All the anger and grievance vanished in an instant, replaced by pure shock. I stared at the man in front of me, momentarily lost for words.
Edmund smiled warmly and brightly. "I'm truly sorry, Miss Elliott. It's my fault for not arranging things properly and letting you suffer such humiliation."
I came back to myself and took his hand. "Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Holt. I'll consider it carefully."
The moment Edmund stepped forward to back me up, everyone who had been shouting to throw me out fell completely silent.
Edmund looked around at the crowd. His face still held a smile, but his tone had turned distinctly displeased. "The designer of the finale piece gets accused of being a stalker. Miss Elliott is generous enough not to hold a grudge, but I can't help thinking more about it. If something like this happens on my turf, does that mean someone has a problem with me?"
The accusation pointed straight at Colton. The atmosphere in the room grew tense and awkward.
"Everyone knows Mr. Holt handles his affairs with precision and care. He must have thoroughly verified the origin of every lot. Miss Elliott already explained her reason for being here, yet she was nearly driven out. No wonder Mr. Holt feels insulted."
"Some people were still hoping to cozy up to the Walton family. Well, now they've offended the Holt family. Good luck to them."
Shirley saw that the situation was turning against her and opened her mouth to speak, but Colton grabbed her arm and forcibly pulled her away.
The farce ended. Edmund invited me to sit with him.
When the finale piece appeared, I stepped onto the stage as the official designer. My complete design philosophy and sketches proved my identity beyond doubt.
Colton watched me on stage and felt a sharp pang in his chest.
He had always believed he knew me well enough, yet everything that happened today completely shattered his understanding.
The loss of control drove him to keep raising his paddle, bidding desperately as if buying my designs could somehow give him back a sense of power.
The price climbed quickly from the starting thirty million to sixty million, only to be cut off by Edmund's direct bid of one hundred million.
Feeling my stunned gaze, Edmund spoke quietly. "The work you designed is worth every cent of that price."
I was about to reply when Colton rushed in front of me, blocking my view. "Mira, I apologize for what happened earlier. I misunderstood you. But if you have any difficulties, you can come to me. I will definitely help you. Why do you always have to get tangled up with other men?"
Seeing the anger on his face, I found the whole thing utterly ridiculous. "Colton, get this straight. We are divorced! By what right do you think you can help me? What I do has nothing to do with you anymore."
My sharp questions left him stammering, unable to respond.
Shirley was already upset. Now seeing Colton entangled with me again, jealousy burned even hotter inside her. "Last time at the car shop I already suspected something wasn't right between you and Mr. Holt. Today proved it. Mira, you really are something. Don't tell me you were already involved with Mr. Holt before you even divorced Colton."
I was about to warn her to stop dragging Edmund into this when his voice cut in.
"If we're talking about skill, I don't think anyone can compare to you, Shirley. Before twisting truths at an auction, you dragged a man who had just divorced and hadn't even finished handling his former mother-in-law's funeral to go car shopping. That's the first time I've seen a woman with that kind of talent."
Although the auction had ended, quite a few people still lingered.
His words reached them all, and contemptuous looks turned toward Shirley.
Colton, who had been watching me with complicated emotions, quickly stepped forward to shield her. "Mr. Holt, Shirley may have a sharp tongue, but isn't it too harsh to treat a young woman so mercilessly?"
Edmund gave a soft scoff, full of disdain. "I'm merely stating what I saw with my own eyes. Is that too harsh? Then isn't it even harsher for her to spread baseless rumors and slander without any proof? Or perhaps Mr. Walton feels guilty because of his own emotional cheating during the marriage, which is why you keep defending her?"
Words only hurt when they strike close to home.
At that moment Colton's face looked terrible. He was rendered speechless.
I stood to the side, the anger in my heart slowly fading, replaced by a faint smile.
At first I had only thought Edmund was upright and magnanimous, never expecting him to be so sharp-tongued as well.
Shirley's expression was even uglier.
Colton had been repeatedly crushed by Edmund tonight, leaving her exposed to everyone's judgment and utterly humiliated.
She pushed Colton away and ran off without looking back.
"Shirley!" Caught off guard, Colton stumbled a few steps, then turned to chase after her.
But after only two steps he came back to stand in front of me, his tone extremely serious. "Mira, don't accept his offer. If you want to work, I know some jewelry companies we partner with. I can recommend you."
Before leaving, he gave me one last deep look.
I nearly gagged at the cheap display of affection. My mind was already racing through ways to avoid any company connected to the Walton name.
Edmund looked a little tense.
He had waited so long for this chance. He had to seize it. He would never allow a scumbag like Colton to keep bothering me. "Miss Elliott, do you have a moment? I'd like to talk for a bit."
