Chapter 281 Up Against Wendy

Chapter 281 Up Against Wendy

"Mr. Green, we've been waiting forever to see you here! None of us expected you'd actually show up."

"Mr. Green, what treasures did you bring this time? We're dying to see them."

Philip's arrival instantly electrified the atmosphere. Everyone surged toward him, and those who knew him well began showering him with flattery.

"Oh, come on—when Mr. Green shows up, you know he's bringing top-tier auction items."

"Exactly! Though I heard the Shaw family isn't participating this year. Apparently Mr. Shaw's son is hospitalized—some kind of illness."

"What? Mr. Shaw is in the hospital? We had no idea! No wonder we haven't been able to reach him. My God, which hospital? We should go visit."

"Without Mr. Shaw here this year, the best pieces must be from Mr. Philip Green, right? I can't wait to see what he's brought to blow our minds."

...

Philip showed zero reaction to the fawning. He simply looked at them coldly before saying, "The auction item I'm providing today isn't mine—it belongs to a friend. I'm just here to keep them company."

It was a casual remark, but it sent shockwaves through the crowd. People immediately began buzzing: "Oh my God, did you hear that? Did you hear? Mr. Green said he's here 'keeping a friend company'! He's never brought anyone before. Now I'm dying to know—is this friend male or female?"

"Didn't you notice? When Mr. Green entered, there was a woman with him. I just didn't get a good look."

People began scanning the room, searching for Philip's companion, but Ivy had slipped off to the side and remained unnoticed.

At that moment, Wendy casually strolled up to Philip and said, "Mr. Green, we meet again."

Philip tilted his head and glanced at Wendy, taking several seconds to process without saying a word. But in those few seconds of hesitation, someone nearby exclaimed excitedly, "Could Lady Wendy be the friend Mr. Green brought today? My God, I had no idea the Mason family and the Green family had that kind of relationship!"

"Bringing a female companion to an auction—this is a first in history! Looks like we'll be receiving Mr. Philip Green's wedding invitation before long."

Wendy's face flushed as she listened to the surrounding chatter. In a coy voice, she said, "Oh my, everyone's got the wrong idea. Mr. Green and I aren't like that."

Her playing-hard-to-get tone only fueled the onlookers' imaginations. They watched the pair with knowing grins.

Wendy turned to Philip again, noticing he hadn't objected. Her excitement grew as she said, "Mr. Philip Green, I've also brought a wonderful piece today. I hope you'll like it."

Philip took his sweet time before tilting his head to look at Wendy, then asked, "I thought you were talking to thin air. But I have to ask—who are you?"

Wendy's excited expression instantly froze, as if someone had dumped ice water over her head. Her face turned ugly.

She quickly forced herself to maintain composure and said loudly, "Mr. Green, we have met before. We even had dinner together. But if you don't want to acknowledge that, it's fine. I just hope you'll look at the piece I brought today. I hope everyone will like it."

With that, she proudly lifted the exquisite small box in her hand. Several sharp-eyed observers immediately noticed and exclaimed, "Oh my God, that box looks so familiar! I think I've seen it somewhere before."

"Yes, yes! I've seen it too. I think it was made by a famous French artisan—a limited edition. Only one was bought by a collector at the time, and the other one seems to be the one this lady is holding."

"My God, now I'm curious what auction item is inside. That box alone must be worth a fortune!"

"Wow, I never expected the Mason family could produce something like this. I'm genuinely surprised."

...

Seeing she'd achieved her desired effect, Wendy quickly pulled back her hand and tucked the box into her bag, smiling as she said, "I originally wanted to show this piece to Mr. Philip Green, but since we're all here, everyone will get to see it shortly."

She then moved aside without lingering, knowing Philip's personality well. Staying too long in front of him might backfire.

The moment she stepped away, she spotted a familiar figure. Wendy's expression darkened, and the smile that had been plastered on her face vanished instantly.

She strode forward and grabbed the shoulder of the person about to leave, saying coldly, "Well, well, fancy running into you again, Ivy."

Remembering how Ivy had embarrassed her at the restaurant last time, Wendy's gaze turned venomous.

Ivy hadn't expected this woman to seek her out. She turned around with a cold snort and said, "Oh my, if it isn't Lady Wendy! If I remember correctly, last time you mistook Mr. Green for your blind date, didn't you? Ha ha ha ha! How embarrassing. I wonder what happened to your actual date. Though judging by how you look now, I'm guessing it didn't work out."

Wendy's face turned hideous. She hadn't expected Ivy to bring that up.

Through gritted teeth, she said, "Ivy, don't celebrate too soon. Today's auction is all about what pieces people bring. The item I have is exceptional. And you? You only got into this auction through Mr. Green's connections. I doubt you have anything worthwhile."

Ivy tilted her head and looked at Wendy without responding. This pause made Wendy's confidence surge. She became even more arrogant:

"If you don't have anything good, go stand in the corner. Don't embarrass yourself here. The spot beside Mr. Philip Green belongs to wealthy, noble ladies—it has nothing to do with you!"

Ivy let out a cold laugh, then looked Wendy up and down before saying, "Tell me, is the Mason family some kind of distinguished nobility? What qualifies you to stand beside the Green family? That outfit you're wearing—all of it together costs maybe a thousand bucks?"

The smile froze on Wendy's face again. She hadn't expected Ivy to attack her clothing. She quickly stepped back, saying stiffly:

"Ha! Don't look down on people. You think your outfit is so impressive?"