Chapter: 1633

“Well.... It matters." There was an unintentional hint of stubbornness in her voice.

Odin stared at her.

Rachel smiled.

"For you, saying you love me may come easily, but I can't do that. We're not right for each other. Even if you do genuinely care for me, I don't feel the same way about you."

Odin's pride took another blow.

He glared at Rachel.

This marked the third time she had rejected him.

Rachel studied him for a moment before looking away. After watching her for a while, Odin coldly warned, "You'd better not regret this.”

This time, Rachel didn't say anything.

The first auction item, carefully presented by a ceremonial girl, was unveiled at the host's command.

“This is a porcelain plate. The intricate pattern is well-preserved, and it hails from the royal family, a part of a princess's dowry.

The starting price is two million!"

Upon hearing the host's description, several people lifted their number plates to place bids. After multiple rounds, the first item was sold for five million seven hundred thousand.

Rachel didn't find the first few lots appealing. She briefly looked at the auction winner and returned her focus to the leaflet in her hands.

Among the wide variety of items on display, one particular item caught her attention.

As the auction went on, the atmosphere was not as lively as at the beginning. Everyone began to show exhaustion. After all, not every item was equally captivating.

Throughout the event, Rachel sensed someone watching her.

At first, she could dismiss it, but eventually, it became harder to ignore. When she looked around, she saw nothing. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Alberto, seated in the front row, coughing lightly with a his fist on his lips. Edmond, sitting next to Alberto, seemed to be offering gentle care and concern.

Rachel's gaze fell upon the mask covering half of his face, and she couldn't help but wonder what his eyes looked like underneath.

Unconsciously, she was a little fascinated.

Finally, the item she was interested in was brought to the stage.

The venue's lighting dimmed, and as the red cloth was removed, a hairpin resting on black velvet shone with a unique luster under the soft white Light.

"I'm sure you've seen the twelfth item up for auction." The host slowly approached the glass cover, microphone in hand.

“As you can see, this is a hairpin. Crafted from gold and coated with a layer of silver, it has retained its luster over the years due to a unique process. It is said that the emperor gifted this to his concubine on her birthday, commissioning over a dozen artisans to create it. The pearls adorning it were sourced from across the nation and personally placed by the emperor. The concubine cherished this hairpin, wearing it almost daily.”

The host relayed the hairpin's backstory with enthusiasm.