Chapter 279: Collection Auction

Since they'd already gotten what they came for and Anso was open, Ivy figured she might as well fill them in on what happened with Queen Elowen. When she finished, Derek's jaw practically hit the floor. "Oh my God, Ms. Cooper! You're incredible. I mean, seriously—you never cease to amaze me. You actually have connections with Queen Elowen of Farendor? Unbelievable!"

Ivy didn't feel like elaborating. Beside her, Philip's brow furrowed as if something had just clicked. "Ivy, you said you tricked Moss into taking my job, which means he'll have to contact us eventually. But why do you also need him to know we've already opened Anso?"

Ivy let out a sigh. "Moss is extremely cautious when he takes on jobs. I know the Green family is careful about information security, but given how paranoid Moss is, I'm worried he might get suspicious and bail halfway through. So I want to add another layer of insurance—let Moss know I've opened Anso. When he used that person behind the scenes to try to kill me, Anso was his excuse. But knowing Moss, he's probably dying to get his hands on what's inside. Once he finds out I've opened it and taken the treasure, he'll definitely come looking for leads. Whether it's the job itself or the lure of the treasure that brings him out, as long as he shows up in front of me, I've achieved my goal. The method doesn't matter."

Philip nodded thoughtfully. Ivy was creating a double guarantee to draw Moss out. That made sense. Suddenly, something occurred to him.

"All right then. Three days from now, come with me to a private auction."

Derek's eyes lit up immediately. "Right! This auction is extremely low-key, but everyone who attends is a top-tier collector or dealer. These circles have the most contact with assassin organizations. If you auction off what's in Anso, Ms. Cooper, it'll definitely attract attention. I'm sure Moss will catch wind of it."

"Just be careful after the auction, Ms. Cooper. Once you show your face publicly, Moss will have his eyes on you."

Most people would be terrified at the thought of being targeted by the head of an assassin organization, but Ivy's eyes were shining with excitement. "I'm counting on him following me—it'll save me a lot of trouble!"

She waved her hand dismissively. "All right, let's call it a day. I got you what you needed. We'll figure out the rest in three days."

Philip had been hoping to ask Ivy to dinner, but she turned and walked away without a backward glance, leaving him standing alone in the treasure chamber, his chest tight with disappointment.

Derek quickly tried to console him. "Mr. Green, don't feel bad. You're already the person closest to Ms. Cooper. Assassins are naturally cold—it's just who they are. But you've gotten closer to a top-tier assassin than anyone else. To Ms. Cooper, you're already someone very special!"

Philip's mood lifted at Derek's words, a smile spreading across his face. "You're right. I've got plenty of time. At least right now, I'm her best option!"

"But keep the news about Ivy and me attending the auction strictly confidential. Don't spread it around. Everyone who attends these secret auctions keeps a low profile. If we act too conspicuously, Moss might get suspicious. Someone like him could do anything unpredictable. Right now, our main priority is keeping Ivy safe."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Philip almost laughed at himself. Someone like Ivy didn't need his protection at all.

Still, Derek nodded seriously. "Don't worry, Mr. Green. I'll take care of everything."

News of the upcoming auction had been buzzing through aristocratic circles lately. Many elite families were preparing to attend, and at the Mason residence, Wendy and Luke were having a heated argument about it.

"Father, I heard through the grapevine that Mr. Green is attending this auction. I want to go too! If I can present a collection piece that catches his eye, it'll definitely get his attention. Showing him something top-tier would be way more impressive than that Shen woman ever was."

Luke frowned and sighed. "That's easy for you to say, but you need to understand—everyone at these auctions is either wealthy or powerful. We can't even get an invitation, let alone attend. And even if we got in, we'd need to provide a piece for auction. Where are we supposed to find something that impressive? We don't have anything like that."

These private auctions were important social events for the upper crust. This particular auction had an unwritten rule: every attending family had to contribute one item to be auctioned.

Originally, the rule was just meant to add variety and keep the auction interesting. Over time, though, the value of a family's contributed piece had become a symbol of their status and power. In previous years, the Green family and the Shaw family had contributed incredibly valuable pieces—some had sold for over a hundred million dollars.

More importantly, this was a charity auction. All proceeds went to charitable causes—the organizers took no cut, and contributors received no payment.

Wendy stamped her foot in frustration. "Father, we have to make this happen! If I don't go, I'll never get another chance to get close to Mr. Green!"

Ever since that last incident, Wendy had been trying every way she could think of to approach Philip. But it had proven harder than she'd imagined—Philip's whereabouts were a complete mystery. She'd even staked out his company for days without catching a glimpse of him.

The only lead she'd gotten was that Philip would be attending this auction.

This auction was her critical opportunity! She needed to present a piece that would dazzle everyone. Then she'd definitely catch Philip's attention, and she could finally get close to him!