Scratching her chin, Elspeth said thoughtfully, “I still need a 500-year-old ginkgo, but it can only be bought from the auction. We’ll have to wait until evening.”
He scanned around. “Are you hungry? We’ll grab a bite if you’re hungry.”
Similar to a small commercial street, the underground black market had all sorts of facilities within, including food, drinks, and entertainment, but the prices were sky-high. Checking the menu in front of her, Elspeth was flabbergasted to see that just a plate of pasta was priced at 100 dollars.
She didn’t even bat an eyelid when paying one million for herbs but felt it was daylight robbery when the pasta cost one hundred. Bearing the pain, she ordered the pasta. Just then, she saw a familiar person at the next table when she returned the menu.
Isn’t that… Arthur? Isn’t he in Damoria? What’s he doing here? she wondered.
However, the important thing now was he shouldn’t discover them here. In a hurry, she came up with an idea and fished out two pairs of sunglasses from her bag. After putting on a pair, she shoved the other into Callum’s hand.
“Arthur is around. Put it on quickly.”
Callum understood it and put the sunglasses on obediently. “Why is he around here?” he whispered.
Actually, he had caught sight of Arthur earlier, too, but he wasn’t sure. It seemed like he had been right all along.
“What else could it be? Most probably, he’s also here for the auction. Do you think he’s here for the ginkgo, too?”
At the thought of this, Elspeth’s heart raced nervously.
“It’s okay. The Winthrops are loaded.”
“It’s not about the money. If Arthur is up to some hanky-panky, it will be tough to get the ginkgo this time.”
She thought about it, and all of a sudden, she came up with a great plan.
At the auction, she looked around, and as she expected, she saw Arthur seated not far away with his head lowered and reading something. The almost unnoticeable smile on his lips made her worry, though.
While she was uninterested in the items that were auctioned in the beginning, Callum was rather engrossed in the auction and even bought a few pieces of jewelry for her.
Thanks to his cold, his voice sounded different from usual, and that prevented Arthur from recognizing him.
Soon, it was time for the grand finale of the day—ginkgo.
Staring at the ginkgo leaves locked in a glass incubator, Elspeth lit up.
“500-year-old ginkgo. Starting price at 1.5 million!”
Sure enough, Arthur, who had done nothing earlier, was just waiting for this, and he raised his paddle decisively, calling the price 1.5 million more than the starting price.
After that, every time he called a price, Callum would follow closely and call a price as well, but each time only a dollar higher.
Yes, only a dollar, which seemed like he was making enemies with Arthur on purpose.
Noticing this weird competitor, Arthur twirled his head and stole a look. Elspeth hurriedly ducked, and Callum was wearing sunglasses. In addition, the surrounding was dark, so Arthur couldn’t recognize them.
He stared in their direction thoughtfully before looking away.
Both of them continued to bid. In the beginning, others were bidding as well, but soon, many gave up as the price went up. In the end, only Arthur and Callum were left to bid for the ginkgo.
As though losing patience, Arthur called directly, “100 million.”
That amount was way over the value of the ginkgo, and Elspeth tapped Callum. “That’s enough. Give up the bid.”
Ignoring her words, he raised his paddle. “200 million.”
“Okay, is there anyone higher than 200 million?”
Arthur gave it one final thought and decided to give up the bid.
“200 million going once. 200 million going twice. 200 million going thrice! Congratulations, sir! This ginkgo is yours!”
Elspeth rolled her eyes at him. “That’s extravagant. If I had known this would happen, I would have just blackmailed Grandfather for money.”
Hearing that, Callum stroked her head. “It’s okay. I’m rich.”
At a loss for words to describe him, she rolled her eyes and uttered reluctantly, “I have money, too. But some things are not worth the money, and we should be clear about which is that, okay?”
What a spendthrift. I wonder who is so unlucky to be his wife, she grumbled silently. Oh, I’m that unlucky person.
While she was filled with frustration, he suddenly turned to her and said in a serious tone, “Here’s the money. Watch it for me.”
“Deal!”
Nonetheless, it still lifted her spirits that he had successfully bid the ginkgo for her. When they were at the door, their way was blocked by a group of people out of nowhere.
“What now, Callum? You’re actually at a place like this? Didn’t you mention before that the things in the black market were filthy, and you’d rather die than come here?”
Standing in the front of the group, Arthur put up an arrogant stance as he stared at Callum, which seemed especially ironic.
He can be arrogant all he wants now, but wait and see what will happen later!
“What are you planning by getting people to block our path?”
Although Callum looked a little unwell, the cold air he exuded still sent shivers down one’s spine, and the people around him only dared to surround him but not do anything to him.
“I know it’s really bad to have you surrounded like this, but…” Arthur smirked, and suddenly, his expression shifted. “Hand over the ginkgo.”
Without flinching, Elspeth held the ginkgo closer to her chest. “What? Are you here to rob us when you didn’t call for a price in the auction earlier?”
Arthur turned to her and grinned. “Elspeth, if you’ll date me, then I’ll give the ginkgo to you as a present.”
“Present? Arthur Winthrop, Callum is the one who bought this. Aren’t you ashamed to say something like that?”
Today, she learned that a person could be so shameless.
However, he acted as though he hadn’t heard her and said casually, “If your answer is no, don’t blame me for taking it by force.”
The people around them started to hop provocatively like they would lunge any second to steal the ginkgo.
“Hold on!”
Suddenly, a deep voice boomed from behind, and it gave Arthur a bad feeling as he raised his hand to stop his men.
Turning around, he saw a group of people approaching them, and he narrowed his eyes. “May I ask who this is?”
That person sniggered. “I’m Irving Cole. How did it miss me that there’s someone else calling the shots in the market that I’m operating?”
The sarcasm in his voice was exceptionally clear, and Arthur knew he had hit a hard nail. So, he kept away his hostility and said, “You must be kidding. This market is still under your power, and I’m just here to collect a debt.”
The luck of me to bump into the boss of the black market before I can even make a move, he thought. Both of them are really lucky.
“Collect a debt? Well, tell me about it. Why are you collecting a debt from my goddaughter?”
Goddaughter?!
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