Regretting the Wife He Threw Away novel Chapter 279

Four Years Later

Summer nights in Northborough stretched on and on, the velvet darkness stitched with scattered stars.

At the Northborough International Convention Center, a charity auction was in full swing.

“And next up for bidding, we have a rare porcelain bowl from the late Renaissance period, restored just two years ago by Ms. Leilani. The craftsmanship is remarkable, and it took her over a year to bring it back to life. Tonight, she’s generously put it up for auction, with all proceeds going to our charity event. Bidding starts at three million.”

A paddle shot up from the crowd. “Five million!”

Heads turned in unison.

It was Pandora, the poised secretary, holding the paddle. Seated beside her was none other than Garry, the legendary magnate from the Westenmar Foundation.

Everyone in the room knew Garry’s reputation: an influential philanthropist with a particular fondness for antiques. Over the years, he’d made substantial contributions to heritage preservation, both at home and abroad.

When Garry set his sights on something, few dared to compete.

The room collectively assumed the porcelain bowl was as good as his.

“Eight million!” came a sudden call.

A ripple of surprise swept through the hall; such a bold jump in price was rare.

Clearly, someone intended to go head-to-head with Garry tonight.

All eyes zeroed in on the challenger.

It was Carl holding the paddle, seated beside Stewart.

Who in Northborough didn’t know Stewart? The city’s undefeated legal powerhouse, who’d taken the reins of The Wentworth Group just two years prior. Under his leadership, the company had surged ahead, dominating the green energy and technology sectors, ushering in a new era for the Wentworth empire.

A man who commanded both the political and business arenas—mention Stewart’s name in any elite circle, and even the most seasoned players would hesitate.

The stage was set: Northborough’s “devil in a suit” squaring off against Westenmar’s titan.

This was going to be a show.

Garry turned, sizing Stewart up.

Stewart, sensing the attention, looked over, their gazes locking across the aisle.

A slow smirk curled Garry’s lips. “Ten million.”

Pandora lifted the paddle. “Ten million.”

The auctioneer’s voice rang out, “Ten million! Mr. Ferguson bids ten million! Mr. Wentworth, would you like to counter?”

Stewart glanced at Carl.

Carl nodded, raising the paddle again. “Twenty million!”

The auctioneer nearly dropped his gavel. “Twenty million! Mr. Wentworth bids twenty million! Will Mr. Ferguson respond?”

Garry grinned at Stewart, as if they were simply old friends chatting. “Since when did you develop an interest in antiques?”

Stewart’s tone was cool, his expression unreadable. “It caught my eye,” he replied. “And I don’t see a reason to let it go easily.”

“Always the gentleman, huh?” Garry’s smile widened. “Well, if Mr. Wentworth likes it this much, then I’ll bow out.”

In the end, Stewart claimed the porcelain bowl for twenty million.

After the auction, Mr. Jacques, the host and director of the auction house, personally came over to thank Stewart.

“Mr. Wentworth, thank you so much for supporting our charity event tonight.”

Stewart shook his hand, his voice low and steady. “Ms. Leilani’s dedication to charity is admirable. I’ve heard a lot about her over the past two years. If possible, I’d love to meet her someday.”

Mr. Jacques offered a rueful smile. “I’m afraid that might be difficult. To be honest, despite working with Ms. Leilani on several occasions, I’ve never actually met her in person. I’ve invited her to many events, but she always politely declines.”