Chapter 162
Rupert approached with two glasses of champagne, handing one to Diana before leaning against the railing. He gestured with his chin toward the mingling figures below.
"These people—normally pontificating in financial magazines—now all within your line of sight."
Diana didn't respond, her gaze sweeping the room. She had no interest in these social gatherings; she was here only to verify a theory.
The auction proceeded methodically. Jewelry, paintings, antiques—each item pushed to new heights under the auctioneer's encouragement.
Rupert scrolled through his phone, occasionally glancing up and grimacing at the multi-million dollar figures being tossed around.
Until the fifteenth item was presented. When opened, it revealed a complete set of surgical instruments.
The ivory handles, mellowed by time, displayed a warm cream-colored patina, while the metal parts—the blades, forceps, and probes—gleamed with the distinctive patterning of Damascus steel.
"Mid-Victorian medical kit, custom-made for London's Royal College of Surgeons. Twenty-eight pieces in immaculate condition," the auctioneer announced with captivating enthusiasm. "A perfect marriage of science and art, a lost gem in medical history. Opening bid: five hundred thousand dollars."
Diana's gaze settled on the instruments. She raised her paddle.
"Bidder sixty-six offers five hundred thousand."
"One million dollars," a crisp female voice followed immediately from across the room.
All eyes turned toward the source. A woman in a sapphire blue gown, early thirties, her blonde hair elegantly coiled, wore a polite smile. Her beauty was aggressive—like a blue orchid in full bloom, stunning but thorny.
Rupert looked up, narrowing his eyes, and whispered to Diana, "Elena Karl, Haas's cousin and the Karl Group's new representative. A woman a hundred times more troublesome than her idiot cousin."
Diana's expression remained unchanged as she raised her paddle again. "One million, one hundred thousand."
"Two million dollars," Elena countered without hesitation, nearly doubling the price. She raised her glass toward Diana, her smile deepening. The challenge couldn't have been more obvious.
The entire room fell silent as everyone recognized the tension underlying this bidding war. The feud between the Karl Group and the Russell Group was common knowledge, now spilling over into the auction.
Diana lowered her paddle. She was interested in the instruments, but not enough to pursue them at any cost. What interested her more was the reaction of the man beside her.
Rupert pocketed his phone and sat up straight. The carefree expression vanished from his face, replaced by the displeasure of someone whose territory had been invaded.
"Interesting," he said, picking up his paddle. Without even looking at the stage, he addressed the auctioneer directly: "Five million dollars."
A collective gasp swept through the room. Jumping from two million to five million wasn't bidding—it was a show of force.
Elena's smile froze momentarily before she recovered her composure. She gracefully raised her paddle. "Six million dollars."
"Ten million dollars," Rupert's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the ballroom. He even yawned, as if the figure were merely his breakfast bill.
Elena's brow creased almost imperceptibly. She stared hard at Rupert, trying to detect even the slightest hint of bluffing in his ostentatious face. She failed.
Rupert didn't spare her another glance. Instead, he turned to Diana, complaining under his breath, "If I'd known it would be this much trouble, I could have just had them deliver it to the hospital. Aren't these people ridiculous?"
That casual dismissiveness carried more intimidation than any boastful words could have.
Elena fell silent. She could continue bidding, but that would completely deviate from her original probing intent, devolving into a meaningless battle of egos.
She gave a long look at Diana's calm face and the seemingly frivolous Rupert beside her, then slowly lowered her paddle.
"Ten million dollars once, ten million dollars twice... Sold! Congratulations to bidder eighty-eight!"
As the gavel fell, applause erupted.
Rupert, acting as if he'd done something utterly ordinary, picked up his phone again and returned to studying his game strategy.
After the auction concluded, an attendant brought over the rosewood box.
"Quite the grand gesture, Mr. Alaric Russell—spending a fortune to make a beautiful woman smile."
Elena approached with her wine glass, her gaze settling on Diana. "Congratulations, Ms. York. You've acquired an expensive toy."
"This isn't a toy," Diana opened the box, her fingertip lightly brushing an ivory handle. "It's a tool."
"Oh?" Elena raised an eyebrow. "Seems you know a thing or two about medicine. I suppose that makes sense, given the type of patient you're caring for—Mr. Rupert Russell must require special knowledge."
Her words carried thinly veiled probing.
Rupert stood up, positioning himself between Diana and Elena, grinning like a peacock in full display. "Ms. Karl jokes. With Ms. York in charge of my brother's care, we have nothing to worry about."
He leaned slightly forward. "As for the Karl Group, I hear your European stock prices aren't looking too healthy lately? Instead of concerning yourself with others, perhaps you should tend to your own backyard."
Elena's expression flickered before she smiled again. "Thank you for the advice, Mr. Alaric Russell. Until we meet again." With that, she walked away.
Once she was gone, Diana closed the box and looked at Rupert. "Thank you. This set will be very helpful for my research," she said evenly, her voice betraying no emotion.
"No need for thanks," Rupert resumed his flippant manner. "My brother's money is practically yours. Spend it however you like."
Diana's gaze rested quietly on his face before she spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "Mr. Rupert Russell would thank you too, if he knew."
For an instant, the smile froze on Rupert's face. Then that animated expression quickly returned.
"Of course," his smile grew even brighter. "I'm his most capable brother, after all. It's my duty to serve my sister-in-law."
He deliberately emphasized "sister-in-law," attempting to cover that momentary slip with frivolous humor.
Diana said nothing more. She looked away. No further evidence was needed.
The auction had been both trap and test. And that split-second reaction was the answer she sought.
---
In the car on the return journey, the atmosphere felt peculiar.
Rupert had abandoned his earlier nonchalance, seeming unusually animated.
One moment he enthusiastically analyzed which socialite's jewelry at the auction had been counterfeit, the next he complained at length about the difficulty of his newly downloaded game.