Chapter 51
Everyone watched the two of them, wondering who would end up with the keyboard.
Charlotte was about to speak when suddenly a staff member in a suit hurried over.
"Ms. Johnson."
The staff member, holding a box, walked straight up to Charlotte.
Under everyone's gaze, the staff member respectfully presented the box with both hands.
It was the keyboard that had just been auctioned on stage.
"Ms. Johnson, this is yours. According to the auction house rules, the Preferred Bidder has priority acquisition rights at this auction. You can choose one item to take without participating in the bidding."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
After a brief silence, waves of discussion erupted.
The entire venue's roof was about to blow off.
"The Preferred Bidder? Really? Are you kidding me!"
"There are less than ten Preferred Bidders globally, how could she be one?"
"I heard you have to make significant contributions to the auction house's sales and development to get this status and have priority acquisition rights for global auction items!"
"This isn't just about money anymore. Her influence is not to be underestimated. Who exactly is this girl?"
"No amount of money can buy priority acquisition rights—this is absolute power!"
Bella's face turned completely white.
She stared wide-eyed at Charlotte in disbelief.
"Impossible! Did you make a mistake? How could she possibly be the Preferred Bidder!"
Charlotte ignored her and accepted the box.
Inside was a plain white old keyboard with no extra decorations, looking quite ordinary.
The letters on the keyboard were almost faded, clearly having been used many times.
Charlotte instantly thought of her childhood with Logan, following him as she focused on learning hacking techniques.
Her eyes grew warm as she slowly stroked the keyboard.
Suddenly, Charlotte caught a familiar faint sandalwood scent on the keyboard.
She frowned and couldn't help but glance at Alexander.
Alexander's expression remained calm as he innocently raised an eyebrow at her.
Charlotte calmly looked away, closed the box, and nodded to the staff member.
"Thank you, please thank your boss for me."
"You're too kind, this is what we should do."
The staff member bowed again and then turned to leave.
Bella stood there like a clown, not knowing whether to sit or stand, suddenly at a loss for what to do.
"This is impossible!"
She gritted her teeth. "Charlotte, how old are you? How could you possibly be the Preferred Bidder? What qualifies you to be the Preferred Bidder!"
Alexander gave her a cold glance. "Ms. White, you couldn't win the bid, so now you're going to make a scene?"
His casual question made Bella freeze completely.
After the initial shock, everyone looked at Bella with some disgust.
Yes, Ms. Johnson was the recognized Preferred Bidder—this was officially certified and absolutely couldn't be wrong.
Even if she lost face by not winning the bid, she shouldn't make such a scene in public, right?
Bella's face flushed red. She bit her lip hard, unable to say a word.
She had never been publicly humiliated like this in her entire life.
Especially since the person doing it was the man she liked—Alexander.
In front of so many people, she had lost all dignity and face.
Bella's eyes reddened. Face flushed, she turned and left in anger.
The auctioneer cleared his throat. "The auction will now continue."
The auction proceeded normally, with everyone getting interested in the next item.
Charlotte and Alexander sat back down.
Charlotte smiled while looking ahead, but her voice was as light as a breeze, floating into Alexander's ear.
"Having fun?"
Alexander was slightly stunned. "What?"
Charlotte stared into his eyes. "You're the original owner of the keyboard, and you're also the so-called Preferred Bidder. You arranged all of this, didn't you?"
A flash of surprise crossed Alexander's eyes, and he smiled meaningfully.
"How did you figure it out?"
Charlotte said irritably, "The keyboard has your cologne scent on it."
Alexander habitually used cedar cold fragrance—it was his signature scent.
This also meant that from the beginning, Alexander never intended to hide it.
Alexander's eyes flickered as he smiled. "Yes, I'm the original owner of this keyboard. Logan entrusted it to me before he died."
Charlotte's gaze shifted. "What was your relationship with Logan?"
Alexander was silent for a moment, as if recalling something.
"He was my... a friend."
Charlotte's pupils contracted slightly.
Logan often came and went alone, traveling everywhere, never making friends.
Logan had also told her personally that he never easily made friends with others.
After Logan mysteriously disappeared, everything about him disappeared with him.
No one knew his whereabouts before he vanished, nor did anyone know that he actually had a student—Charlotte.
"Then why didn't you keep Logan's belongings properly, but instead sold it at this auction?" Charlotte asked.
Alexander lowered his eyes slightly, looking at the keyboard in her hands, and said meaningfully, "He told me that when the right time came, I should give the keyboard to someone destined to have it. After I met you, I felt I had found that person."
"From the start, when I invited you to this auction, I was certain you would be very interested in it and would treasure this keyboard."
Alexander explained seriously, his tone more solemn than ever before.
Charlotte didn't know what to say.
When Andrew Martinez or other men pursued her, sending flowers, bags, even cars and houses, stuffing luxury goods in front of her, she never gave them a second glance and remained unmoved.
But somehow, at this moment, with Alexander directly presenting the keyboard to her, a strange ripple stirred in her heart.
Receiving this keyboard as the Preferred Bidder required no payment.
Instead, Alexander, as the seller of the keyboard, had to pay the auction house a commission fee.
Going through all this trouble just to give her the keyboard?
Charlotte couldn't help but ask, "Alexander, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Alexander leaned lazily against the chair back, looking at her and saying softly, "Just to make you happy, to let you get what you want. Is that not allowed?"
Charlotte met his burning gaze, her heart tightening. Then she stood up.
"I'm not talking to you anymore. I'm leaving."
Charlotte left and reached the parking lot, but unexpectedly, Bella hadn't left and was still standing by her car waiting.