After coming out of the restroom, Aurelia Shaw washed her hands, and heard a woman's voice ring out behind her:

"Oh, this dress... Daisy, you'd definitely look better in it than she does."

Daisy? Aurelia turned around and smiled—just as she'd thought, enemies really do run into each other everywhere. If Daisy was here, did that mean Albert was here too?

Daisy couldn't hide her dislike for Aurelia—it showed right on her face. She shot her a condescending glance and said coldly, "Of course. You may look okay, but if I wore this dress, I'd look much better than you."

Aurelia knew that girls from M Nation tended to be straightforward, but she had lived in M Nation herself; when it came to being blunt and willful, if she claimed to be number one in Q City, no one would dare claim second place.

"So can I take your words as a sign of jealousy? Sour grapes, huh? Don't say it's because you couldn't get this dress—even if you did, even if you wore it tonight, you still wouldn't look as good in it as I do." She lifted her chin slightly.

Daisy was half a head taller than her, but in front of Aurelia's cutting, imperious aura, she seemed instantly a notch shorter. A pampered girl like Daisy—when had she ever suffered such a blow?

"You—" She glared at Aurelia.

"Albert's here too, isn't he?" Aurelia switched the subject without warning.

"I'm not telling you!" Daisy said with a huff.

Aurelia didn't press further. She walked away, tossing over her shoulder, "You've already given me the answer."

"You... what is with people like you." How could there be someone more arrogant than her! Her brother called her overbearing, but she felt she wasn't even half as overbearing as this woman.

Doesn't this arrogant woman worry she'll run into trouble one day?

Suddenly, the man she'd seen the other day flashed through Daisy's mind... Women only act spoiled when there's someone to indulge them. Was this woman's arrogance spoiled into her by that cold man?

She just couldn't believe a man who was so rough with women could actually spoil one.

Daisy was fuming, but Joy Lowe misread her anger as aimed at Aurelia. Joy's eyes flashed coldly for a moment. Her father had told her to get along well with Daisy, but Aurelia had nearly ruined everything for her.

Aurelia returned to her seat, and soon the charity auction began.

Andrew Kennedy whispered in her ear, "Anyone who comes to a charity auction has to buy at least one or two items—no matter what, or else the media will make it look like you're just here for show. I've already picked one for you—the fifth item up for auction is priced just right for you."

Andrew was worried she didn't understand these rules, so he explained it to her in detail. Aurelia nodded—she'd attended one of these auctions before with Mason Nightshade and was already familiar with the rules.

The auction moved fast and was intense. Soon, the fifth item was up. When the price was about right, Andrew glanced at Aurelia, and she raised her bidding paddle.

"Number thirty-six, thirty-two thousand."

Finally. Joy's eyes flashed coldly—she raised her own paddle. "Number seventeen, thirty-four thousand."

Aurelia looked over from the audience. Joy turned back to send her a provocative smile, her alluring eyes narrowing with depth.

"Number thirty-six, thirty-six thousand."

"Number seventeen, thirty-eight thousand."

"Number thirty-six, fifty thousand."

"Number seventeen, fifty-two thousand."

"Number thirty-six, one hundred thousand!"

Wow—

Gasps swept the audience. It was just a jade hairpin, not even something worth collecting as an antique. How could it possibly be worth a hundred thousand?

"Number seventeen, one hundred and ten thousand!"

"Number thirty-six, two hundred thousand!"

Andrew looked at her in concern, afraid she would lose out just to win for a moment's pride. But seeing her calm, cool little face hidden in the shadows, his worries somehow eased.