Chapter 9 The Unexpected Painting
As Nathaniel’s good friend, Leon knew about his relationship with Celeste.
They were divorced now, and Nathaniel had moved on.
Leon wasn’t surprised at all.
After all, Nathaniel never kept a girlfriend for more than three
months.
Yet, their marriage lasted 4 years, which almost made Leon
think Nathaniel actually loved her.
Now, Celeste looked more radiant than ever, catching his
attention. He began to doubt the rumors about her being
naive.
“Celeste, who are you to sit here?” Nathaniel asked coldly.
The party was a magnet for the elites, all drawn by the rare
violet diamond.
Nathaniel didn’t think she deserved such a prime seat.
Chapter 9 The Unexpected Painting
Celeste glanced at the man beside her, his handsome face unreadable, his gaze icy.
Confused, she wondered why he treated her this way.
But then, she thought about the babies she was carrying.
Four months pregnant, her bump would soon show.
Her heart ached as she realized Nathaniel had turned his back on her just when she wanted a future together.
As Celeste stayed quiet, Nathaniel lost patience.
“Celeste, why are you here? You don’t belong. You’ll just embarrass yourself when the real seat owner arrives!”
Celeste shot him a cold look, feeling the pain inside.
So, what did she mean to Nathaniel?
She wanted to know the answer.
2/7
His betrayal had shattered her illusions, bursting her bubbles
of fantasies.
It wasn’t until then that it dawned on her – She’d never have
his love.
Chapter 9 The Unexpected Painting
3/7
Lounging back, she responded, “You don’t own the place. If you can be here, why can’t I?”
“Just so you know, I’m a guest of honor here. My spot’s event
better than yours,” she added.
Nathaniel’s face darkened as he noticed her stunning appearance. His eyes narrowed, simmering with anger.
He recalled his assistant mentioning that she showed up in a
fancy car with a good–looking guy.
Suddenly, Nathaniel felt like Celeste was a stranger. She used
to look sad, but now she seemed confident and lively.
Sneering, he asked, “You’re here for your boyfriend, right?”
“I’m here because I earned it!” Celeste retorted with a smirk.
At that moment, Leon nudged Nathaniel and showed him the
VIP guest list.
It turned out that Carter Jameson, the mysterious billionaire,
owned the seat.
Nathaniel’s gaze sharpened as he looked back at Celeste.
“So, you’re here for him?” he asked, jealousy in his voice.
Chapter 9 The Unexpected Painting
4/7
“You disgust me, Celeste!” he snapped, angry that she moved on so quickly.
Hearing that, Colesto folt as if a knife was stabbing her heart.
With pain written all over her face, she lowered her gaze, refusing to look at Nathaniel.
It wasn’t the first time that he’d called her disgusting.
Realizing how much he hated her, she decided to withdraw
her love.
With disdain, she replied, “Nathaniel, I find you repulsive too. A decent ex–husband should stay away and not bother their ex, you know?”
Nathaniel frowned, speechless by her words.
Madelynn smirked with satisfaction upon hearing Nathaniel’s
harsh words.
She believed Celeste would always be in her shadow.
Just then, the auctioneer announced the first item up for
bidding.
“Dear guests, I would like to present our first item for auction
Chapter 9 The Unexpected Painting
tonight, the Rivers and Mountains.”
Right after that, Celeste raised her head and looked at the painting on the stage.
5/7
She widened her eyes in disbelief, wondering how it ended up
there.
It was Elias’s painting, and he had been gone for four years.
Her eyes welled up with tears, and her heart jolted in pain as she thought of it.
Yet, Celeste snapped out of it when Nathaniel started bidding.
Their eyes met, and Nathaniel’s heart skipped a beat seeing
her teary eyes.
It was the first time he saw her cry, and it stirred something in
him.
He wondered who she was crying for.
Celeste quickly held back her tears and pulled herself together.
She turned her gaze back to the painting, still clueless about why it was there.
Chapter 9 The Unexpected Painting
–
6/7
But she was certain about one thing it couldn’t fall into the wrong hands.
The artwork held a big secret, after all.
Celeste quickly sent a message to her assistant, Amelia Ford, sitting behind her.
[Amelia, get that painting no matter what it costs.]
[Okay, Miss.]
Tonight, Celeste was well–prepared. She came to the auction. mainly for the purple diamond.
If she set her eyes on something else, Amelia would get it for
her.
As the bidding went on, the price of the painting had reached
ten million dollars.
Nathaniel led the bids, keeping others away.
The auctioneer declared excitedly, “One million, going once,
going twice… Any more bids?”
Amelia, from the last row, raised her paddle. “Twenty million,”
she said.
Chapter 9 The Unexpected Painting
Nathaniel countered, “Thirty million.”
Amelia upped it to “Fifty million.”
Nathaniel’s face darkened, surprised someone dared to challenge him.
With a sly grin, he raised it to “One hundred million.”
7/7
Seeing Nathaniel so fixated on the painting, Celeste wondered if he knew its secrets too.
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