Ch. 161..170
Life at the Top Chapter 161
“Mr. Laine, you’ve been really close to the Laws recently. You guys must be planning something together. No matter what you are planning, you have to count me in as well!”
Jasper raised his brow at Michael’s words.
Logically, the first thought that came into Jasper’s mind was that Zachary Law must have told Michael something.
However, Jasper immediately snuffed out the possibility of something like that happening.
From a business perspective, Zachary had a position that ranked higher than everyone present here. Even if he had a good personal relationship with Michael and wanted him to join his side, he would not just disregard Jasper and tell Michael everything.
For now, the fact that he was working together with the Laws was absolutely confidential.
It was impossible for Zachary not to understand the risks of involving more people in their plans. If something like that were to be exposed to the outside world, especially by someone from the Law family, it would definitely bring forth consequential impacts to the finances of Harbor City.
Therefore, as long as Zachary did not do anything foolish, it was impossible for the outside world to know anything about their plan.
“Don’t overthink. It was easy for me to guess. You made your fortune in the stock market, and everything that you have recently done in Harbor City revolved around the stock market. At the same time, Zachary has been rather active nowadays. It is obvious that a major event is about to take place.
“These aren’t secrets. Those who are observant can easily realize this if they pay a little attention. However, they lack the core contextual information, so they don’t understand the common goal that underlies your individual actions.
“In the beginning, I didn’t get it as well. However, after hearing what you said just now, I immediately understood. The downfall of the Internet economic bubble is a disaster for most, but if you managed to predict it and made arrangements beforehand, it would be a celebration of wealth and capital.
“You have the abilities, and Zachary has the funds. That’s enough to create an impact in the capital sector of Harbor City.”
Jasper nodded after Michael finished speaking.
Sure enough, someone who had managed to make a name for himself in a place full of powerful, influential people like Harbor City was not simple-minded at all.
Since Michael had already seen through their facade, there was no need for Jasper to continue hiding it from him.
“This condition is acceptable, but there’s something that you must do, Mr. Lane. Otherwise, there’s nothing more for us to discuss,” Jasper said.
“Say it,” Michael said with a grin. He was overcome with relief after Jasper agreed to his proposition.
“I don’t care about how much funds you intend to contribute, but you must hand it over to me to ensure everything operates in unison. Also, since you’ve decided to get in this car that I’m driving, you must follow my command in everything, from the speed, to the direction that the car is going.”
Michael smiled at his words. “Of course, I’m just taking the opportunity to score a bargain deal. I definitely wouldn’t try to overthrow you. I’ll listen to whatever you ask me to do when the time comes,” he said.
Jasper raised his glass with a chuckle. “Let’s make a toast to our successful collaboration. Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
This toast signaled the commencement of a 1.5-billion-dollar entertainment film package sale plan, and future financial plans involving at least tens of billions of dollars’ worth of funds.
Michael was evidently in a pretty good mood. He chatted and joked around with Jasper for a while before coming up with an excuse to leave.
After he left, Jasper said, “It seems like there are a lot of smart people out there in the world.”
Zachary laughed. “In truth, this deal guarantees a win for both parties in the transaction. You saved 500 million dollars in the takeover of Gladness Entertainment, and he can rely on you to earn more in the future. There are no losses for you,” he said.
“More importantly, after this incident, Gladness International Corporation will naturally form an alliance with you. This is extremely beneficial for you in the future.”
Jasper nodded at his words. He replied, “Actually, having one more person on board does not affect how we earn money. With him, we won’t make a penny less, and without him, we won’t make a penny more either. The thing is, is this person reliable?”
“He’s trustworthy. I’ve known him for a few decades now. He’s a person who doesn’t easily show his true intentions. He’s good at scheming, but he may appear rather selfish at times just because he’s too good at it.
“Honestly, nobody’s perfect. Other than that, he’s perfectly reliable.”
Jasper nodded at Michael’s words.
Since it was a charity auction gala function, the main attraction of the gala would be the auction.
In reality, these were all formalities. All the rich men simply had to take out some of the items they did not need and put them up for an auction. No matter how much the items got auctioned for, the money would be donated to charity.
Moreover, there was a high probability that these items would not even pass through the actual auction. This was simply a matter of price.
All the rich and powerful people who came to the function would also make a bid for one or two items each to join in the fun of the occasion.
This money meant nothing to them. They were only doing so to make a good reputation for themselves.
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The auction commenced not long after. Jasper and Wendy had already returned to the banquet hall.
A big boss like Zachary Law no doubt had a custom seat for himself. Meanwhile, the younger ones like Jasper and Anna gathered in the hall while waiting for the auction to begin.
This occasion was a gathering of the stars. Everyone shone in all of their extravagance.
Even the air was filled with the lingering scent of wealth and fame.
Being as meticulous as always, Jasper also noticed that Mitch Langdon and Zane Lancaster were seated together. The two of them were peering at him as subtly as they could.
It was evident that having a common enemy allowed them to achieve a certain degree of understanding with each other.
