Ch. 171..175: The Adorable Twins and Their CEO Daddy Chapter 171-175

Chapter 171

Erica’s face turned red and her eyes popped out in anger, making her look like a fiend.

She rushed over and raised her hand to slap Eliana, but her wrist was grabbed by Asher.

“Erica, stop it,” Asher warned sternly, digging his nails into her wrist.

“Why?!” Erica’s eyes widened in disbelief. “She seduced you shamelessly!”

Her shoulders heaved as she fumed with anger and pointed an accusing finger at Eliana.

“Eliana, you bitch! Can’t you live without a man? Back when you were rich, you used to sleep with a gigolo, and now that you have no money, you want to seduce my rich husband! Where are the security guards? Kick this shameless bitch out!”

Erica’s raucous assertion drove the whole venue into an uproar. In an instant, Eliana found herself being the center of unwanted attention.

Maurice couldn’t stand aside any longer. He stepped forward before Eliana could explain.

Then, he went straight to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, as if claiming her.

Gazing coldly at the contemptible couple standing in front of him, he domineeringly declared, “Miss Pierce is my companion. Mr. Harrison, you would do well to ask your wife to watch her mouth.”

Erica’s face instantly shrunk, as if she had just swallowed a lemon. “Did I say anything wrong? She is just a social climber-”

“Erica Harrison!” Maurice growled, interrupting her. “Don’t try my patience! Have you forgotten the lesson you learned before regarding the pink diamonds? If you dare to say one more word, don’t blame me for being ruthless later.”

Erica pursed her lips tightly in displeasure, but there was nothing she could do.

‘Damn it! How could Eliana be lucky enough to have Maurice backing her up?’ she wondered bitterly.

She was not reconciled at all. Eliana was someone that Erica could easily insult in public, but she could not afford to provoke a big fish like Maurice.

Maurice stormed off with Eliana, leaving the couple in his wake, who watched their receding back with envy and resentment.

Although Erica didn’t dare to say anything more, the onlookers around them began to gossip about Eliana in hushed tones, though their words were loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Wow, that lady even seduced another woman’s husband!”

“I’ve seen a lot of material girls like her. But how did she seduce Mr. Moran?”

Embarrassed by these words, Eliana subconsciously tried to get rid of Maurice’s hand on her waist.

However, Maurice just held her even tighter and whispered out of the corner of his mouth, “I don’t mind.”

Hearing that, Eliana was stunned. She raised her head and looked at him in surprise. “What did you say?”

“I said I don’t mind. I don’t mind even if you have a boyfriend or you’ve slept with a gigolo before. Unless…”

“Unless what?” Without knowing why, Eliana began to feel flustered.

“Unless you hired a gigolo to pretend to be your boyfriend.” Maurice’s eyes darkened as he spoke.

Eliana’s heart skipped a beat when she heard those words, and she had to struggle to keep her composure.

“How could that be? How could I do that?” Eliana finally asked with a wry smile.

Maurice didn’t say anything, and just watched Eliana put on an act.

Who knew better than him whether Eliana had done that or not?

At this time, the auction was about to begin. Still holding onto Eliana’s waist, Maurice led her to their seats.

Erica and Asher were sitting not far away from them.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for attending the auction. A very warm welcome to everyone present here. Now, let’s start the auction with our first precious item.”

With a practiced flourish of his hand, the auctioneer lifted the red cloth that was covering the first auction item on the stage.

It was an exquisitely-made music box that had aged beautifully.

“According to the records, this antique music box was made by a skilled royal craftsman in Louis XIV’s court. Over the centuries, it has passed into the hands of various collectors.”

The auctioneer’s explanation echoed faintly in Eliana’s ears. It had never occurred to her that her parents’ music box would be the first auction item of the day. She couldn’t take her eyes off of it.

“The base price of this antique music box is $5 million. With every bid, the price of this music box will be raised by at least $100, 000.”

Eliana’s heart sank when she heard the price. Her hope seemed to vanish in an instant.

But before she could dwell on it for long, Maurice turned around and handed her the bidding paddle indifferently.

“Do you want it? Raise it by yourself.”

Chapter 172

Maurice was so generous!

Eliana shook her head and said stubbornly, “No, it’s very expensive. I can’t afford to pay you back.”

“You don’t have to pay me back,” Maurice replied nonchalantly.

Eliana shook her head again, and this time, there was a look of alienation in her eyes. “It’s easy to repay money, but to return a favor is completely different.”

