Chapter73 Whether He Can Perform in That Way
The charity auction officially began. Brilliant lights focused on the center of the stage, and the auctioneer's passionate voice echoed throughout the banquet hall through the microphone.
Ariana sat in the third row, but her peripheral vision kept sticking to Miranda's back in the first row.
She saw Miranda chatting and laughing quietly with Castillo beside her, her posture relaxed, as if completely unaffected by the earlier conflict.
Ariana curled her lips disdainfully.
Putting on an act.
She thought to herself that Miranda had gone off to open some lousy company and probably couldn't even afford to pay her employees' salaries, yet she came to this kind of place. What could she afford to buy?
She was probably just here to show her face and keep up appearances.
Meanwhile, in the VIP section of the first row.
Castillo lowered her voice and worriedly touched Miranda's arm: "Miranda, how are things going with Clifton? He hasn't... lost his temper with you or anything, has he?"
Everyone said that this Prescott heir was ruthless, temperamental, and cold to the extreme.
Thinking of these rumors, Castillo couldn't help but worry for Miranda.
In Miranda's mind, however, the image of the man calmly coming to her rescue and steadily handing the brooch into her palm appeared.
This man was nothing like the cold-blooded person in the rumors.
"He's been very good." Miranda shook her head, a genuine smile appearing on her lips. "Nothing like the rumors at all."
Hearing this, Castillo seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief, dramatically patting her chest: "That's good, that's good. You scared me to death."
She leaned in closer, her voice carrying lingering fear: "I was the one who told you Prescott was looking for a contract wife. I thought I'd personally pushed you into a fire pit!"
"Don't say that." Miranda gently interrupted her. "Both you and Clifton have helped me tremendously. I'm grateful."
If not for Castillo's information, she would only be in a worse situation now.
The weight lifted from Castillo's heart, and her tone became lighter. She nudged Miranda with her elbow, glancing at a diamond necklace being displayed on stage: "So, anything catch your eye? Say the word and I'll get it for you!"
Miranda laughed and shook her head: "No need."
She paused, then said softly: "Earlier on the second floor, when Clifton was being received by the organizers, he looked through the catalog and already bought a few things he thought would suit me."
Castillo clicked her tongue, her eyes widening.
"Wow, worthy of Clifton, loaded with cash!" She sighed, then looked at Miranda with a mischievous grin. "The thigh you're hugging is really thick!"
Following Castillo's gaze, Miranda's eyes uncontrollably landed on Clifton's long, straight legs wrapped in dress pants not far away.
Her mind inexplicably conjured up the image of this man standing, broad shoulders, narrow waist, testosterone overflowing...
With a "whoosh," a wave of heat rushed to her head. Miranda's cheeks instantly flushed with a thin layer of red.
"Huh? Why is your face so red?" Castillo keenly noticed something was off and reached out to feel her forehead. "Do you have a fever?"
"No... no." Miranda quickly dodged. "Maybe it's just a bit hot in the venue."
"Hot?" Castillo looked questioningly at the air conditioning vent blowing cold air right at them, thoughtful.
She quickly ran through what she'd just said in her mind. Her eyes suddenly widened as if discovering a new continent, looking at Miranda in disbelief.
"You couldn't be... thinking dirty thoughts because I said 'thigh,' could you?"
As soon as the words fell, she saw Miranda's face visibly turn even redder than before, practically like a cooked shrimp.
Castillo was shocked. She suddenly leaned close to Miranda's ear and asked excitedly in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Oh my God! Have you two already slept together? With his leg injury, in that aspect... can he perform?"
Halfway through her question, Miranda covered her mouth in embarrassment and urgency.
"Castillo, what are you talking about?" Miranda glared at her in embarrassment. "No, don't let your imagination run wild."
With her mouth covered, Castillo could only make muffled "mmm" sounds, but her eyes were full of suspicion, clearly not believing a word.
Miranda glanced at Clifton not far away, wondering if he'd heard what was just said.
Then she shot Castillo another warning glare before releasing her hand.
Castillo pouted and raised both hands in surrender: "Fine, fine, fine. If you say no, then no. I won't ask anymore, okay?"
By the time the charity gala ended, Ariana had watched Miranda leave empty-handed, never raising her paddle once. The frustration from the brooch incident instantly vanished.
She found that sense of superiority again in her heart.
See, without the Lancaster family, without Ariana, Miranda was nothing.
As people dispersed, the crowd slowly surged toward the exit. Ariana deliberately slowed her pace and precisely blocked Miranda's path.
"Miranda." She lifted her chin, her face showing undisguised pride and smugness. "Why only look and not buy? Didn't you like anything?"
She sighed with feigned distress: "Not like me. I just mentioned to Harrison that I liked something, and he bought everything for me."
As soon as she finished speaking, a uniformed server walked over carrying a tray and said respectfully to Ariana: "Miss, these are the items you just won."
Ariana elegantly picked up a brown agate bracelet from the tray and held it up in front of Miranda, deliberately letting her see it clearly.
"Look, isn't it beautiful? Harrison has such good taste."
Miranda looked at the bracelet, her expression becoming somewhat complex.
This bracelet was exactly the one she'd donated according to Clifton's wishes.
She suppressed that strange feeling and said flatly: "Good if you like it."
But Ariana took her calm demeanor as forced composure and jealousy, her smile becoming even more smug.
"Of course I like what Harrison gave me." She looked Miranda up and down, the mockery in her tone almost overflowing. "Cousin, don't tell me after leaving the Lancaster family, you can't even afford a decent piece of jewelry?"
Miranda hadn't wanted to argue with her further, but the other party kept provoking her again and again.
She raised her eyes, her cool gaze landing on Ariana's wrist.
"You bought a bracelet I donated. I really don't know what you have to show off about."
The smile on Ariana's face instantly froze.
Then Miranda's voice continued unhurriedly: "But you're right. Even though you're a few months younger than me, you look so much more aged. The color of this bracelet does suit you perfectly."
"You!" Ariana was stabbed in the heart by this remark and stamped her foot hard in anger.
She hated being compared to Miranda most of all!
If she hadn't had such a hard life growing up, going hungry and poorly dressed, suffering all kinds of grievances, she would definitely look a thousand times better than this pampered young lady Miranda.
Ariana forcibly suppressed the surging anger and resentment in her heart. She let out a cold laugh, looking at Miranda with eyes full of condescending pity and charity.
"Miranda, no matter what you say, you can't hide how broke you are now. I think you should stop running that company and come work as my assistant instead."
Ariana paused, her red lips uttering cruel words:
"I'll pay you three thousand dollars a month. How about that?"