“How did the both of them get together?” Anna asked, furrowing her brow.
Based on logical reasoning, Zane only had his father, Bob Lancaster. Nonetheless, Mitch was different. His father was Kennedy Langdon, whereas his grandfather was Wallace Langdon. They were both top bosses in their own leagues.
With Wallace Langdon around, the Langdons would easily take the throne among the top four families of Harbor City.
Therefore, based on such reasoning, Zane had no right to sit next to Mitch.
“Both of them are equally bad. It should be easy for them to find a common topic among themselves,” Jasper said. He did not mind at all.
Since he attended the function with Anna, Jasper sat in a seat designated for the Laws. It was located right at the front of the hall.
The first four rows were reserved for the Laws, the Boyles, the Langdons, and the Lennons.
The remaining seats were allocated for the other prominent and wealthy families of Harbor City. The seats extended backward in order of wealth and status.
There were close to a hundred tables.
This showcased the number of wealthy people in Harbor City.
Over here, those with assets worth a billion dollars or less were considered poor.
Meeting Henry once again, Jasper realized that there was a beautiful female celebrity seated next to him.
Furthermore, Jasper knew her well. Thanks to Mr. Collins, Jasper had enjoyed viewing a fair few of her gorgeous photographs.
Cindy Jung.
Stage name, Sherry.
She would be debuting in a group with another female celebrity this year after signing a contract with Golden Entertainment. She would become really popular in the future.
However, after the incident with the camera, she was utterly ruined.
Jasper had even lamented over it in his past life.
“Here’s my date. Not bad, huh?” Henry remarked proudly.
He did not really like famous female celebrities. If he wanted any of them, they would be queueing up in front of him in no time. However, he generally found them dirty.
Therefore, Henry preferred fresh faces that have only just made their debut. He found them pleasant and fresh-looking.
Cindy was rather nervous as well. She greeted Anna and Jasper respectfully.
If Henry had not brought her here, never in her life would she have the right to sit in this seat.
Anna was unfazed. Something like this was extremely normal in a wealthy family.
However, Jasper knew that Cindy had a pretty messy private life despite her innocent looks. He grinned and said, “It’s good as long as you think it’s good.”
Henry always felt that Jasper was trying to hint at something with his curious choice of words. Nevertheless, he could not seem to figure out what Jasper meant. Therefore, he felt extremely uncomfortable about this.
Jasper had just sat down when Zane’s sinister voice rang out from the table beside them.“Oh, look over here. It’s a country bumpkin from the Mainland. Do you think that you’re our equal now that you’ve found a wealthy person to back you up? The fact that you’re pretty pleased about it all is terribly disgusting.”
His voice was not loud, but it was enough for everyone from the four top families, who were seated not too far away, to hear clearly.
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His words attracted the attention of many people.
Most of them were here just to watch the scene unfolding before them and join in on the fun.
Alas, Jasper was not a slice of delectable pie. It was impossible for him to make everyone like him.
If he were to consider the top four families alone, many of them felt a strong animosity toward him due to him being an outsider’s sudden appearance in their family affairs.
Everyone was simply maintaining a facade of harmony on the surface.
Mitch Langdon, for example, was on the verge of becoming his lifelong archenemy.
Now that Zane had voiced out, a lot of people were waiting for Jasper to embarrass himself. Many of the gazes directed at him were dripping with contempt.
Henry arched his brows. He thought of Jasper as a respected mentor that would guide him on the path of becoming bigger and better. Furthermore, the Laws had invited Jasper to sit at their table. Thus, he represented the Laws as well.
By shaming Jasper Laine, it meant that he was putting the Laws to shame as well.
How could Henry stand this?
Just as Henry was about to say something, Jasper voiced out.
“You have it wrong. Being your equal is an insult to me.”
A lot of people could not resist bursting out into laughter at Jasper’s words.
Zane was fuming with anger. He glared at Jasper after being humiliated by him and sneered, “Why are you being so rash? Harbor City isn’t the Mainland. You can’t act as arrogant as you wish to over here. You won’t even know the cause of your death later on.”
“Aren’t you tired of repeating the same things over and over again?” Jasper asked impatiently.“Even if you want to threaten me, do it differently. Please enlighten me on how you wish to end my life.”
Henry was amused while listening to their exchange. Jasper had such a smart and sharp way with words. Looking at the helplessness and blunt rage in Zane’s gaze, it was clear to everyone just how powerful Jasper’s stance was.
Zane, who did not manage to humiliate Jasper but got humiliated himself instead, was so vexed that he began gritting his teeth. Just as he was about to say something, Mitch, who was seated beside him, raised his voice.
He glanced at Jasper indifferently. “Zane, stop talking. What good can come out of having a sharp tongue with someone like that?” He asked nonchalantly.
“He’s just like a dog at home. It won’t understand if you scold it. Just beat it up. When it hurts, it’ll learn its place. Dogs are dogs, it’s impossible for them to surpass their owners.
“Are you just afraid that you won’t have the chance to teach the dog a lesson?”
