Chapter 46 I'm Coming
The day of the auction arrived. Upper-class people, collectors, and even journalists gathered at the auction hall, including Miranda, Daisy, and her daughter, Lily.
As soon as they saw them, the reporters immediately swarmed around them. Recently, the Jones family has been in the public spotlight due to issues with the Cavendish family.
"Mrs. Jones, how is the Jones Group doing lately? We heard that the company is on the verge of bankruptcy," asked one reporter sharply.
"Has the investigation into Mr. Jones' case been completed? What was the verdict?" asked another reporter.
"Is it true that your daughter and the president of the Johansen Group have broken up?"
The last question bothered Lily; she was clearly not happy to hear it.
"Broken up? Who spread that news?"
"Well... Miss Lily, there's no need to be so nervous. We're only asking because Mr. Johansen hasn't spoken on behalf of your family, even though you two are engaged," continued the reporter, followed by nods from the others.
Lily tried to smile, but her hands clenched in anger. "Bryce is not a rash person. The reason he hasn't appeared to speak on our behalf is because he is still working out a strategy for us, and right now my fiancé is also busy with company matters."
Before the reporters could respond, Daisy spoke up, "My daughter and Mr. Bryce are in a stable relationship. Don't worry about it too much. "
" Is Mr. Bryce not coming to this event? We didn't see him with you. "
" It seems that lately they haven't been seen together in public. Is it to avoid suspicion? "
" What suspicion is there to avoid? If Bryce came, he would definitely be with my daughter," replied Lily.
The reporters looked at each other until one of them dared to speak up. "Wasn't Mr. Bryce here half an hour ago?"
To reinforce his statement, the reporter showed a photo he had taken of Bryce. This surprised Daisy and Lily. Their faces immediately turned pale.
Meanwhile, Bryce had entered the venue with Steven. Suddenly, Alex arrived and greeted him.
Bryce, who was uncomfortable with his presence, was forced to smile politely. Since the incident at Nexus Group that day, their relationship had become strained, and Alex seemed to be looking for trouble with him.
"Hmm, why did you come alone? Haven't you always been Lily Jones's guard dog? Especially now that her family's reputation has been tarnished."
Bryce clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes at Alex. "What are you saying? Just because you're a member of the Thorne family doesn't mean you can insult me!"
"I just want to remind you, don't let them fool you. Your reputation could be ruined for supporting Jones!"
"Lily is going to marry me soon. You should watch what you say about her! "Bryce replied curtly.
Bryce continued to defend Lily, even though he was unwilling to speak for Jones.
" Be honest, Bryce. I don't understand why you love Lily so much. Your ex-wife was much better. It's like you threw away a diamond to keep a pebble!"
Bryce grew increasingly annoyed with Alex's attitude. "It's none of your business!"
Alex shrugged and stopped talking. Now they entered the venue and headed straight for the first row reserved for VIP guests.
Their charming and elegant appearance caught the attention of several guests, especially young women who immediately showed their admiration.
"So handsome."
"It's a pity that Mr. Bryce Johansen has a fiancée from a family of fraudsters."
"Lily Jones and Mr. Bryce grew up together. He divorced his former wife just to marry her."
"I feel sorry for his ex-wife. Hopefully, she can find someone better than Mr. Bryce, Mr. Alex Thorne for example."
Bryce felt uncomfortable with the whispers, unlike Alex, who looked calm. However, Bryce tried not to care.
He immediately sat down in his seat and accidentally glanced at another seat labeled Dominic Cavendish. He then pursed his lips, and his eyes flashed coldly.
"Oh, Bryce, I can't help you with this. My grandfather has reserved the first row, and I'm too afraid to change it," whispered Alex.
"These seats are meant to show social status. Even your stepmother and two stepsiblings are seated in the back. Each of these seats is valuable. You know that Dominic Cavendish is the eldest son of the Cavendish family and also the President of the Nexus Group. We can't take him lightly!" added Alex with a slight smile.
Meanwhile, outside the venue, Bryce's half-sister Kelly was mingling with Lily, while her other sister, Catherine, seemed to have disappeared somewhere, sulking.
"Where's Catherine? Why can't we find her?" asked Lily.
"Forget her. As long as she's not dead, that's enough," replied Kelly. She was annoyed to hear her sister's name.
Catherine was so weak and too shy. Her presence would only be a disgrace to the Johansen family.
"Don't say that. Catherine is your sister and she is the youngest daughter of the Johansen family. You have to treat her better." Lily pretended to be gentle and empathetic again.
"Huh! I never wanted to admit her as my sister. She's so embarrassing!"
Lily couldn't hold back her smile. She had succeeded in separating the two of them, so she would have an ally and would not be at odds with Bryce's sister when she joined the Johansen family.
Suddenly, the atmosphere slowly quieted down as a beautiful woman entered the venue. Lily, Kelly, and several other women spontaneously turned their heads toward the woman who was getting closer and closer.
That woman was Rossie. She wore a knee-length white dress with an off-shoulder neckline and a rose brooch pinned to her chest. She walked gracefully in Louboutin high heels, and her bright red lips added to her perfect appearance.
Rossie's dress was not as flashy as Kelly and Lily's, but it was enough to outshine them. This annoyed them, and they clutched their dresses in anger.
Rossie did not come alone; Darren was accompanying her. Everyone knew that Darren was Mr. Dominic Cavendish's secretary. Lily also knew the rumors about Rossie and Dominic.
At first, Rossie and Darren intended to ignore the group of flashy women and walk past them. However, Miranda suddenly called out to her in a mocking tone.
"Huh! How could a country girl like you be here? Don't you know that this is an event specially made for the upper class?"
Rossie stopped in her tracks. She carried a Hermes Himalaya Kelly crocodile bag and deliberately showed it to her former mother-in-law, stunning the woman.
"Hmm, Mrs. Miranda Preston, it seems you have to prepare yourself for an even bigger surprise at this event. Make sure you are mentally strong." Rossie smiled slightly after saying that.
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