She knew it better than anyone else. She had already owed Preston. She didn’t want to owe one more person.

After the auctioneer introduced the music box on stage, many people bid on it. In a short period of time, the price skyrocketed.

“Seven million dollars,” Erica triumphantly announced the price while holding the signboard in front of everyone.

Eliana had a bad feeling when she saw her evil smile.

Of course, there was a different reason why Erica wanted to buy the music box. It was not simply because she was fascinated by it.

As soon as the music box appeared, she realized why Eliana came to that night’s event.

Erica remembered seeing this antique music box at Eliana’s house when she and Eliana were still best friends before the Pierce Group went bankrupt.

She would feel very satisfied if she could buy the music box and smash it in front of Eliana.

Erica was completely engrossed in her revenge plot.

The price rose even more to an astonishing ten million dollars.

When Erica was about to raise the signboard again, Asher stopped her.

“Enough! Ten million dollars for an old music box! Are you crazy?”

“You know nothing!” Erica snapped bitterly as she shook off his hand.

She was adamant. There was nothing Asher could do about this crazy woman, and he couldn’t argue with her in front of all the city’s power brokers. The attendees at the auction were all prominent people, and he couldn’t afford to lose face here.

He could only hope that someone else would bid a higher amount for that damned music box.

The price had risen even more since Erica wouldn’t give up. Eliana unconsciously began to show a nervous expression as the competitors became fewer and fewer.

The consequences of Erica getting her parents’ previous belonging would be unfathomable.

“Twelve million dollars.”

Erica raised the price once more. Her generosity had already sparked the crowd’s interest. She was enjoying everyone’s attention at the moment, making her feel better.

Great! She could finally hold her head high this time. She had to make Eliana pay when she got the music box.

“Twelve million dollars. Going once, going twice, going…”

Just when Erica thought she had already won, a voice echoed throughout the hall.

“Thirteen million dollars.”

Everyone, including Eliana, turned their gaze to the source of the voice.

She was surprised to see Theo, Maurice’s new assistant, holding the signboard.

Did Maurice plan it?

Eliana stared at Maurice in disbelief, her heart beating fast.

Meanwhile, Erica was wondering why anyone would still compete with her at this point.

The spotlight was now on Theo. “This gentleman is extremely generous,” the auctioneer remarked.

Theo stood up and shook his head. “It’s not me, but my boss. He wants to buy that music box and give it to the most beautiful lady present.”

Theo took a deliberate pause, and everyone’s curiosity was immediately piqued.

“It’s her,” Theo said, pointing to Eliana. “Miss Eliana Pierce.”

The spotlight was then shifted to Eliana, and she instantly overshadowed Erica.

Erica’s eyes were filled with venom. She locked her gaze on Eliana’s back, and the jealousy and hatred in her heart could no longer be suppressed.

Why? Why was Eliana so lucky?

Maurice liked her, and so did the other bigwigs. Why did all the good things only happen to her?

“Fifteen million dollars!” Erica made a desperate bid.

The audience burst into an uproar. Everyone was waiting to see if Theo, who had only just come out halfway, would bid again. But Theo remained silent.

“Fifteen million dollars. Going once, going twice, going three times. Sold! Congratulations, Mrs. Erica Harrison!”

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Everyone was delighted, except Eliana who felt like she had fallen into an ice cave.

Eliana stood up from her seat anxiously and prepared to say something. But Maurice pulled her down onto her seat.

“Calm down. Wait for a moment.”

Eliana was confused. “Wait for what?”

A hint of playfulness flashed through Maurice’s eyes. “Wait until she realizes she can’t afford it,” he said confidently.

 

Chapter 173

It was only after she had her fill of being the star of attention did Erica come to a sudden realization.

Fifteen million dollars.

The amount struck her dumb. The terrible truth that she didn’t have sufficient funds to cover such a staggering price dawned on her like an awful tidal wave.

Horrified, Erica hurriedly turned to look at Asher for a solution.

A dark storm raged in Asher’s face. He was so furious at her that he couldn’t utter a single word.

“A-Asher, I…”

In a fit of nervousness, she grabbed his sleeve. To her chagrin, he shook her hand off and shoved her away in anger.

“You absolute moron!” Asher howled, livid.

He couldn’t care less about his image anymore; at least, not under these circumstances. The Harrison Group had just survived a crisis, but his wife was insane enough to purchase a stupid music box for the astronomical price of fifteen million dollars!

“You bid for it yourself, so find the money to pay by yourself. I won’t clean up after your mess.”

