Chapter 10: Staged Meeting
After all items were sold, Violet rose from her seat along with other guests. Staff members guided those whose bids were successful towards the payment lounge.
Violet found Mr. Shawn and handed him the check. After the payment was processed, she was handed a grey velvet box.
She lifted the lid, revealing the necklace. Her eyes locked with the almond jade pendant. Up close, it looked cold and dull. No one would ever imagine that it held something so peculiar and special. She closed the lid and placed the box securely into her purse.
Once she got home, wherever that may be tonight, she would become bound with it.
As she walked out of the hall, she searched for Leo. Although the auction was over, there were still a lot of people around, chatting quietly, most of them holding glasses of wine served by the waiters walking around the hall.
Violet bit her lower lip, desperately hoping he hadn’t left.
The Kings were fondly referred to as the Kings of the city because they owned the majority of the luxurious estates. Leo was the second grandson of the Kings family.
Violet remembered seeing Leo Kings’ photo in one of the news articles she’d read earlier today, and from the knowledge of her previous life, she remembered that there was also a fierce battle of inheritance happening in the Kings family, although at this time the public was not made aware.
She finally caught sight of him striding towards the exit, his assistant walking beside him. He nodded slowly to whatever his assistant was saying.
Violet quickened her steps. She needed to speak to him; if she played her cards right, she could get millions off him. She took a glass of red wine off the tray of one of the waiters and moved towards him.
Leo was just about to walk past the sliding glass door when he collided with a glass of red wine. He stopped quickly, taking a step back. A red line spread over his suit. Leo cursed silently under his breath.
"What the hel—" he began, lifting his head. His words quickly got stuck in his throat when he came eye to eye with Violet. He recognised her as the lady who got the necklace he wanted.
Violet’s face scrunched up in worry. She pushed the glass into the hands of the assistant and brought out a handkerchief. In a heartbeat, her hands were on Leo’s chest, dabbing at the invisible stain on his black suit.
"I’m so sorry. I should have been more careful." she said.
He held her hand, stopping her. "It’s fine," he said.
Violet pushed some strands of hair out of her face, letting out a breath. She bit her lower lip. "If it’s okay, I’ll replace the su—" she raised her head at that moment, and clapped a hand over her mouth in mock surprise.
"It’s you." she said. Leo simply stared at her without a word. His assistant stood at the side, holding the now empty glass.
"You sat behind me during the auction." she said, her lips flattening.
Leo gave a slight nod. "And you got the necklace I wanted." His voice was deep and he spoke at a hurried pace, like he controlled the room.
Violet smiled shyly. "I did." She paused, then added, "it seems we both have exquisite taste." She let out a low laugh, but Leo didn’t join her. He simply studied her.
She had a very beautiful, unforgettable face and carried herself with pure elegance. Buying a necklace for two hundred million dollars also meant that she was from wealth. He wondered why he’d never heard of her.
They moved to the side when a couple walked past the sliding door. "Why did you want the necklace, if you don’t mind me asking?" The necklace was not one a man could wear. If he was willing to spend millions on it, he must have his reasons.
His brows flared up briefly, and Violet felt a lump rise to her throat; she was certain her question had offended him. However, she maintained the smile on her face. She was about to tell him to forget her question when he spoke.
"It was supposed to be a birthday gift for my grandmother." Leo said. Seeing the confused look on her face, he went further to explain. "If she finds out I spent millions on it, it would automatically lose its value in her eyes. She thinks the best gifts are from the heart and cannot be bought with wealth."
Violet’s composure cracked faintly, a laugh threatening to spill, but she held it in and coughed. Rejecting a gift because of the amount sounded stupid. But who was she to judge? She believed the old woman thought that way because she was born into wealth.
"Then you should probably get her something else." Violet offered, slipping into a professional tone. "And I might just have the perfect gift you can give her."
This caught Leo’s attention. "What might that be?" he asked.
"Jill and Jones Development." she stated with a straight face. It was no news that Kings Estate had been trying to work with Jill and Jones Development on a new project which, if successful, would be the biggest project in the country’s history.
From what she’d read online and her memories from her previous life, Violet knew Leo’s gift was a bribe to win his grandmother over. He may be successful and smart, but he was the least favourite of his grandmother’s grandsons, which also translated to him being the least in line to take over.
Leo’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Working with Jill and Jones was his grandmother’s unfulfilled wish. How did she know about that?
"You know about Jill and Jones?" he questioned, his voice lower than usual.
Violet gave a faint nod. "I work with them. There’s an opening, a chance to work with us. If you want, I can let you in on it." she said. Her heart thudded within her chest.
Greed skittered through Leo’s eyes. He imagined all that could happen if a Kings Estate partnership with Jill and Jones were to happen through him.
Forget about winning his grandmother over, he would surely become her heir.
However, that didn’t mean he could trust just anyone. Besides, he had never heard of Kierra Adams before today.
"How can I be sure you truly work with them?" he asked.
"You’ll know once I tell you what I’m about to say." Violet replied, her voice firm, a direct contrast to how she felt.
Leo decided to give it a shot. His eyes darted around to ensure no one was listening to their conversation.
"Okay, I’m listening." he said, urging her to speak.
Violet slowly shook her head, causing Leo to lift one brow. "My information isn’t free. If you want to hear what I have to say, you’d have to pay."
"What?" Leo asked, thinking he’d misheard her.
"You heard me correctly. You don’t think Kings Estate is the only one who wants to work with us, do you?" she questioned.
"And how much would that be?"
Without thinking, Violet replied, "Thirty million."
Leo’s lips twitched to the side, his distrust for her strengthening. Seeing that he was hesitating, Violet decided it was time to use her system.
’System.’ she called, and a blue transparent screen appeared between them.
A blue dot, visible only to Violet’s eyes, formed on Leo’s forehead.
Potential Target Detected.
Would host like to identify this individual as a target?
’Yes.’
The moment she answered yes, the blue dot turned to red. Then the words on the panel shifted.
Target Identified.
Name: Leo Kings
Current Emotion: Curious
Deepest Desire: To become the Kings family’s successor.
Greatest Fear: Being permanently overlooked.
Weakness: Ambition.
Fatal Flaw: Excessive caution.
Resistance: 4/5
Mind Push Available.
Warning: Target possesses high mental resistance.
A familiar pressure built behind her eyes and the noise in the hall faded. She felt a dull ache in her head as she locked eyes with Leo.
Leo’s pupils contracted. Violet drew a slow breath. "You should pay me." she said. Her voice carried an invisible force, rolling out in circles.
For a moment, Leo stared blankly, then his brows knitted together, his eyes remained sharp.
Suddenly, the pressure behind Violet’s eyes snapped and she felt a stabbing pain in her eyes. The moment broke.
Violet winced. She lowered her eyes and raised one hand to her head; she was visibly in pain, but she quickly schooled her features.
When she raised her gaze, Leo was studying her. The hesitation was still there, and then he asked, "Why should I pay that much for just information?" he asked.
Violet’s eyes widened, the hair on her arm rose. Her mind push didn’t work on Leo.