Midnight Bride The CEO’s Temptation

The auctioneer shouted again, "Number 25 bid for $75,000!"

Joshua watched as the price increased to $80,000 and then to $85,000.

"It seems that Number 25 really wants that necklace," Hazel whispered.

Joshua continued to frown as the price increased. He wasn't going to give anyone the chance to buy a necklace that he wanted to give to Hazel. He tapped the display again.

"Number 8 bids $100,000!" The auctioneer shouted. Everyone in the room began mumbling and looking around. They were shocked by the amount of the bid and thought about bidding again, but nobody dared to bid against Number 8.

"Don't be so extravagant..." Hazel's lips were trembling.

"It's okay as long as you like it." Joshua smiled at her.

Hazel was absolutely speechless. She began to wonder, what if she told him that she didn't like it? Maybe he could back out of the bid? No, she knew she couldn't, but she made a promise to herself that she would need to take control of how much money Joshua spent in the future.

As the auction continued, Hazel noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked over to see that the middle-aged man who was sitting next to Joshua was gone, and a weak-looking woman, wearing a long white dress, was sitting there instead.

"Excuse me, Sir, are you buyer Number 8?" The woman bit her lip and looked at Joshua.

Hazel was stunned, she couldn't believe how skilled Joshua was. He had attracted another love interest that quickly. Although Hazel was certain that neither she nor Joshua knew her, she continued to look at Joshua with admiration without caring about her surroundings.

Joshua did not even turn his head to acknowledge the woman. She waited a few moments and with a shaken look on her face. She nodded her head slightly, smiled, and then went on to say, "My father is the chairman of Shawn Group, and my name is Katie Shawn. I really love the pink necklace that you bought. It holds a special place in my heart. Would you please sell it to me for the original price?"

Hazel just sat there listening to what Katie Shawn was saying and realized that she had been Number 25. However, Hazel never expected that someone would try to negotiate with Joshua for the necklace and stoop as low as using her father's name to do so.

When Joshua continued to ignore her, Katie's expression changed. She frowned, and her eyes looked teary.

"Sir, I also know that my request is very bold. This pink diamond necklace is probably just an ordinary accessory for you, but it has special meaning to me. You are so rich, surely you will not miss this one necklace. Why can't you sell me the necklace? Don't you think that it would be the gentlemanly thing to do?"

Hazel began to get angry. What did this woman expect? Joshua had bought the necklace, and he could do what he wanted with it. Why should he sell it to her?

Katie was putting on a good show, she wanted others to see her crying and think that Joshua was bullying her.

"Sorry," Hazel leaned forward. She intimately touched Joshua's hand and smiled at Katie. "The pink diamond necklace was bought by my husband. It also has a special meaning for us. It represents our unique love and affection, and seeing how it looked extravagant; such a special gift can't be sold to you!"

Katie was surprised, she had assumed that the woman next to Joshua was a stranger with no connection to him. However, when she called him her husband and held his hand so intimately, Katie became very resentful.

She had just come home from an overseas trip and had no idea who the couple was, all she cared about was the pink diamond necklace. When Joshua unexpectedly outbid her, she secretly bribed the staff to find out where Number 8 was sitting.

She assumed that the man who bought the necklace would be a middle-aged man with a beer belly, and she could easily seduce him into selling her the necklace. She never expected that he would be so handsome.

She felt like she had fallen in love at first sight, and she was determined to win his heart. However, the flirtatious tricks she used on other men were useless when it came to Joshua.

She looked at Hazel with sadness in her eyes, "I am sorry, Ma'am, the only reason I am talking to your husband, is about the necklace," Katie looked as if she had been persecuted. With tears in her eyes, she quietly whispered, "I just met your husband. This is really only about the necklace. Even if you misunderstood my intentions, you shouldn't be jealous and not trust your husband."

Hazel was completely shocked and confused. She had responded to Katie only because Joshua was continuing to ignore her, but then Katie turned the entire situation around and suggested that she didn't trust Joshua.

Katie glared at Joshua with tears in her eyes, trying to win his approval. A flash of disgust appeared on Joshua's face, he really disliked when women acted like this in front of him and even more so when it happened in front of Hazel.

Seeing that Hazel was furious, he gently gripped her hand and whispered, "Let me handle this."

Hazel nodded with the agreement as Joshua turned to look at Katie Shawn for the first time. Katie's cheeks suddenly got redder, and tears welled in her eyes. She was proud of herself, and she was going to use her best trick, pretending to be weak and sad. It worked on every man, she could lure them in, and they would promise her anything.

"You said that necklace has a special meaning?" Joshua asked.

"Yes." Katie nodded immediately.

"Yet, you are only willing to pay the original price? It obviously doesn't mean that much." Joshua's tone was full of sarcasm.

"I..." Katie's facial expression changed. She just wanted to explain something, but Joshua raised his hand and interrupted her words calmly.

"I am not willing to sell it to you. Now leave!" With a few simple words, he expressed everything that he needed to say.