Chapter 6

The buyer was a long-term strategic partner of the Carnegie Group.

Josephine suddenly felt like laughing. This whole thing was fake charity—just ass-kissing in disguise.

They weren't here to buy collectibles. They were here to buy a favor from the Carnegie family. A gesture of loyalty to the Carnegie Group.

Gideon leaned close to Josephine and whispered, "There are important people here today. Don't look so stiff. Smile. Don't let anyone notice."

Josephine tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Notice what?"

"That we had a fight. Don't give them something to gossip about." His tone was matter-of-fact, as if yesterday's argument meant nothing to him.

Josephine put on a perfectly polite smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

The auction went smoothly. One item after another sold, none for less than three million dollars.

It was a clear display of the Carnegie family's status.

Faye sat in the front row, her face glowing with satisfaction. Everything was under her control.

Then the final item was brought to the stage.

The auctioneer pulled back the red silk cloth, revealing a bowl.

It was a restored bowl, pale celadon in color with a soft glaze and faint hairline cracks visible on the surface.

There was an obvious chip at the rim, filled in with a gold-colored material.

It didn't look out of place. If anything, it seemed almost intentional, making the piece appear complete.

"This piece dates back to the Victorian era. The original vessel had some damage, but thanks to the careful work of a restoration specialist, it's been given new life."

"Though imperfect, it bears witness to history. Opening bid: five hundred thousand dollars."

The room fell quiet for a moment. This was the lowest starting price of the night.

The bowl's condition was mediocre at best.

Damaged, repaired, and not particularly valuable as a collectible.

Someone tentatively raised their paddle.

"Five hundred fifty thousand."

After a pause, another bid came in.

"Six hundred thousand."

The price crept upward slowly, nothing like the feverish energy of earlier.

But Josephine couldn't take her eyes off the bowl.

She leaned forward slightly, studying every detail. The repair lines, the technique... Her brow furrowed, then relaxed. A spark lit in her eyes.

She murmured under her breath, "This restoration technique..."

Gideon didn't quite catch it. "What? It's just a broken bowl. What's so interesting?"

Josephine didn't answer. She just kept staring.

From across the room, Cornelius noticed.

He'd seemed bored since the moment he walked in. But when the bowl appeared, his attention sharpened.

Not at the bowl. At Josephine's expression.

The way she looked at it was different from how she'd looked at the other items.

As if this flawed bowl were some priceless treasure.

"One million two hundred thousand!"

No one raised their paddle after that.

The auctioneer was about to bring down the gavel when a cool voice interrupted him.

"Wait."

The room went silent.

Josephine's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly.

She realized what she'd just done, and for a moment, discomfort flickered across her face.

But it quickly transformed into confident determination.

"I think it's worth pointing out that while the restoration work on this piece is decent, it could be better."

"And if it were properly restored, this item's value would triple."

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

Faye's gaze cut toward Josephine like a blade.

But Josephine didn't back down. Her voice was steady, carrying an undeniable authority.

"Look here. The restorer's intention was to use kintsugi techniques to embrace the beauty of imperfection. The concept is sound, but the thickness of the filler wasn't properly controlled, creating a slight ridge at the joint. You can't see it under natural light, but under bright light, it creates a small shadow."

No one spoke now. They were all listening intently.

"Also, the gold tracery along the chip doesn't match the original pattern. The restorer was too focused on visual appeal and lost the connection with the piece itself. Good restoration should become part of the object, not overshadow it."

When she finished, the hall was deathly quiet.

She lowered her eyes. Her heart pounded.

She shouldn't have done this. Not here.

Faye let out a cold laugh. "What do you know? Someone who doesn't even have a job shouldn't be spouting nonsense without proof."

A few people began to laugh quietly. Gideon's expression darkened, and he tightened his grip on her arm. "Jojo, don't make a scene."

Josephine bit her lip, about to say "I'm sorry."

"She's right. That's exactly how it is."

Cornelius's voice was still lazy, but his eyes held a challenge.

The room fell silent again. Faye's face grew even more sour. "Cornelius, why are you getting involved?"

He arched an eyebrow. "I'm not getting involved. As someone in the field, pointing out a colleague's mistakes is professional courtesy."

In the field? Cornelius had been studying law abroad, hadn't he? When did he become an expert in antiquities?

But he didn't explain. He just looked straight at Josephine. "Did you study artifact restoration?"

Josephine hesitated, then nodded.

Cornelius's lips curved slightly. He didn't say anything more, but the interest in his eyes deepened.

Faye was about to lose it, but she held herself back.

The auctioneer picked up where he left off and continued the auction.

Under Josephine's gaze, Cornelius raised his paddle. "Two million dollars."

Everyone was stunned.

Josephine had sounded convincing, sure, but she wasn't a renowned expert. No one had any real reason to believe her.

In the end, the Victorian-era bowl went to Cornelius for two million dollars.

The bowl was brought to his side. He tapped the elegant box and smiled at Josephine. "Sister-in-law, don't disappoint me."

Josephine pressed her lips together and said nothing.

The interruption passed quickly, and the auctioneer moved on.

Josephine stood up. "I'm going to the restroom."

Gideon looked up at her, his eyes filled with something she couldn't read.

The restroom was at the end of the hallway. The lighting was dim.

Josephine pulled out her lipstick and carefully touched up her makeup.

"Jojo."

A familiar voice came from behind her. A warm hand touched her shoulder.

But it felt ice-cold.

It was Gideon. Josephine spun around sharply, only to realize that at some point, the restroom door had been locked from the inside.

He stepped closer, emotions churning in his eyes. "You looked so beautiful when you were looking at that bowl just now."

Gideon reached for her face, but she slapped his hand away. "This is a public place. Don't."

"So what? This is the Carnegie family's territory."

Josephine suddenly remembered that night. And then he pressed closer.

Nausea surged through her. Her hand moved on its own and struck Gideon across the face.

He froze. In that split second, Josephine unlocked the door and ran out.

But the moment she stepped into the hallway, a large hand grabbed her and pulled her into a storage closet.

An unfamiliar scent of pine surrounded her. Her heart raced with unease.

"Sister-in-law, why are you running?"

Josephine stared at the man who'd just defended her.

In the cramped space, their bodies were pressed dangerously close.

The atmosphere grew thick with tension.

"You... back up." Josephine thought of what had happened yesterday and said quietly.

She pushed Cornelius backward, but he knocked into something behind him. It made a loud noise.

Gideon heard it. He walked over and tried to open the door, only to find it locked from the inside.

He pounded on the door, his voice dark. "Jojo, are you in there? Be good. Come out."

Cornelius, who'd been pushed against the wall, leaned in closer and pinned her there. His voice dropped low.

"Sister-in-law, should I open the door? That's my brother out there."