like an entourage. He walked over with an easy smile, every step carrying that effortless pull. Vivian recognized him immediately. He was the man from the rear-end collision. "Mr. Howard," Vivian greeted him politely. As Kingston Howard passed her, he gave a slight nod. "Hello." His voice was cool and detached, without a hint of emotion. Something heavy and uncomfortable stirred in Vivian's chest, carrying a bitter note of humiliation. If she hadn't met Logan seven years ago, the arrangement between the Hartwell and the Howard families would have ended with a wedding for her and Kingston. Now, the man she'd thrown herself into was showing up at an auction with another woman, making a scene. Kingston had been right next door. There was no way he hadn't heard it. The awkwardness made Vivian want to sink into the floor. Logan came out a moment later. He'd already heard that the person bidding against him for that piece was Kingston. At a look from Logan, Jack stepped forward and presented the box containing the item to Kingston. "Mr. Howard, Mr. Whitfield heard you really liked this piece, so he asked me to bring it over as a gift." 30 million dollars for a chance to get close to Kingston was a bargain for Whitfield Group. Logan had always known what was worth trading. Kingston glanced at the box, then lowered his gaze to Vivian. "For someone like this?" The others didn't catch what he meant, but Vivian did. Heat rushed to her face. His gaze was sharp, almost invasive. It made her feel like she couldn't lift her head. Jack looked awkward. The box in his hands suddenly felt like a hot coal. He couldn't push it forward, and he couldn't pull it back. Kingston didn't reach for it. He looked past Jack to Logan. "I don't take things that belong to someone else. Thank you, Mr. Whitfield, but you should keep it." Logan smiled and walked over, holding himself with practiced ease, not a trace of cautious flattery as he slipped into conversation. "I don't really have an eye for pieces like this. It deserves someone who does. Passing it on feels like the right decision." A faint smile curved at Kingston's lips, and his dark eyes lit with amusement. "Since you've put it that way, turning it down now would make me seem rude." Logan smiled, his intent well hidden. With Kingston in his circle, Whitfield Group would rise again. Vivian's gaze stayed on the piece, disappointment flickering in her eyes. If it stayed with Logan, she could find a way to get it back. Now that it was in Kingston's hands, she couldn't bring herself to ask. Logan took the velvet box from Jack and held it out to Kingston. Kingston accepted it and handed it to his assistant, Theo Hart, behind him. With the gift delivered, Logan was already weighing how to turn this into a meeting and lock down the connection. Before he could speak, Theo spoke up with a smile. "Mr. Whitfield, you really do keep your word. Should we count this as the suite fee you covered for us?" Kingston chuckled. "What kind of suite fee costs that much?" Theo replied, "It includes compensation for the mental stress of being interrupted by all that noise earlier." Kingston nodded. "That's fair." Only then did Logan realize the person who'd complained about his suite being too loud had been Kingston. Whatever he'd planned to say stuck in his throat. Logan tried to explain, but Kingston led his group away without stopping. Theo was chatty as they walked, talking the whole time. "If I'd known he'd hand it over to us, I would've kept bidding and pushed the price even higher." Kingston replied casually, "I prefer not to push people too far." Theo said, "You didn't look like you were letting him off when you took it." Logan had just paid 30 million dollars for it. Kingston smiled, calm as ever. "I have a good eye for things like this." Theo didn't understand. Logan stayed where he was. The confidence in his eyes was gone, replaced by a restless irritation. He had been played without him realizing it. He'd thrown away 30 million dollars to give the piece to the person who'd played him. Vivian stood to the side, watching in silence. Her expression seemed like a wordless ridicule of his mistake. After all, she'd warned him more than once to stay away from people who flattered him. Logan drew a breath. His mood was sour, but he still offered her a way out. "I'll have Jack deliver everything I won earlier to you." Vivian said coolly, "If you give me everything, doesn't that mean Ms. Mercer sat next to you all night for nothing?" Sloane stepped out right on cue. There was a wary edge in the way she looked at Vivian. "Ms. Hartwell, those items were always meant for you. It's fine if I don't get anything." Vivian let out a cold laugh. "You're so considerate. Now, I see why they admire you so much. Being happy to get nothing and still acting noble isn't easy. If every mistress were like you, rich wives wouldn't have to worry so much about their assets." Sloane's face went pale. Logan's eyes were cold, his expression dark with a biting chill.