Chapter 132
Joshua lingered just a moment longer, brushing her lips with gentle pressure before pulling away. Their eyes met. He swallowed slightly, and for a brief second, he almost leaned in again.
If he stayed any longer, he’d blow his cover. All that quiet strategy he’d been building up might get exposed.
Joshua lowered his gaze, opened the door, and got into the car. Not far off, Kingston, who’d been headed their way, froze in place.
He stood there awkwardly for a second before turning back like nothing had happened and returning to his car to wait for his so-called cousin.
In the back, Bradley loaded the luggage into the trunk, watching the whole thing unfold speechlessly. ‘Mr. York is unreal. Using Kingston to steal a kiss? Brazen doesn’t even cover it!’
Inside the car, Shermaine pressed her lips together. Her ears were hot, and she was annoyed. She could’ve dodged it but hadn’t.
She’d gone soft. And for what?
‘As if Kingston could actually do anything to Joshua. Ridiculous,’ she muttered inwardly.
Joshua handed her a small box.
“What is this?” Shermaine asked coldly.
“Just open it, and you’ll see.”
Shermaine unwrapped the box to find a fountain pen inside. The cap was engraved with her name. And to her surprise, the design was exactly her style.
“I thought it suited you, so I got it,” Joshua murmured.
Shermaine didn’t refuse. “Thanks,” she said. After a brief pause, she added, “But if you try to kiss me again, don’t expect me to play along.”
“Not even if it’s staged?”
“Nope.” Her voice was firm. “Your messy admirers are your own problem to deal with.”
So Shermaine didn’t like it when he kissed her. That stung more than Joshua expected. His eyes darkened slightly. “Sorry.”
“Hmm.”
Bradley finished putting away the luggage and got into the driver’s seat. “Shermaine, where do you want to eat?”
“Somewhere near Purple Pavilion,” she said. It was close to the auction, which would be quite convenient.
Over dinner, Joshua learned Shermaine would be attending a private auction there at 9 p.m. He decided to tag along. If she ran out of funds, it would be his job to cover the difference.
The auction house catered to an elite crowd. VIP clients were given private booths to ensure anonymity and top-tier service.
Shermaine, however, only had a standard invite. That meant no booth, just a regular chair in the gallery.
Most people probably wouldn’t recognize her. But the moment Joshua appeared, nine out of ten attendees would know exactly who he was.
Apparently, the rumors about him spoiling his fiancée weren’t exaggerated.
They’d barely been seated before a staff member approached. “Mr. York, we’ve arranged a private booth for you and Ms. Shue. Please follow me.”
Joshua turned to Shermaine, admiring her elegant profile. “I’m just tagging along with Sheary. You should ask her.”
The staff turned to Shermaine respectfully.
“No need,” she said. “We’re fine right here.”
The staff member hesitated, then nodded. “If you need anything, feel free to call me.” He stepped aside, standing by just in case.
The auction began quickly. The watch Shermaine had her eye on was tenth in the lineup. If bidding moved quickly, they’d get to it soon.
They were lucky: the early lots went fast. By the time the rare watch appeared, collectors were already eager.
The auctioneer reminded everyone: each bid increase must be at least one million. The room buzzed, but Shermaine waited patiently.
This was the only one of its kind in the world, and the bidding was fierce. Within minutes, the price had climbed to 30 million. By the time the room began to quiet, it had hit 500 million.
Seeing that no one else was bidding, Shermaine coolly raised her paddle and upped the price by a staggering 100 million.
At that moment, the wealthy man in the private room, who had thought victory was within his grasp, nearly passed out in shock when Shermaine suddenly raised the bid by 100 million.
Gritting his teeth, he added another two million, but Shermaine calmly raised her paddle again. “Six hundred million,” she announced.
If he kept going, he’d lose the watch anyway. And he wasn’t the kind of bidder who drove up prices for sport. So, the wealthy man had no choice but to withdraw.
After winning the bid, Shermaine handed her payment card to a nearby attendant. The staff member took it with a polite nod and said, “Ms. Shue, please come with me.”
At 9 p.m., after obtaining the watch, she left the auction house and headed straight back to Riverswood Villa.
“Don’t bring me any milk tonight. And don’t disturb me,” she said.
Joshua opened his mouth to ask why, but Shermaine had already gone upstairs with the watch and closed the door behind her.
She set the box on her desk, grabbed her sleepwear, and walked into the bathroom. As she washed her face, she stared at her reflection, and for some reason, Joshua’s kiss flashed through her mind.
Her ears felt hot again. And honestly, she was kind of annoyed at him. Her first kiss had already been accidentally taken by him… and now he’d stolen the second one too. Suddenly, that watch didn’t feel like the right gift anymore.