The man who sold the antique painting was on the verge of tears. He couldn’t bear the fact that there were two pieces of agarwood hidden inside a painting that had once belonged to him. If news of this incident got out, he would undoubtedly become the laughingstock of the antique circle.
Seizing the moment when nobody was paying attention to him, the man quietly left the place.
“Hey, young man, think about sell me those two pieces of agarwood,” a middle-aged man approached Leo, his eyes gleaming with urgency. Leo could tell that this man was probably in the agarwood business.
Leo pointed at Martin and replied, “These two pieces of agarwood were bought by my dad. You should ask him.”
The middle-aged man then turned to Martin and inquired about the agarwood. Martin, who had a deep passion for antiques, found the agarwood rare but not extraordinarily appealing. He decided to sell the two pieces to the middle-aged man for twenty million dollars.
When the two pieces of agarwood transformed into cash checks, Martin felt like he was in a dream. He could never have imagined that attending an auction would bring him such luck – twenty million dollars!
It was all thanks to Leo’s good fortune!
Martin secretly decided that if his wife ever criticized Leo again, he would support Leo, although he couldn’t do it openly.
After returning to their seats, Sophia whispered to Martin, “Dad, these twenty million dollars, you should split them with Leo.”
Martin nodded repeatedly and handed one of the cash checks to Leo. However, Leo didn’t accept it. Instead, he smiled faintly and said, “Dad, you can keep this money for buying antiques you like or as a retirement fund. I have a job now, and I don’t need this much money.”
Seeing that Leo declined, Martin reluctantly took back the check, his expression even happier. Just as Leo had said, with these twenty million dollars, he could indulge in his love for antiques.
Time passed quickly, and the second round of the auction began. This round was even more intense than the previous one because it featured many rare antiques.
With money in hand, Martin joined the bidding. However, the prices soared like a rocket, and Martin soon realized that twenty million dollars was a small sum in this antique auction.
After the second round of bidding ended, Martin had only managed to win a jade thumb ring for two million dollars.
Lunch was provided by the organizers of the auction. After lunch, the afternoon session focused on jade tone auctions.
Because gemstone auctions had a different nature from antique auctions, many people who had participated in the morning left after eating.
In the afternoon, many men and women involved in the jade and jewelry business arrived at the venue. Since Leo was currently the Chief Gemstone Consultant for the Wilde Jewelry Group, he was still very interested in the afternoon auction.
About twenty minutes before the afternoon gemstone auction, a server holding a bouquet of roses approached Leo’s group.
The server first glanced at Sophia’s face and then approached her, asking, “Hello, are you Miss Sophia?”
Not knowing what was happening, Sophia replied, “Yes, I am.”
“Miss Sophia, this is a bouquet of roses from a gentleman,” the server said, offering the roses to Sophia.
Leo felt a surge of displeasure. He suspected that some wealthy people had learned of his identity as the freeloading son-in-law and dared to send flowers to Sophia right in front of him.
With a stern expression, Leo scanned the surroundings but found no one suspicious.
Sophia’s face also grew cold as she said, “Who told you to send me these flowers!”
The server wore an embarrassed expression and explained, “Miss Sophia, the gentleman who sent the flowers claims to be an old friend of yours. He said you would accept them after reading the card inserted into the roses.”
Sophia frowned, took the card inserted in the roses, and her expression instantly changed.
Leo had been observing Sophia’s facial expressions, and he grew concerned. It was the first time in four years that he had seen such an expression on her face.
“It’s alright, I’m going to the restroom,” Sophia said as she stood up from her seat and hurried toward the exit of the venue.
Leo couldn’t help but feel uneasy, sensing a growing sense of competition. However, he knew he needed to stay calm and wait for the appearance of the man who had sent the flowers. Leo was willing to make sure anyone who dared to covet his wife would be left with painful memories.
The server, looking somewhat embarrassed, stood near their table, unsure whether to leave or stay.
Leo glanced at the card inserted into the rose, which bore an elegant and flowing message: “Miss You, My Old Love!” Sophia must have recognized the handwriting, which explained her reaction.
“Which teenage girl doesn’t experience young love?” Leo couldn’t help but speculate about Sophia’s past as he thought about her reaction. “Before I became part of the Henley family, during her school days, she probably had a romantic relationship,” he pondered.
Leo clenched his fists subconsciously, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. He was determined to find out who this man was and what his intentions were.
“Sir, about the roses…” The server began, sweat forming on her forehead. She knew that the man who had sent the flowers was of significant importance, and she couldn’t simply walk away without completing her task.
After a moment of contemplation, Leo said, “Give me the flower.”
Taking the rose from the waiter, Leo placed it on the table.
Sophia returned after approximately ten minutes, her face having regained its composure. When she noticed the flower on the table, she smiled apologetically at Leo and said, “Leo, I’ll tell you about this when we get home.”
Sophia picked up the rose from the table, ready to discard it into the trash bin.
Leo reached out and held her wrist. “Sophia, don’t throw the flowers away just yet. I want to meet this man.”
Sophia looked puzzled, not understanding Leo’s intentions.
Releasing her wrist, Leo smiled calmly. “Everyone has a past, and some things need to be faced sooner or later. Avoidance and attempts to forget are not solutions.”
“Sophia, long time no see. Are you doing well?” A magnetic male voice spoke up as if on cue.
Sophia’s body trembled slightly, and she instinctively held Leo’s hand.
Leo turned his head to assess the man who had suddenly appeared, not knowing where he came from.