Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 918

Soon, all the prime seats on the second floor were taken.

As Helen turned, she came face-to-face with Otto's piercing gaze. Although they had just met today, his eyes felt strangely familiar to her.

Otto's expression remained stoic as he nodded toward her.

Helen returned the nod, acknowledging his courtesy.

Witnessing their interaction, Jenson quickly assumed they were flirting.

Without a word, he positioned himself directly between them, blocking Otto's view and giving him a stern glare.

His unspoken message was clear. "Helen is already taken. If you have any intentions, you better think twice."

Meeting Jenson's gaze, Otto remained unfazed. A smirk played on his lips as he casually looked away.

"Good call," Jenson muttered to himself.

Soon, the first auction item was presented.

This raw stone weighed approximately 40 pounds. One of its corners had been polished, revealing a vibrant, pure green color that was smooth and glossy, capturing everyone's attention.

"I'm certain this is a top-tier emerald!" someone exclaimed, sparking excitement among the crowd.

However, differing opinions arose. "Looks can be deceiving. It might seem impressive on the surface, but who knows what lies within."

"Could that really be the case? Even if it's half emerald, it would still be incredibly valuable!"

"But the real issue is whether it actually contains emeralds. What if it turns out to be just a worthless chunk of rock? We could end up losing everything!"

Despite the differing opinions, industry standards dictated that these raw stones fetched significantly higher prices than those that were entirely opaque.

No one could claim that a polished specimen would accurately reflect its outward appearance.

More often than not, the emerald was confined to a small fraction of the stone, making it nearly indistinguishable from an ordinary roadside pebble.

As the auction drew to a close, a uniquely colored stone was placed up for bidding.

The stone was shrouded in thick moss, its surface delicately tinged with a reddish hue.

When light illuminated it, the reflections scattered unevenly, giving it the appearance of metallic ore rather than emerald.

The stone was approximately the same size as the first one. Nonetheless, its unconventional appearance prompted many skeptical murmurs.

The starting bid was set at two hundred and eighty thousand dollars.

The first floor remained unusually silent.

But from the second floor, a voice exclaimed enthusiastically, "Five hundred thousand dollars. I'll take it!"

It was none other than Helen.