Chris coughed a deliberate cough, and the girl paused as if Chris had given her a warning.
Brianna felt a sudden relief. She flipped through a catalog of the auction items on the desk, hoping to divert her attention and ease her worried mind.
Chris went over to Scott with a smile and extended his hand for a handshake.
“A pleasure to see you, Mr. Butler. Who is this? May I ask?” Scott stood up, shook Chris’ hand, and said as he looked at the girl casually. The girl trembled slightly. She was
Chris smiled, and the charm of his smile excited every woman present. “My partner. I guess she knows very well that she isn’t capable of stealing Mrs. Anderson’s thunder, so she might as well wear a mask to cover her face and be a bit mysterious tonight. However, I do much prefer Mrs. Anderson’s attire.” He turned to look at Brianna. “You look gorgeous, Mrs. Anderson. I wonder if I can have the honor to have a dance with you later.”
“I’m afraid not,” Scott said instantly, with an icy smile. “She still needs practicing and is only allowed to dance with me.”
Brianna leaned on Scott while holding his arm and said with a smile, “Sorry, Mr. Butler. Perhaps next time when I’ve done my practice.”
“What a pity! No worries.” Chris smiled at Brianna gently. He put his arm around the girl’s waist and said to Scott, “Do you mind if we sit next to you, Mr. Anderson?”
“Not at all.”
The two looked at each other and exchanged a smile. The crowd seemed to sense the hostility between them.
Brianna was now seated between Scott and Chris, and on the right side of Chris was his partner, the mysterious girl with a mask on.
Now and then, Brianna could feel that the girl was looking at her unkindly. It made her shiver with fear. She wished she could escape. Scott seemed to have felt her uneasiness, and softly he whispered to her ear, “There’s nothing to worry about. I have got your back.”
Brianna gazed at him with her eyes wide open, startled and touched. She leaned closer to Scott and subconsciously took another look at the girl. She saw her clenched fists. She hates me. Brianna was certain.
“Brianna is just my cup of tea. Mr. Anderson, when you and her separate, I would love to date her.” Chris said matter-of-factly.
Brianna pouted her lips. What’s wrong with him?!
Scott didn’t look pleased with all. He replied with a sneer, “I suggest you stop talking nonsense, Mr. Butler, or I shall kick you out.”
“Ha. I’m not sure if you are capable, same as I’m not sure if you can have Brianna for long.” Chris retorted and held Scott’s stare. Brianna and the girl exchanged a look, then each patted on their man’s hand as a gesture to calm them down.
Soon the auction started, but there wasn’t much enthusiasm in the beginning as the items for bid were not of much value. Brianna watched for a while, finding it difficult to relax. She could feel Chris moving closer to her and Scott growing more irritated.
Suddenly, Scott stood up and exchanged seats with Brianna. Chris chuckled and said, “By changing seats with her, you can’t change how I feel about her. Ha-ha.”
“Mr. Butler, it’s obvious that you do not respect my wife and me, but shouldn’t you think about how your partner feels? I feel sorry for the girl.”
“She’s just a partner for tonight. She’s not my girlfriend or wife. I don’t care how she feels at all.” Chris said indifferently.
“And you don’t feel ashamed for coveting other’s wife?”
“Well, that’s because I know you two will separate soon.”
Just then, the host brought out a beautiful bracelet with green diamonds. It would go perfectly with a necklace that Scott bought her, Brianna thought. She was intrigued and watched tentatively.
Chris noticed and asked with a smile, “Do you like it?”
“It’s nice,” Brianna replied briefly.
An expensively dressed lady seated behind said with a disdainful laugh, not knowing who Scott and Brianna were, “Ha. Another cheap item? Really. This is very disappointing. Don’t they check before they decide on the auction items? I wonder who the organizer is.”
Brianna shook her head slightly and smiled, with no intention of explaining or arguing with the lady. However, Chris glanced at the lady and said, “The three green diamonds on the bracelet, I believe, are one of the rarest and most valuable diamonds available in the market. It’s Aurora Green. Also, this bracelet was designed by one of the top ten designers in the world. Those that know little about jewels can’t tell the difference between a piece of cheap glass and a valuable gem. One can’t judge a book by its cover. Some people dress expensively, but it doesn’t hide their shallowness and ignorance.”
The lady was furious and embarrassed, but she didn’t have the guts to utter another word.
“I’m impressed, Mr. Butler. I believe you are probably as competitive as the Andersons, the Smiths, and the Moores.” Scott commented.
“Not sure if I’m as competitive as you, Mr. Anderson, but it shouldn’t cost me much to get this bracelet.”
“I’m afraid you don’t have the chance as I’m getting it for my wife.”
“Is that so? We will see.”
As it was a valuable item with a starting price of one million, soon only Scott and Chris were the only two people left bidding. Both were persistent, and the price soon went up to eight million.
Brianna watched them in disbelief. This is crazy. The seller must be laughing now. Even the crowd started murmuring.
Judging by their comments, Brianna could tell that most people didn’t know much about Chris. He had indeed been a mysterious one. However, the crowd could tell that he was as competitive as Scott Anderson, who was the most powerful person in Las Vegas, and couldn’t help wondering who he was.
Unlike Scott, who was often perceived cold and distant, Chris was more gentleman-like and appeared to be more easy-going. One thing they had in common, though, was that neither of them seemed tempted by women. They were never accompanied by female partners when attending important public events, and this was the very first time that they both had partners, which was a rare coincidence. Or was it just a coincidence? Moreover, they were now competing on the same item.