So saying, Asher spun on his heels and left the place in a huff. Erica was left standing dumbly, all alone and at a complete loss.

What should she do? What could she do?! How was she supposed to solve this problem? She couldn’t think of anything!

Desolate, she slumped into the chair with her back drenched in cold sweat. Her head was spinning from the pressure.

Right now, Eliana was no longer in her thoughts. She didn’t have the leisure to consider anything about Eliana! All she wanted was to escape this terrifying hell as soon as she could.

With this in mind, Erica steeled herself and maintained her calm front. She carefully stood up from her seat and attempted to sneak away while everyone was busy focusing on the auction, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

Unfortunately, the auction staff weren’t as easy to fool as the audience. After they saw that Asher had left before the auction’s end, they kept strict watch on Erica and observed her every movement in silence.

“Pardon me, Mrs. Harrison. Where are you going?” The person in charge stepped forward and immediately blocked her way right as Erica reached the door.

“This place is… Well, it feels a bit too depressing. So, I… I thought I’d go out for a quick stroll to get some air,” Erica stammered, barely keeping her voice from shaking.

“I see. However, Mr. Harrison has just left. Are you going back on your bid?” the man asked, his face disdainful. There was a hint of scorn in his gaze as he looked at the trembling Erica.

His accusation was a great blow to the proud Erica’s self-esteem. Refusing to back down, she gritted her teeth and barked, “What a laugh! Who said I am?! It’s just a bit of money! I’ll sign the check myself, alright?”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Harrison, but I’m afraid you can’t sign the check.”

“H-Huh? Why not?” Erica stared at him in confusion, her jaw hanging.

“The Harrison Group was on the verge of bankruptcy quite recently. Although it has evaded the crisis, its credit in the banks hasn’t been restored yet. Thus, all the checks under the Harrison Group name could not be cashed,” the person in charge explained patiently.

“Oh dear! My, my, what should I do? Perhaps I can go back and have my husband to pay in my stead?”

Erica held fast to her pride, adamant on denying the deal.

“It doesn’t matter. We also accept payment with a credit card.”

The person in charge stretched out his hand with a sly smile, much like a shrewd fox.

The commotion caused by Erica soon attracted the attention of several auction participants. Now, many people had their eyes on her.

At this point, Erica couldn’t hold in the shame filling her. She was completely embarrassed.

Left with no choice, she was forced to take out a credit card from her bag and hand it to the man with great reluctance. The act itself, despite simple, was infinitely painful.

The person in charge then brought over a POS machine from his subordinate and quickly swiped the credit card before Erica’s eyes.

Beep! Erica watched in dismay as the payment failed.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Harrison, but the balance in your account is not enough.”

“R-Really? Dear me…”

Red-faced with growing embarrassment, Erica fumbled with her bag and hurriedly took out another card to give it to the man.

Very soon, another beep came through.

“Apologies, but this card is frozen.”

“T-That can’t be! Swipe it again!”

Erica’s eyes went as wide as saucers. She was thoroughly mortified.

“Mrs. Harrison. Can you pay the bill or not?” After so many failed transactions, the person in charge had gradually lost his patience.

Despite being the wife of Harrison Group’s CEO, Erica couldn’t even afford to pay the bill for her bid. The rich ladies within the audience threw her scornful looks, their lips curled into disdainful sneers. Their stares were akin to painful daggers stabbing into Erica’s flesh. At this moment, Erica wished for nothing more than to dig a hole and bury herself in it.

The auctioneer took the opportunity to give Erica a timely reminder. “Mrs. Harrison. Since you can’t afford it, why don’t you ask that gentleman for help? Didn’t he initially want to buy this music box? If you can make up the difference in prices, he might buy it in your stead.”

Having said that, he turned to look in Theo’s direction.

Erica was instantly enlightened. Yes, that was it! Didn’t the man want it just now? As long as she asked, he’d definitely buy it with no questions.

Eric was confident in her assumption, and her embarrassment vanished. Then she walked smugly towards Theo.

“Sir, I’m more than willing to give up this music box for you. What do you think?”

“Forgive me, but I have to ask my boss about it.”

Theo then rose to his seat, and then made his way to where Maurice and Eliana were.

Erica was stunned by the revelation. To think he actually worked for Maurice, of all people!

She stared dumbly at the calm Maurice, eyes twitching with disbelief.

Had he already known that this would happen?

Realization dawned on her. She had been taken for a fool! Seething with rage, she screamed at the top of her lungs, “You…! You fooled me!”