A light-hearted expression formed on Zane’s face after listening to Mitch’s words. He chuckled. “You’re perfectly right, Mitch. I can’t bite back at a dog if it bites me, right? I’ll teach it a lesson when the opportunity arises. It’ll understand when it hurts after getting beaten up,” he said.
Right then, the host walked onto the stage. Everyone fell silent immediately.
Although the host was a hotshot within the entertainment industry, he did not dare to showcase his wits in front of all the wealthy families of Harbor City.
After a brief opening remark, the host reiterated the charity theme underlying the auction event. After sending waves of praise to the wealthy families, the auction immediately began.
Since the items being auctioned were all personal belongings of these wealthy and powerful people, they were not half bad. Therefore, many of them began bidding right after the first item was presented.
Nevertheless, the atmosphere was extremely harmonious. Everyone was here to support the occasion. They could just act their part. Nobody would cause an uproar during an occasion like this.
Even the bosses from Zachary Law’s social circle made a few bids and purchased a few items.
“Everybody, the auction item that will appear next is very special. It was specially handed over to us by the late famous philanthropist Ms. Shannon White. She had specially requested for us to display the collector’s item at this auction.”
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“This collector’s item is known as the Angel’s Heart. It is a jewelry piece that Ms. Shannon White brought back from New Zealand more than a decade ago.
“According to Ms. Shannon White, there’s a secret within this collector’s item. However, she doesn’t know what that secret is either. She didn’t manage to find out even after analyzing it thoroughly for more than a decade.”
“Before Ms. Shannon passed away, she wanted to put this collector’s item up for auction. All the proceedings will be donated to the Leukemia Research Foundation. The starting price is 1 Harbor Dollar.”
This jewelry piece selling at starting price of 1 Harbor Dollar looked like a very simple and ordinary pendant. The pendant itself was molded in the shape of an angel holding a heart. Based on its material and appearance, it looked like it was worth 100000 Harbor Dollars at most.
However, Shannon White was one of the most famous philanthropists in Harbor City. Her death, which had been caused by leukemia, caused quite a huge uproar back then.
Hence, the Angel’s Heart, which had a mere starting price of 1 Harbor Dollar and a so-called “secret” within it, attracted the attention of many people as soon as it appeared.
As for that so-called secret, many of them did not take it seriously. They just laughed it off.
Most people thought it was simply a gimmick created by the auctioneer. Shannon White had analyzed the piece for more than ten years without making any discoveries. Therefore, they could conclude that this ‘secret’ was a mere sham.
Meanwhile, Jasper’s interest was piqued when he set his eyes upon the Angel’s Heart.
Going through his memories of the future, he clearly remembered that this Angel’s Heart really had a secret… A huge secret that was worth more than 100 million dollars.
People eventually discovered the secret around the year 2012. It had been the hottest topic for a significant period of time.
“500000 Harbor Dollars.”
During the few minutes that Jasper had been immersed in thought, the price of the Angel’s Heart had already been elevated to a number far beyond its original value.
The people in the audience were some of the wealthiest people in Harbor City. To them, 500000 Harbor Dollars and 50000 Harbor Dollars were no different.
As the late philanthropist Shannon White had commissioned for the auction of this jewelry piece herself, this was indeed an item of notable prestige. Hence, many people intended to purchase it.
“800000 Harbor Dollars.” Jasper joined in the bidding without a moment’s hesitation.
Given Jasper’s current net worth, he did not really have a liking for such things anymore. This included the secret, which was worth more than 100 million Harbor Dollars.
However, people like Jasper thought that it was a loss not to earn anything on a daily basis. After all, only b*stards did not love a good bargain.
Someone from one of the tables of the four top families made a bid. After that, the other wealthy people sitting behind understandably stopped matching the bid.
Although the item was good, it would not be wise to offend someone from the four top families over it.
Noticing Jasper join in on the bid, Zane, who did not have much interest in the Angel’s Heart, sneered. After meeting eyes with Mitch Langdon, he slowly raised his hand.
“1000000 Harbor Dollars.”
The moment had arrived. A lot of people watched on eagerly.
Since ancient times, battles for riches between wealthy families had always been an interesting sight. Many of them were beyond thrilled to watch Zane and Jasper go against each other.
“1.5 million Harbor Dollars.” Jasper did not disappoint the interested audience. He added 500000 Harbor Dollars to the bidding price immediately.
“Oh, it seems like the country bumpkin wants to gain some fame from purchasing the Angel’s Heart from Ms. Shannon White? Well, that’s too bad. I won’t let you do as you wish. 2 million Harbor Dollars,” Zane said with a grin on his face. He crossed his legs and side-eyed Jasper snobbishly.
“Listen to my advice. Don’t embarrass yourself in the high society circle of Harbor City with just those few steel bars in your pocket. Even if you force yourself into the community, you’re still a country bumpkin.
