“You make the Bloomer family sound like a hellish ordeal for him,” Jackson complained to her.
Despite his words, he agreed with his wife’s sentiment. How could he not be aware of the scheming within their family? It was one of the reasons he chose to go to the border.
“Let’s wait,” Jenna sighed, the image of “Leo” appearing in her mind, bringing a warmth to her heart. “If that Leo is truly our son, it won’t be too late for him to enter the Bloomer family’s door with dignity once he has enough capability.”
Jackson sighed, acknowledging the truth in his wife’s words. He couldn’t return home for now, and having the Bloomer family recognize Leo might not be a good thing. It would mean facing internal exclusion and hidden threats from other powerful families.
He had thought about taking Leo for a paternity test tomorrow, but now it seemed unnecessary. He would just keep it as a fond thought.
After dining with Josiah, Baldwin, and Marina, Leo didn’t stay long in the capital and immediately set off back to Langstel. The matter of his lineage was too troubling; perhaps it was better left unresolved.
Upon returning to Langstel, it happened to be Saturday. With major issues resolved, Leo spent both Saturday and Sunday with Sophia.
The Henley’s Corp was now entirely under Sophia’s control. With the integration of Herbal Magic Cosmetics’ production plant, Sophia’s business was thriving. Notably, Sophia Cosmetics had opened dozens of chain stores within the province. Leo believed that with Sophia’s efforts, it wouldn’t be long before she became the leading figure in Chiville’s cosmetics industry.
Sophia Cosmetics’ only competitor now was undoubtedly Leo&Rose Cosmetics. When Leo confessed his role in Leo&Rose Cosmetics to Sophia, she surprisingly already knew. Leo swore that he was dragged into it by Rosemary and that apart from being business partners as friends, there was nothing more between them.
Trusting Leo, Sophia believed him but made two demands. First, Leo’s relationship with Rosemary could only remain as friends. Second, Leo couldn’t use his special abilities to help Rosemary because Sophia wanted to defeat Rosemary and Leo&Rose Cosmetics on her own!
Leo had no objections; his wife’s words were law.
On Monday, remembering his honorary position at Wilde Jewelry Group, Leo went to the company to find Coral. Coral strongly “reprimanded” him for his mysterious disappearance. After expressing concern for Leo’s recent situation, Coral “ordered” him to fulfill his duties as Wilde Jewelry Group’s honorary stone gambling consultant.
Coral recommended Golden Eagle Plaza, where the Triple Element Commerce Association was holding an auction that afternoon. There should be stone gambling items among the lots.
After having lunch with Coral, Leo headed alone to Golden Eagle Plaza. The auction had a gimmick: experts from the city museum were invited to authenticate the auction items.
Arriving at Golden Eagle Plaza, Leo parked his car and entered the building. A security guard at the entrance glanced lazily at him before returning to his daydreams. At the elevator, Leo pressed the button for the sixth floor.
“Wait!” A woman’s voice called out just as the elevator doors were closing, causing them to open again. A woman entered, followed by a group of people who quickly filled the small elevator space.
As the elevator ascended, Leo’s gaze fell on the woman who had just entered. She wore a leather jacket and had long hair cascading down her back. Her back looked familiar to Leo. This woman… could she be… Chloe?
It was Chloe, the aloof researcher he had met at the city museum with Arlene!
Soon, the elevator reached the sixth floor, and people began to exit. Leo wanted to greet her but she walked too quickly. Following the crowd through a corridor and turning right, they arrived at a large conference hall on the sixth floor, which served as the temporary auction venue.
Entering the hall, Leo noticed it wasn’t very crowded, making the space feel somewhat empty. Most attendees were middle-aged or elderly, likely hoping for bargains.
On stage stood a man with glasses in front of a microphone, holding a small hammer-clearly the auctioneer for this event. Besides him, there were no other staff members visible; it seemed he also played the roles of host and appraiser.
After seating Chloe, the only guest of honor at this auction, in a special seat, the man returned to the auction stage. Adjusting his glasses and looking at the sparse crowd with a distracted air, he announced, “Please take your seats; the auction is about to begin.”
“We are honored to have Miss Chloe from the city museum as our appraisal expert today. Please welcome Miss Chloe.”
Sparse applause followed.
“Wow, they actually got Chloe!” exclaimed the middle-aged man next to Leo.
“Is Chloe very famous?” Leo asked curiously.
The man glanced at him and replied, “You must not attend auctions often. Chloe is a well-known beauty appraiser in Langstel’s circles. Despite her young age, her eye for antiques is incredibly sharp. It’s said that none of her appraisals have ever been wrong.”
“Alright everyone, it’s time. The auction officially begins with our first item: a Zisha Clay Teapot starting at two thousand dollars!”
Hearing this starting price nearly made Leo choke on his own saliva; it felt more like they were auctioning off cabbages than antiques.
Seeing no bids, the auctioneer began his introduction: “This Zisha Clay Teapot is described in ‘The Book of Tea’ as a top-grade pot. When used for brewing tea, it emits fragrances of peach, lotus, clove, and bamboo. The tea brewed in it has calming effects.”
Finishing his introduction, the auctioneer handed the microphone to Chloe. “Miss Chloe, please evaluate the Zisha Clay Teapot.”