“So what?”

Maurice cocked his head to look at Eliana who looked stunned too. He drawled lazily, “Just like how it was with the pink diamonds, I’ll leave it to you to decide whether to buy the music box or not.”

His words startled Eliana. She began to ponder: would she buy the music box to help Erica?

Her answer was easy enough.

Of course not!

Chapter 174

Erica was quick to express her displeasure when she learned that her fate would be decided by her greatest foe.

Erica’s thoughts drifted to Asher, and she picked up the phone to make a call to him. She pleaded in a soft voice, “Hello, sweetheart. I was to blame. I should not have gotten into an argument with you in the first place. However, the fifteen million…”

“There is no need for you to dwell on this, Erica. You’re not getting the money.” Asher declined without a second thought.

“Asher! Are we not married!?” Erica yelled back.

“We don’t have to be a couple. If you insist on getting the money, then I will immediately file for divorce, and you will be responsible for paying off the obligation on your own.”

Erica was taken aback. Her spouse, with whom she’d shared a bed for so long, now treating her so cruelly was beyond the pale for her.

“It’s a victory for you!”

Erica was furious as she hung up the phone.

She whirled around and saw the guy in control of the auction and the black-clad security men behind him. Once again, she behaved timidly.

“Your toughness amazes me, Mrs. Harrison. Do you really need my assistance?” Watching from the sidelines, Eliana took in the show.

“It’s time to leave.”

Maurice acted as though he was leaving with Eliana.

“Hold on!” Erica exclaimed.

Eliana ignored her and continued going.

As a result, Erica was in a state of agitation. She expected Eliana would purchase the music box because of her love for her parents, but he didn’t expect her to go so quickly.

Asher was no longer a dependable source of support for Erica. She needed to figure out a method to save her skin as quickly as possible…

She had a lightbulb moment.

“Eliana, I’d want to speak with you one-on-one,” Erica said from behind Eliana.

Eliana paused, turned around, and said scornfully, “Why should I waste my time on you?”

“Aren’t you curious about what happened five years ago? I have information that you have been wanting for as long as you can tell,” Erica said eagerly.

Eliana, on the other hand, was unable to keep her calm. Her pupils constricted fiercely, and her fists clenched involuntarily.

“I’m not going to believe a thing you say until you have concrete proof.”

“Okay! I’ll provide you with proof,” Erica remarked as she gritted her teeth. “However, you’ll need to spend your money on the music box first.”

Eliana paused before making a decision. She wouldn’t have bought it if it was all about the music box. But now that it was linked to the truth, she had to watch her steps.

While she was still deliberating, Maurice wrote a check and gave it to Theo.

Erica’s face lighted up as she saw that. She reached out and tried to grab the check herself.

Maurice promptly took back the check.

“You can’t get it until you’ve spoken the truth you claim to know.”

Under the watchful eye of Maurice, Erica was no longer able to play her tricks. She retrieved a video from her phone’s gallery.

“I hired a private investigator because I suspected that Asher and Eliana were having an affair. However, I discovered that he was having a meeting with a stranger. This video was filmed by the private investigator I hired.”

Asher was certainly chatting with a stranger in the video on Erica’s cell phone. Although they were only able to view his back, their conversation could be picked up plainly.

“What am I supposed to do? Eliana is still trying to figure out how her mother became involved in the Pierce Group’s collapse,” Asher shrieked in fear.

And the weird guy replied, “Remember, no matter what you do, you can’t tell anybody about what occurred back then.”

“I get what you mean.” Asher nodded his head in agreement. Then, in a state of perplexity, he asked, “Why did you spend so much time and effort destroying the Pierce Group back then?”

After a moment of contemplation, the guy said, “I will never forget Ingrid, the most remarkable lady in my life. I was ready to do everything to get my hands on her.”

After then, the video suddenly came to a halt.

Despite the fact that Eliana had finally found what she had been searching for for so long, she was plagued by an overwhelming feeling of unreality.

When she watched the film, she was puzzled by the facts she had gleaned.

Immediately, it became clear that this unusual individual in the film was responsible for the Pierce Group’s demise. He ruined the Pierce Group and drove Eliana’s father, Lemuel, to his death, in order to acquire Eliana’s mother, Ingrid.

And the guy in the video was clearly not Maurice.

Eliana was just three years younger than Maurice. Additionally, he had studied overseas earlier. His involvement with Ingrid was impossible as a result.