“If you really wanted to be famous, why don’t you make a bid for the renaissance painting worth more than 10 million Harbor Dollars just now? Just accept the fact that you’re poor. Aren’t you ashamed of bidding for an item that had a starting bid of 1 Harbor Dollar? You can’t give up the money, but you still want fame? What a joke.”
Zane scratched at his ear nonchalantly. He then laughed maniacally. “Continue following the bid if you can! I want to see just how much money you can spare to play this game with me!”
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Those who were listening to Zane thought that he made perfect sense as well.
At this point in time, most people from Harbor City were still extremely xenophobic. They looked down on all outsiders, especially Mainlanders.
They felt that the Mainland was a land of barren hills and turbulent rivers where savages lived. It was a barbaric place.
In their eyes, Jasper’s actions showed that he was chasing for clout while being reluctant to spend his money.
Seeing that many people agreed with him, Zane stared at Jasper contemptuously. “Did I get it right? Shut up and stay by the side quietly, you dog. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” He drawled confidently.
Zane’s expression turned stony as he spoke. “I can’t even stand your dog-like stench when I’m seated in the same room as you. You stink,” he growled in anger.
“Mr. Zane Lancaster bid 2 million Harbor Dollars. 2 million Harbor Dollars going once. Does anyone think that this Angel’s Heart is worth a higher price?”
The host did not want to join in the fight raging on between the two wealthy men. However, he had to carry out his responsibilities. Thus, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and shout out into the microphone.
Right then, Zane smirked at Jasper. He was absolutely certain that he would defeat Jasper tonight.
“Follow the bid! Why don’t you follow the bid? Aren’t you extremely capable of doing so?”
Jasper’s silence fueled Zane’s satisfaction. Jasper must have used up all the tricks he had up his sleeves. Zane guffawed loudly. “If you don’t have the money, you can always borrow some from the Laws. Anyways, you’re just a dog that the Laws brought home,” he said.
“Or do you mean to say that the Laws won’t bother to lend that much money to a dog like you? Right, you’re just a dog. Who’d want to spend money on someone like you? Hahahaha!”
As Zane laughed maniacally, everyone stared at Jasper while anticipating what would happen next. They could not wait to see if he would rise up against Zane’s attack or accept his defeat.
Even the group of big bosses were paying attention to the development of the situation in an interested manner.
“Mr. Law, it seems like this young man that you look so highly upon is nothing special.”
Bob Lancaster had been displeased with Jasper for some time now. Upon seeing his own son deal Jasper a harsh blow, he laughed out loud and joked to Zachary Law.
Zane smirked. “It’s not over yet. Don’t jump to conclusions,” he said.
“Oh, I think the result is already out.”
Kennedy Langdon was the one who spoke out. He voiced out calmly in front of all the bosses. “Mr. Lancaster, your son made a pretty powerful move. If Jasper Laine continues following the bid, it would show that he’s calculative, impetuous, and easily irritated. However, if he doesn’t do so, it would mean that he’s admitting to what your son said about him.”
“This is a dilemma. Either way, it seems that Jasper has lost the first exchange.”
“2 million dollars, going twice.” “
The host gulped and stared at Jasper, who appeared calm and collected. There was no sign of anger or humiliation on his face.
“100 million Harbor Dollars.”
Jasper’s clear voice rang out just after the host finished speaking. His firm and strong voice resonated throughout the entire function hall.
“Beep!”
All the wealthy people who took pride in having a good upbringing and education could not resist causing an uproar in the hall.
Plenty of them were beyond shocked. They all stared at Jasper in disbelief after registering the price of his bid.
Even a few of the bosses within the group of big bosses had dumbfounded looks on their faces.
Just as Kennedy Langdon had said.
If Jasper continued following the bid, it would show that he was angered by Zane. It would be shallow and simple-minded of him to get tricked by a scheme like that.
If he did not follow the bid, it meant that he was recognizing his defeat.
It was a tough situation for him either way.
However, this tough dilemma got resolved by his 100 million Harbor Dollar bid.
The bidding price had to be considered as well. If Jasper called a bid for 3 million or even 5 million Harbor Dollars, people would just think of him as a silly fool.
However, following a 2 million Harbor Dollar bid with a bid of 100 million Harbor Dollars was not a foolish move at all. It was a show of power!
Kennedy Langdon’s squinted his eyes and pinned Jasper with a scorching gaze. It was impossible to read his thoughts.
Zachary Law sipped at his glass of whisky cheerily. The scene unfolding before him did not seem to shock him at all.
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If Jasper was so easily defeated, how could he have trusted him enough to take time off for his health at such a crucial time?
How could the Laws rest assured while placing such a large bet on him?
Countless discussions were still going on in the function hall.
A lot of people were shocked by Jasper’s strong financial power and boldness.
If he could take out 100 million Harbor Dollars in cash, no one would even bother to look at how much the Angel’s Heart was really worth. This 100 million Harbor Dollars would be enough to crush Zane Lancaster’s arrogant stance.
A dark expression formed on Zane’s face. Jasper had raised the bidding price to the maximum.
