Max slowed his footsteps and sneaked over when the lights dimmed, and people weren’t aware.
“What are you doing here, Archie, Natalia?”
“If you could come, why can’t we?”
Thinking it was funny, Natalia teased.
Max didn’t mind. He spoke up himself. “To tell you the truth, this auction is hosted by our family. After you stay here a while and take a liking to some pieces, you can tell me, and I’ll have people reserve them for you so nobody takes them instead.”
Natalia was a bit taken aback, while Archie looked at him and said, “If you can do that, why don’t you just give them to us?”
Max lulled.
“That’s… that’s a bit too much, Archie. You know that my Dad holds the financial power in the family. If I really gave it to you, he’d probably break my kneecaps.”
Natalia laughed. At that moment, a young man walked over from a corner of the lobby.
“Archie, Natalia.”
The newcomer was in a deep gray suit. With clearly defined features and a bookish smile, he emanated an aura of quiet elegance.
Natalia had seen him once and knew he was a friend of Archie’s. A genius doctor by the name of Louis Brown. She stood up hurriedly and greeted him.
Louis hadn’t thought he’d meet them here. Curious, he asked, “You’re interested in jewelry too, Natalia?”
He knew that Archie certainly wasn’t.
Natalia smiled. “No, I’m just looking around.”
Hearing that, Louis nodded and didn’t ask on.
Seeing the way things were, Max decided not to go to the front at all and had people switch his seats. He pulled Louis over to the back row and sat down alongside Archie and Natalia.
“I’m telling you, Archie, there’s a few good pieces on sale tonight that all fit Natalia perfectly. When they come out, I’ll point you. Pay attention!”
Natalia hurriedly stopped him.
“Hold it. Don’t egg him on. We’re just here to look around and didn’t think of buying anything.”
Max snickered.
“Come on, Natalia, women can’t skimp on themselves, you know. If you don’t spend this money, someone else will spend it for you. Besides, Archie’s got plenty of money for you to…”
Before he could finish, he received a whack on the head.
Max yelped and covered his skull, looking pitifully over at Archie.
“Come on, Archie, there was no need to hit me out of nowhere.”
Archie’s expression was dark as he muttered, “Will you shut up? Want me to toss you out?”
Max made a motion of sealing his mouth and showed that he wasn’t going to talk anymore.
Archie gripped Natalia’s hand and murmured, “Don’t listen to the nonsense he’s spewing. My money is your money, and it doesn’t have anything to do with other women.”
Natalia couldn’t help but laugh.
Max grumbled about Archie’s slavish devotion internally but didn’t voice it as he waited for the auction to start.
Soon, everyone had arrived, and the event began in earnest.
Natalia still remembered the red coral necklace that Archie had given her last time. She’d felt that that one fit the old lady very well. After all, she was young and didn’t have too many occasions to use a piece like that.
The old lady, though, with her age, liked these crimson and emerald things, even just to look at.
But Archie had given her those, so it wouldn’t do to regift them. She could only hope that something similar would come up tonight so they didn’t attend for nothing.
“Even if it isn’t, it means more to her than your pillowcase.”
“Oho, Louis, you’re just trying to pick a fight with me today, aren’t you?”
“…”
Seeing the two start to wrestle about, Natalia hurriedly interrupted.
“Hang on. The pillowcase you’re talking about – is it the Imperial Phoenix-pattern gold-silk pillowcase they excavated recently?”
Hearing that she knew the pillowcase, Max piped up. “Yes, that’s exactly it. Gotta hand it to Natalia to know what she’s talking about.”
Natalia chuckled awkwardly.
“No, I’m just curious how insensitive you have to be to give someone a pillow that a dead person slept on as a birthday present. Are you trying to curse her?”
“…”
Louis and Archie burst out laughing.
Max tried desperately to retort. “What do you mean a dead person slept on it? In that case, a lot of antiques can’t be used, then?”
Natalia smirked.
“Well, I didn’t say that, but it was a burial item, you know. I just think it’s a bit foreboding to use something that’s been entombed as a birthday present, you know…”
“Fine!”
Max blustered. “All right, all three of you are joining forces to bully me today, are you! Well, then I’ll stop talking to you, since none of you get it!”
With that, he crossed his arms and turned to the side, sulking.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Spoiled By The CEO: Why The Wife Is Kinda Sweet?