Therefore, Eliana had really falsely accused Maurice…

Chapter 175

Eliana was not the only one who was rendered speechless because of the video. Maurice, who had set it up, was also surprised.

He had actually set the trap to help Eliana get her parents’ belongings back while teaching Erica a lesson. However, he did not expect that it would also prove his innocence.

‘What a pleasant surprise!’

“Now that you’ve watched the video, can you pay?”

Erica withdrew her phone, staring at the check in Maurice’s hand.

Eliana also recovered from the shock. “Of course! But you have to make up for the difference!”

“Eliana, you are not keeping your promise!” Erica roared.

“Erica, do you think I’m a pushover? Have you forgotten what you said to me by the bathroom? Do you really think that I will still help you without any reason? In your dreams!” Eliana sneered.

Erica’s expression darkened and her heart sank. The money she had would not be enough to pay the difference in the price.

“You pay for it now. I will pay you the rest later.” Erica compromised.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t pay in installments.” Eliana refused, spreading out her hands.

Maurice advised, “How about letting Mrs. Harrison use something else to make up for the difference since she doesn’t have the money?”

“What do you mean by that?” Erica felt like she was drowning.

Maurice looked at her and said, “Your jewelry should be worth some money. Why don’t you use it to make up for the difference?”

“No!” Erica stepped back in fear.

Maurice then glanced at the man, who was in charge, and he immediately understood what he meant.

“Mrs. Harrison, I think you’d better cooperate with us.”

The security guards quickly surrounded Erica and took off her diamond necklace, diamond earrings, and an invaluable emerald ring.

“Let go of me, you robbers! I’m going to sue you!”

Erica tried her best to struggle, but her efforts were futile as she watched the guards hand over her jewelry to the person in charge. She panicked.

“The jewelry is fake.”

The man in charge took a quick look at the jewelry with a sardonic expression.

Seeing that, Erica closed her eyes in despair.

Her secret was out now.

And she had never felt so humiliated before. She felt as if she were standing naked in front of everyone and being trampled on.

The worst thing of all was that she had no money.

Maurice raised his eyebrows. “Since Mrs. Harrison’s jewelry is fake, I have another idea.”

Erica suddenly opened her eyes and looked at him with just a faint glimmer of hope.

“You damaged the reputation of my date, so I want you to step outside that door, and announce that you were spreading wrongful rumors about Miss Pierce. I also want you to swear that you would never do such a thing again. If you do that, then you won’t need to pay for the difference. What do you think?”

Desperate as she was, Erica still couldn’t accept his suggestion.

“Eliana, we used to be friends. Please help me. Please.” Looking at Eliana, she broke into tears.

“Stop saying that. It makes me want to throw up!” Eliana retorted in disgust.

Erica’s pitiful expression froze, making her look ugly.

However, she still did not want to give up at all, and thus called Asher.

But before she could even say a word, he hung up on her.

Unwilling to give up, she continued to call him over and over again, but he just did not answer.

Everyone at the auction house watched in silence as she made a fool of herself.

Finally, Erica couldn’t stand it anymore. Gripping her phone tightly, she roared, “Asher, you jerk! I am an idiot for falling in love with you…”

“Have you not decided yet?” Maurice lost his patience and ordered Theo to tear the check.

“No! No!” Erica was on the verge of kneeling down and begging him.

“I’ll go to the door now…”

Enduring the humiliation, she walked to the door under everyone’s intense gazes and said in a low voice, “I spread rumors about Eliana. I’m sorry. I won’t dare to do it again.”

Maurice and Eliana walked out slowly, and Eliana glanced at her and asked, “What are you saying? The wind is too strong. I can’t hear you clearly.”

Erica looked up at Eliana with hatred in her eyes, but when she met Maurice’s cold gaze, she felt a chill down her spine.

Gritting her teeth, she shouted, “I was the one that spread rumors about Eliana. I’m sorry! I swear I won’t do it again!”

Her funny apology attracted everyone’s attention. At first they were only snickering, but soon, they began laughing hysterically.

Maurice said indifferently, “Go on.”

Erica apologized to Eliana again. Seeing more people gather around them, she was so angry and embarrassed that she wanted to run away from there.

All of a sudden, she was out of breath, rolled her eyes, and collapsed.

Everyone was shocked.

“Since she fainted, there’s no need for us to pay the money,” Maurice said calmly.

As soon as Erica heard that, she immediately got up.

“I… I’m awake.”

The crowd realized that she was just acting.

Seeing her like that, they burst into laughter again.