There was no way for him to continue following the bid.
He had been arrogant and smug up till a second ago. He suddenly snickered. “Alright, alright. You’re good. This jewelry piece is only worth a maximum of a few hundred thousand Harbor Dollars. This fool here actually bought it for 100 million Harbor Dollars. Don’t you know that others will just see you as a fool right now?
“It looks like you’re not just a dog. You’re a foolish, idiotic one.”
Forget the other people, even the Law siblings were shocked by the bidding price.
However, they knew that Jasper had earned a lot more than that from Zane and Mitch over these few days. Although they suspected that Jasper was just doing so to get back at Zane, they did not say much.
Beside him, Cindy Jung’s gaze shone in admiration as she stared at Jasper. He had just spent 100 million Harbor Dollars on a whim. A man like this simply oozed charm and charisma.
Nobody would follow a bid of 100 million Harbor Dollars.
After asking the price three more times in accordance with the rules, the host closed the bidding with a knock of the hammer before everyone’s gazes.
“Congratulations to Mr. Jasper Laine for successfully bidding for the Angel’s Heart at the monumental price of 100 million Harbor Dollars. I believe that Ms. Shannon White would also love to thank you from the heavens for your contribution to charity.”
This host was extremely witty. He knew that there was nothing the wealthy people here loved more than building a good reputation for themselves. Therefore, he showered Jasper in praise without a moment’s hesitation.
After that, a staff member held the Angel’s Heart on a tray and delivered it to Jasper.
After taking the Angel’s Heart, Jasper took out a cheque and put it on the tray.
When Mitch Langdon caught sight of the cheque, his expression instantly darkened.
F*ck, of course he found that cheque familiar. That was the cheque he paid to Jasper as compensation!
“What a foolish dog,” Mitch Langdon remarked, gritting his teeth.
“He spent 100 million Harbor Dollars on something that’s only worth a few hundred thousand at most. What is he if not a foolish dog?” Zane snickered beside him.
After getting his hands on the Angel’s Heart, Jasper did something that nobody would have expected.
He handed the Angel’s Heart to Anna Law, who was seated next to him.
“I haven’t thanked you for gifting me this set of clothes. Let me give this Angel’s Heart to you as a gift,” Jasper said.
Anna blinked in shock. She then accepted the jewelry piece instinctively.
Everyone was now paying attention to them. Nobody would have expected Jasper to give something that he had bought with 100 million Harbor Dollars to Anna Law.
“Press the angel’s palms.”
Anna was slightly baffled by Jasper’s words. Nevertheless, she followed his instructions all the same.
She believed that Jasper had his reasons for doing so.
Anna pressed lightly on the simple carving of the angel’s palms under the watchful eyes of Harbor City’s wealthiest men and women.
The outer shell of the angel pendant fell apart after what seemed like the activation of a contraption. A dazzling pink diamond appeared before everyone after being kept inside the pendant for more than a decade.
“What… what a massive pink diamond!”
The chairman of Chadstone Jewelry exclaimed out loud upon catching sight of the pink diamond.
“I’ve been working in the jewelry industry for my entire life, and yet I’ve never seen such a flawless pink diamond!”
His words, accompanied by the brilliant and dreamy iridescent glow that reflected off the pink diamond under the light, caught everyone’s attention like a massive boulder being flung at their faces.
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The pink diamond glowed softly under the light, but its brilliance seemed to blind the eyes of everyone within the function hall.
Zane was rendered speechless with shock. He stared at the pink diamond in Anna’s hands in utter disbelief.
Right then, Zane felt his scalp grow numb.
How could this be?
How could some worn-out accessory that Jasper had purchased without much thought turn out to be a priceless treasure?!
Although he was not from the jewelry industry, as someone from a wealthy family, Zane had seen a lot more valuable items than the typical person.
Thus, he could easily tell when something was valuable.
This pink diamond was definitely not something of low value!
It felt as if countless invisible slaps were being directed at his face and smacking him till he was ruddy and swollen.
Zane gritted his teeth while his eyes turned bloodshot. He was so jealous that he was about to lose it.
Right now, he seemed just like a fool who had been busy entertaining himself just now by throwing insults and contemptuous words at Jasper.
“The Angel’s Heart really comes with a secret?”
Mitch Langdon murmured out loud. He found this situation unbelievable as well.
His words represented the thoughts of everyone present in the function hall.
The host had told them there was a secret within the Angel’s Heart. Ms. Shannon White had even examined the jewelry piece for more than a decade just to find out the secret. Everyone thought that it was simply a gimmick.
Maybe Shannon White had gotten fooled by it herself.
In any case, nobody would actually take a myth like that seriously.
However, the turning point of the incident came to them like a harsh slap across their faces.
“So what if it’s a pink diamond? You spent 100 million Harbor Dollars on it. Even if this pink diamond is valuable, is it worth more than 100 million Harbor Dollars? Aren’t you being taken advantage of just the same?”
Mitch sneered derisively.
He simply could not stand the sight of Jasper acting all high and mighty in front of everyone.
