Chapter 44: Her pure and pristine husband

That evening, the city’s most exclusive charity gala was in full swing.

The grand ballroom glittered beneath crystal chandeliers, while luxury cars lined the entrance and a steady stream of high-profile guests filled the venue.

Business magnates, prominent families, celebrities, and socialites mingled over champagne, their conversations buzzing with anticipation about the mysterious organizers of the event.

Kira and Seth arrived at the event together.

After mingling with a few guests, she slipped her arm through his and smiled up at him, "I honestly thought you wouldn’t come."

Seth looked down at her, "I know how important tonight is to you."

Kira’s smile widened, "You always know how to make me happy."

Suddenly, Kira’s smile faded a little, "Sister?"

Seth briefly stiffened as he followed her gaze and glanced at Sienna.

Sienna stood near the edge of the ballroom with Jace, looking completely at ease in an elegant gown that made several heads turn without her seeming to notice.

Kira’s face bloomed again, a sweet smile appearing on it.

"Oh, sis!" She walked toward them with Seth beside her.

Sienna turned around and looked at the woman wordlessly.

Kira looked around before smiling at Jace and then gazing back at Sienna, "I didn’t know you were coming tonight."

"You think about me way too much for your own good," Sienna replied simply.

"Sis, I was just worried about you. Look, you even had to... rely on others to be here tonight. You could’ve told me."

Kira continued with a soft laugh. "I was wondering how you’d manage tonight. Daddy arranged my invitation personally, so I thought perhaps you wouldn’t be here.."

Jace chuckled, "You are mistaken, Miss Qing. She isn’t here because of me. I am here because of her. If not for her, I wouldn’t be motivated enough to be a part of these events."

Kira smiled but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

"So, consider it a good deed on Sienna’s part," Jace continued.

Kira’s smile tightened.

Then, as though she had suddenly thought of something innocent, she looked at Jace again.

"Oh, wait. Is this the husband you’ve kept hidden for so long?"

Sienna raised an eyebrow.

Kira giggled, "You know what I mean. We haven’t seen your husband to this day."

Sienna merely lifted her glass, "My husband is pure and pristine. I don’t want any filth to enter his eyes."

"Pfft!" Jace pursed his lips to stifle his laughter.

Kira’s smile completely died. Before she could even think of a comeback, the atmosphere at the entrance suddenly shifted.

A group of men dressed in uniform entered first, quietly clearing a path through the crowd. Dressed in a classic black tuxedo, Callahan walked in the center.

Conversations lowered as people instinctively moved aside.

Sienna’s gaze caught on him for only a moment.

Then she noticed the woman walking several steps behind him.

Olive Ivers.

She said something to him with a smile, and Callahan inclined his head in response.

From where Sienna stood, they looked perfectly at ease in each other’s company.

"Are they dating? They look good together," Kira whispered.

"I don’t meddle in his private affairs," Seth responded coolly.

Kira pouted, "We will be family in the future. It’s not a bad thing to know each other well."

Jace glanced at Sienna in concern.

Sienna’s eyes lingered on Callahan and Olive for a moment before she calmly looked away.

Once they were in the private room, Jace poured Sienna a glass of water, "You’re not going to say something?"

"Who he brings as his date is none of my business," Sienna took a small sip of the water before placing the glass down.

’I didn’t mention him while asking the question, did I?’ Jace sighed helplessly.

But before he could say anything, the lights over the auction stage brightened.

The auction was beginning.

The first few lots passed quickly, with antique watches, paintings, and rare collectibles drawing spirited bids from across the ballroom.

Sienna watched quietly until a vintage diamond bracelet appeared on the screen.

"Nine hundred thousand. Going once. Twice..."

Once the bidding for the piece reached its peak, Sienna’s voice came from the private room’s speaker, "One million."

Before the auctioneer could even finish acknowledging her bid, another voice interrupted, "One point two."

Jace frowned, "Your sister is more invested in you than charity."

Sienna shook her head as she raised the bid, "Two million."

Soft gasps rippled through the crowd when she nearly doubled it.

In the private room, Kira’s brows tugged together, "Baby, that diamond bracelet is really pretty. It’s vintage. I am planning to wear it for our engagement but it looks like sis really likes it..."

Seth looked at her lovingly, "Whatever you want is yours."

Kira beamed, "Three million."

"Six million."

Silence descended the place when Sienna doubled her bid blatantly.

"Seven million," Kira didn’t back down.

"Fourteen million."

Kira’s face tightened, "Fifteen... million."

Sienna looked at the bracelet once more, then calmly relaxed in her seat.

The auctioneer called out the final bid.

"Two million going at once. Going twice..."

Kira’s smile returned as she secured the bracelet.

Only then did she realize what Sienna had done and her expressions twisted momentarily.

"Pff... Serves her right! You never wanted that bracelet, right?" Jace turned to Sienna.

"The proceeds of the charity auction would go to the foundation so it was a good bargain to spend on those diamonds," Sienna explained.

"Plus, unlike the regular diamonds, these colored diamonds or rare gems are a massive investment."

Sienna paused, "But it’s true that I was not as interested in it,’’ she confessed without any guilt.

"Pff!" Jace clutched his stomach.

"All that said... when you saw that your sister wasn’t going to back down, you decided to toy with her!" Jace threw his head back and covered his face with his hand.

"Now that she has spent so much on that tiny bracelet, she would think twice before facing you head on!" Jace added, "You are such a fox!"

"Are you done laughing?" Sienna chuckled, "I am just saving my money and effort."

The evening moved quickly from one extravagant piece to another, with bids climbing into the millions.

Near the end of the auction, a velvet-covered case was brought onto the stage.𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