Mr. Hawthorne, Your Wife Wants a Divorce Again-Chapter 974: Did You Really Think You Could Get Away?
"How could I dare?" Ann Vaughn picked up her handbag and walked out, muttering to herself, "Why did I provoke him in the first place? It’s like asking for trouble!"
Luckily, the lounge was near the back door, and Ann easily slipped out of the Vaughn Clinic.
Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, a chilly voice came from behind her.
"Heh, do you think you can run away?"
Ann jumped in fright, staring in horror at Josiah Keaton, who was standing behind her. "What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be..."
"In the clinic?" Josiah chuckled, "We spent three months together; do you think I don’t know what you’re like?"
If he wanted to find her, he could have just gone to the lounge directly, why bother having a clerk tell her?
It was because he guessed she’d hide from him, deliberately waiting by the back door for her to come out.
Ann was momentarily speechless.
—Knowing her so well after just three months together was indeed a bit frightening.
"Come with me to a place." Josiah glanced at his watch and, without giving her a chance to decline, took Ann’s hand and led her to his car.
Ann couldn’t break free and was forcibly put into the passenger seat.
They traveled at breakneck speed and finally stopped in front of The Gilded Pavilion.
"Why did you bring me here?" Ann asked, frowning slightly. If she remembered correctly, this was one of the most prestigious auction houses in the country.
The auction only happens every two months, but it is always a major event, featuring everything from antique treasures, jewelry, and heirlooms to rare herb monographs...
If you can think of it, The Gilded Pavilion has it.
"The auction tonight will feature two rare herbs, Snow Silhouette Grass and Fire Lotus. Don’t you want them?" Josiah unbuckled his seatbelt and asked her.
Snow Silhouette Grass and Fire Lotus?!
Ann gasped.
"You must be joking!?"
The environments where these herbs grow are uniquely rare, making them exceptionally scarce; once they appear, they are immediately snapped up, never seen on the market.
Even Ann had only seen illustrations in rare medical texts, never in real life.
"Hurry, hurry!" This time, without Josiah forcing her, Ann eagerly headed towards The Gilded Pavilion.
"The invitation is with me, wait up!" Josiah handed the car keys to the valet and quickly caught up with Ann.
They entered the auction hall just in time as it was beginning.
Stepping inside, fragmented images flooded Ann’s mind.
She saw herself standing on the central auction stage in a peacock feather cheongsam, introducing something with a gentle smile.
In another scene, she was in the VIP section, her wrist grabbed by a distinctly jointed hand,
"Ann Vaughn, you walked right into this yourself."
The voice was deep and familiar to a frightening degree.
Ann shuddered and snapped back to reality.
Strange, why did James Vaughn’s voice just echo in her mind?
Could it be that she’s been thinking about him too much lately...
"Here’s today’s auction list." Josiah handed the list to Ann, noticing her distraction, her long lashes trembling slightly, her profile soft and beautiful, making his heart itch.
Josiah made a swift decision, shouting in her ear, "Fire!"
"Huh?!" Ann jolted awake, just about to stand up and leave when she saw Josiah with a triumphant prankster’s expression, and she retorted, "...Josiah Keaton, are you being childish or what?!"
Josiah leaned back on the sofa with a snort, "I do what I please."
Ann: "..."
This hopelessly single and spoiled rich kid!
Moving slightly away with the list, Ann saw that Snow Silhouette Grass and Fire Lotus were at the very end, her heart sinking a bit.
The finale items are usually hard to win unless the other guests aren’t interested in the herbs, which is clearly unlikely.
She had to go all out!
Noticing the sudden burst of determination in Ann’s demeanor, Josiah smiled, tossed a grape into his mouth with amusement.
Half an hour later, it was finally time for the second-to-last auction item.
The atmosphere in the hall had noticeably changed, with many eyes fixed intently on the Fire Lotus on stage, gazes burning with desire.
The auctioneer gave a routine introduction before opening the bidding, 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
The starting price was ten million, with each increase not less than five hundred thousand.
"Twenty million!"
The first bidder raised it by ten million, and of course, those behind would not back down, continuing to add by millions.
"Sixty million!"
"Seventy million!"
As the bidding reached eighty million, the auctioneer’s smile widened, eager for the competition to intensify.
"Eighty million!" A clear female voice suddenly called out.
The room was silent for a few seconds before whispers started to rise.
"Why does that sound so much like Dr. Vaughn’s voice?"
"It must be her. She’s a traditional Chinese doctor and should know the herb’s value well; attending this auction makes perfect sense."
"Eighty million... I can’t even shout it out like that. How wealthy is this woman?"
"Not mentioning her clinic, her own company earns her a fortune. It’s enviable, really."
"Forget it, forget it. If I snatch that herb, will I still go to Vaughn Clinic for treatment in the future? Just give it up."
The auctioneer, seeing no more bids, said, "Eighty million, any higher?"
Three seconds later, with no response, the auctioneer’s gavel fell, "Eighty million once, eighty million twice—Sold!"
"Let’s congratulate VIP No. 9 for successfully bidding on this rare herb!"
As the words fell, a round of applause erupted in the hall.
Then a server brought the Fire Lotus to Ann’s seat, "Honored guest, here is your item. Will you pay by card directly?"
Despite the heartache during the bidding, seeing the Fire Lotus right in front of her made Ann less reluctant.
"By card," Ann handed her bank card to the server.
The server swiped eighty million from the card and returned it with a smile, "Wishing you a delightful evening."
Ann nodded, and once the server left, she picked up the brocade box containing the Fire Lotus.
When she opened it, there lay a crimson lotus, long since withered.
The translucent petals, vibrant red stamens, and deep green stem... every part was precious; even the leaves had medicinal value and were highly desired.
Ann’s heart felt less pained.
At least, this expenditure was worthwhile!
"The Snow Silhouette Grass is now up," Josiah reminded, seeing her ambivalent expression of agony and delight.
Looking at the stage, Ann was momentarily breathless at the sight of the gently swaying Snow Silhouette Grass still alive in a pot.
Turns out it was a live plant!
That explains why Snow Silhouette Grass, as valuable as the Fire Lotus, was scheduled as the grand finale!