Jasper’s free and easy demeanor was like a constant stab to his heart.
This was because Mitch could not help but recall the moment when he almost kneeled down before Jasper two days ago. He had the same expression on his face at that moment!
“Exactly! You’re still being taken advantage of!” Zane shouted out loud.
Sneering out loud, Mitch continued adding fuel to the fire. “What are you being so proud of? A country bumpkin from the Mainland will always be a country bumpkin. Look how overjoyed he is over some cheap bargain.”
Jasper said calmly, “It’s just 100 million Harbor Dollars. Anyways, I bought it using your cheque, Mr. Langdon. I don’t mind at all.”
Mitch’s face reddened in anger upon hearing what he said.
Mitch hummed in response to everyone’s curious gazes and expressions that reflected their yearning for gossip. He remained silent after that.
He was afraid that his previous scandals would be revealed.
That would truly bring shame upon his entire family.
“Ms. Law, can you let me take a look at this pink diamond?” In the chaos, the chairman of Chadstone Jewelry had made his way to their side without anyone noticing.He then asked Anna this while staring at the pink diamond in her hands with an obsessive gaze.
Anna glanced at Jasper. After he nodded, she handed the pink diamond to the chairman.
Accepting the pink diamond with both hands, the chairman of Chadstone Jewelry exclaimed in excitement, “In the past, the largest pink diamond that had been put up for auction at a public auction was a 18.96-carat pink diamond, which had been auctioned off at Christie’s Auction.”“They were only five minutes into the auction when the diamond got sold off at a price of 360 million Harbor Dollars.
“Although this pink diamond isn’t as large as that one, it has a better color grade and seems to be much clearer. It would be considered a diamond of the best grade. A gem like this is truly a rare sight in this world.
“Excuse me, Mr. Laine. I would like to ask you something. If it is possible, I would like to purchase this pink diamond from you for a price of 300 million Harbor Dollars.”
Although many of the people present here were wealthier than the chairman of Chadstone Jewelry, nobody could compare to him in terms of authority on the jewelry industry.
His words caused everyone’s expressions to change.
Especially Mitch Langdon and Zane Lancaster.
They had been mocking Jasper for spending 100 million Harbor Dollars out of bitterness just a second ago. Just split second later, everything had backfired on them.
300 million Harbor Dollars!
It could be sold off at the colossal price of 300 million Harbor Dollars.
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Everyone knew that if this pink diamond was officially put up in an auction, it would definitely sell at a price that was much higher than this.
Everyone’s gazes and expressions changed instantly. They looked at Jasper like he was a deity.
What kind of person was he to be capable of having such an accurate and sharp insight?
How did he know the secret of Angel’s Heart?
“I’ve already given the diamond to Anna. It’s not for sale,” Jasper said matter-of-factly.
With this sentence, he firmly denied the opportunity to gain a profit of 20 million Harbor Dollars at once.
The expression on Jasper’s face was so calm and indifferent that it seemed as if he had just rejected a poached egg delivered by the chef during breakfast.
“That’s really…a pity.”
Heartbroken, the chairman returned the pink diamond to Anna. He had no other choice. If Jasper was not willing to sell it, it was impossible for him to snatch it from him, right?
Anna stared at the pink diamond in her hand dumbfoundedly. All of a sudden, she found herself facing a slight dilemma.
“This is way too valuable!”
Annie wanted to return the pink diamond to Jasper.
If it was just Angel’s Heart, Anna would dare to accept it as a gift although Jasper had bought it for a price of ten million Harbor Dollars.
However, the value of this pink diamond could not even be appraised accurately right now. Most importantly, such a pure and perfect pink diamond only came with a price but not any buyers.
Even someone like Anna Law found it way too valuable.
“I meant it when I told you that it’s a gift for you.”
Jasper chuckled lightly. In contrast to the shock on everyone’s faces, he remained unfazed.
Alas, he had already caught up on all the news regarding the diamond in his past life. However, he had only been able to admire it from his computer screen back then.
“In my opinion, a man should take more pride in winning the smile of a pretty lady as compared to earning a sum of money,” Jasper said with a hint of a smile.
After registering his words, all the women in the function hall looked at Jasper with a different gaze.
No other man could even begin to compare with Jasper’s current charisma.
He was willing to take a gamble at high stakes just to win a lady’s smile.
How many people in the world could be as bold and generous as he was?
A king who tormented his subjects for the queen’s pleasure may be a fatuous and self-indulgent ruler in the eyes of his people. However, to the queen, he was the best husband in the world.
Cindy Jung, who was standing beside Anna and had been closely watching the entire incident all along, was particularly amazed.
She stared at Anna in admiration. If she was Anna, she would be willing to do anything for Jasper right now.
How many women in the world had men who were willing to spend their riches on them?
Furthermore, this was not just thousands of Harbor Dollars in cash. It was worth at least 30 million Harbor Dollars!
As the female lead of the entire act, Anna’s gaze flickered. She did not dare to meet Jasper’s eyes right now.
