Chapter 769
769:
Collin frowned. Ivy’s voice echoed in his mind. She had asked him to look after Haven.
He exhaled silently, already regretting his agreement. After tonight, he would definitely have a serious talk with Ivy about getting dragged into this kind of mess.
Expression cold, he signaled to the assistant seated behind him.
“$5 million!” the assistant called out.
Gasps erupted across the venue.
“Mr. Riley placed a bid! He jumped straight to $5 million!”
“She just said they’re friends. Come on, there’s clearly more going on there.”
Linsey sat quietly, hearing the murmurs swirl around her.
In her heart, she couldn’t disagree. The bond between Collin and Haven didn’t feel like simple friendship. They had almost gotten married once.
If Haven hadn’t abruptly walked away from the wedding, she wouldn’t have ended up marrying Collin.
The thought made Linsey’s smile bitter.
Collin ultimately secured the first item of the night.
Soon, the next item was brought on stage.
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As soon as it appeared, Haven frowned and said in disbelief, “Why is a plain designer shirt being auctioned?”
Linsey glanced at her but didn’t respond.
Right after Haven’s remark, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The crowd buzzed with renewed energy.
“That’s the winning piece from this year’s design competition!”
“I missed Aurora’s work at the show yesterday, but seeing it now—it’s incredible!”
“Even at the competition, we only saw it on a screen. Seeing it in person tonight is a treat. Her color pairing is brilliant!”
“This should’ve been the main highlight of the auction. Compared to this, that painting earlier feels so underwhelming.”
“Exactly! They’re on completely different levels.”
“Shh—keep your voice down. The only reason that painting got on the stage was because Haven is a Walton.”
The mocking words sliced through the air, hitting Haven hard. Her face flushed with embarrassment and rising fury.
She turned to Collin again, her tone soft but aggrieved. “Collin, did you hear that? How can they say something so awful about my painting? How can that awful shirt be better than my art? My oil painting is real art—it’s a masterpiece!”
Collin looked at Haven, his expression unreadable. In a low voice, he said, “This design won a prestigious competition this year. What do you think?”
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