For some inexplicable reason, she felt slightly flustered.
As the princess of the Laws, 30 million Harbor Dollars was not a large sum of money. However, now that Jasper was making her the subject of everyone’s admiration and attention, she felt extremely shy.
“Thank you…”
Anna thanked Jasper in a small voice and turned around immediately. She held the pink diamond tightly in her hands as her cheeks blushed. She was slightly mesmerized by Jasper.
Henry Law, who was forced to witness the sweet scene unfolding before him, leaned over to Anna. “Anna, show me that big diamond,” he said.
“No!”
Anna refused his request in an outright manner.
He should not even think of it!
Nobody could take this diamond away from her.
Not even for one second!
Henry’s face darkened. He grumbled, “Now that she has a man, she has forgotten her own brother! I don’t even want to look at it!”
That being said, Henry’s will wavered as well.
Even for a grown man like him, he had to admit that Jasper had made an excellent move.
How could any woman resist him?
Life at the Top Chapter 169
“Hahaha.”
Michael Lane, who was seated at the table of big bosses, laughed out loud.
“Zachary, Jasp is pretty good!”
Michael openly expressed his admiration for Jasper.
The other bosses looked at Michael in distaste. Michael had always been on Zachary’s side. There was no need for him to act all supportive of him right now.
However, even they could not deny the fact that Jasper had made a brilliant move.
Zachary had a bright smile on his face. “This kid has always been like that,” he said.
Although he was speaking in a casual tone, his choice of words reflected just how much he admired and cherished Jasper.
Alas, the head of the Law family would not just address anyone as ‘this kid’.
This was how an elder addressed his or her junior.
Zachary and Michael were both in good spirits. In contrast, Bob Lancaster and Kennedy Langdon’s expressions did not look too good.
They had not personally joined in the exchange, but anyone could tell that both their sons had been defeated by Jasper.
Since their sons had been put to shame, what glory could they have?
The big bosses did not really care about 30 million Harbor Dollars. It was just that they had gained a profound insight into Jasper’s way of doing things.
The auction continued amidst the audience’s chatter and laughter.
Zane and Mitch suppressed their discontentment over their defeat and sat back in their seats.
According to the rules, all the wealthy people present in the function had to purchase at least one item from the auction. Otherwise, news about them being stingy and reluctant to do charity work may be published in tomorrow’s tabloids.
Therefore, although Zane and Mitch were already in a state of distress from the previous incident, they still called to bid when a blue and white porcelain bowl was presented before the audience at a starting price of 200,000 Harbor Dollars.
“200,000 Harbor Dollars,” Mitch called for a starting bid.
Nobody competed with him either. After all, he was a member of the four top families. Besides, everyone knew that he had just embarrassed himself badly and was currently in a bad mood. For their own sake, no one wished to offend him.
“1,000,000 Harbor Dollars.”
Unexpectedly, Jasper, who had not called for a bid since buying Angel’s Heart, made a bid.
It was beyond their expectations, but his actions were perfectly understandable.
Henry almost burst out into laughter. He whispered loudly in Anna’s ear, “See, I told you that Jasper would not let him off just like that. He’s definitely going to embarrass those two idiots thoroughly before defeating them once and for all.”
Jasper’s bid caused Mitch’s expression to further darken.
He eyed Jasper, who was standing nearby, coldly. Meanwhile, Jasper seemed lighthearted and relaxed. He picked up a strawberry from the table and ate it. He did not even spare Mitch a glance.
The more Jasper acted like this, the more hatred and resentment rose up within Mitch’s heart.
“3,000,000 Harbor Dollars!” Mitch said through gritted teeth.
He could not back off at a moment like this. Otherwise, he would not only embarrass himself, but he would also bring shame upon the Langdons as well.
“8,000,000 Harbor Dollars,” Jasper called for another bid almost immediately after Mitch announced his bid.
“Jasper Laine!” Mitch stood up and yelled out in rage. He fixed a stony glare on Jasper. “Do you really want to have a falling out with me?” he asked in an icy voice.
Jasper picked up a strawberry and popped it into his mouth. He chewed for a while before swallowing. He then picked another strawberry and passed it to Anna. “Taste this. It’s quite sweet,” he told her.
Mitch stood motionless. It was awkward for him to either remain standing or sit down. He felt like the biggest joke in the world after being thoroughly ignored by Jasper. Everyone was laughing at him.
“Alright! You forced me to do this! Ten million Harbor Dollars!” Mitch shouted out in a frenzy of rage.
Looking at the seething expression on Mitch’s face, Jasper chuckled. “You’re a wealthy and generous man, Mr. Langdon. Why are you being so stingy over some charity work? 50 million Harbor Dollars.”
“Hahaha!”
Mitch let out an angry bark of laughter. “Country bumpkin, are you comparing your wealth to mine? My personal assets alone are worth several billion Harbor Dollars! Come on, I’m bidding 100 million Harbor Dollars!” he hollered.
Jasper shrugged. “You’re really something else, Mr. Langdon. As expected, you must really be committed to charity since you’re willing to buy a porcelain bowl at a gargantuan price of 100 million Harbor Dollars. You have my admiration. I’ll happily announce my defeat and back out of the bid,” he said calmly.
Mitch’s eyes widened after hearing what he said. His face turned red-hot with rage. “Stupid f*cker, were you fooling me?!” he roared out angrily.
Everything had already gone wild when Mitch called for a bid of 100 million Harbor Dollars.
Although this porcelain bowl was an antique item, it was worth around 1,000,000 Harbor Dollars at most. Its price had now spiked up to 100 million Harbor Dollars after Mitch got enraged over Jasper’s taunts. An act like that could not be merely deemed irrational anymore.
Mitch Langdon was out of his mind.
At the same time, Kennedy Langdon, who was seated at the table of bosses upstairs, had a heavy expression on his face.
He never would have expected his son to be so incapable.
It would have been better if his son had just called for a bid of ten million Harbor Dollars or even more when the auction just began just like what Jasper did before this. Instead, he was slowly lured into Jasper’s trap.
“This kid is way too immature.”
Life at the Top Chapter 170
Zachary shook his head and laughed out loud.
Utterly amused, he could not miss out on the opportunity to mock Kennedy Langdon.
As expected, Kennedy’s expression darkened.
The other bosses chuckled happily after meeting gazes with each other.
Both situations occurred during an auction and involved a battle of wealth.
Nevertheless, the one who had the upper hand between Mitch and Jasper could easily be discerned.
“Mr. Mitch Langdon has called for a bid of 100 million Harbor Dollars for this blue and white porcelain bowl. Going once.
“Going twice.
“Going thrice, it’s a deal! Con-Congratulations to Mr. Mitch Langdon,” the host announced. The host did not even dare to look at Mitch, who had a ferocious expression etched on his face. He began auctioning the next item after carrying out the follow-up processes in a hurry.
The items to be auctioned grew fewer and fewer. Jasper did not call for a bid after that.
With a look that could kill etched on his face, Mitch was still fuming with rage. Nonetheless, Zane Lancaster, who was seated right beside Mitch, grew nervous.
He was extremely anxious.
He had not called for a bid up till now.
Using Mitch’s incident as a reference, he knew that Jasper would not let him go once he called for a bid.
However, he was in an urgent situation. If he gave up on the auction, others would mock him for being stingy. A lot of them would think that he was frightened of Jasper.
He could not be put to shame by this person.
Besides, he also knew that he could not embarrass his father, Bob Lancaster.
As the auction gradually progressed toward the end, a landscape painting by a famous painter from Harbor City was presented in front of the audience. Zane gritted his teeth. He decided to call for a bid.
“1.1 million Harbor Dollars.”
Zane, who had called for the bid, glanced at Jasper instinctively. He had already decided on a limit of ten million Harbor Dollars. If Jasper called for a bid higher than that, he would get back at him by giving up on the bid.
That way, he could prevent himself from losing a fortune.
Thinking about this, Zane’s lips curled into a smile.
There were many ways to trick someone else in an auction.
What could a country bumpkin from Mainland know about auctions?
“Ten million Harbor Dollars.”
As expected, Jasper did not disappoint the audience who were eager to watch the showdown between the both of them. He immediately raised the price by nearly ten times in front of everyone’s watchful gazes.
Zane took in a deep breath as the corners of his mouth twitched. The price Jasper called for had reached the maximum bidding price that he had set for himself. He was overcome with a sense of extreme discomfort.
However, this was just the first round of bidding. If he gave up right now, it would be awfully embarrassing for him.
Gritting his teeth, Zane’s gaze flickered. “15 million Harbor Dollars,” he announced.
He intended to get back at Jasper. He would give up on the bid later no matter how much Jasper called for.
Just as Zane was feeling full of himself, he realized that the entire auction hall was silent.
“Mr. Zane Lancaster has called for a bid of 15 million Harbor Dollars. Is there a higher price?” the host asked cautiously.
Nobody responded to him.
“15 million Harbor Dollars, going twice.”
Zane’s hands were shaking. He pinned his gaze on Jasper as his heart raced in anxiety.
‘Follow the bid! F*cking follow the bid right now!’
Zane wanted to rush in front of him and force him to raise his hand, making him follow the bid.He was not the only one looking at Jasper. Everyone had their attention on Jasper and awaited his response.
However, Jasper… did not even move. He did not even have the intention to follow the bid.
“Why aren’t you following the bid?!” Zane yelled out at Jasper instinctively.
How could he not follow the bid?
He was waiting for him to follow the bid so that he could get back at him! Why was he not following the bid?!
Zane was about to lose it.
Jasper glanced at Jasper like he was looking at a fool. “15 million Harbor Dollars for something like this? Only an idiot would buy it…”
Zane’s face flushed bright red. He looked like he was about to suffocate. Looking at Zane’s expression, Henry could not resist bursting out into laughter.