Nathan left for work while Ava visited Granny. They went to a spa and an auction.
Granny likes attending auctions, buying whatever that looks unique, rare and ancient. It is one of her hobbies as an old woman who has enough money to spare.
Ava wondered how wealthy the old woman was, her buying and investing is worth billions. Ava calculated everything in her mind.
The building was crowded with people, one might mistake it for a museum, it was filled with art with unique meanings and ancient glass flower vases.
Everyone settled down. Then, the auctions started after an hour. The auction was moving slowly.
Ava yawned, she didn't understand what the rich people found so fascinating about auctions.
The more boring it became, the faster she wanted to leave, but Granny's gaze was focused on the stage from the moment it started.
Granny hasn't found anything interesting to purchase, her hands didn't raise up at all.
Ava leaned closer to Granny, about to whisper something. Suddenly the man loudly announced, his hands holding a piece of jewelry.
"Fifty million! This necklace is one of a kind, the designer made only two pieces in the world."
I can remember her exact words, "Fate will meet you no matter how far you run away." The man said, his eyes forming tears.
"She was anonymously popular, only few knew her real name."
Granny's gaze instantly focused on the necklace with a warm look, "Fifty million," she uttered, raising her hands.
"Eighty million," another voice said, lifting his hands.
"Hundred million," another said.
"Hundred and ten million," another bidder said.
The crowd bid up the necklace to a higher price.
Granny observed everyone quietly, and then frowned.
"Two hundred million," another said.
Many people gasped in amusement as they turned their heads towards the lady with blonde hair wearing a hat.
Only a fool would bid that kind of money for just a necklace. Someone from the crowd murmured with pity while staring at the blonde lady as if she were a fool.
"Two hundred million!"
Going?" The auctioneer asked, his hands poised to strike the gavel and seal the deal.
"Two hundred million!"
"Going?" He asked again.
Suddenly someone raised their hand, "five hundred million!"
The crowd shifted their gaze from the blonde lady to the old one.
"Five hundred million.. Seems like she's the final fool after all.
She doesn't look rich, maybe she's trying to impress us." The lady from the crowd whispered to her friend, chuckling.
The words reached Ava's ears, and she frowned.
The necklace looked familiar, somehow like one her mother owned. But spending such an amount on the necklace made Ava sweat, not like she was the one paying but because of the amount Granny would be paying for it.
That amount of money was worth more than her father's company, probably even less than the price Granny paid.
"Five hundred million!"
" Going?"
"Five hundred million!"
"Sold!!"
The auctioneer loudly announced, his hands gripping the wooden gravel as it hit the block, sealing the deal.
After the auction ended, someone approached Granny with a contract in hand.
Granny signed the contract and paid for it. After successfully purchasing it, she stared at it with a look of longing. A rare smile slowly stretched across her face.
Ava watched her smile. It was the first time she had seen Granny smile like that, it looked genuine. "What is so precious about this necklace?" Ava had to ask, curiosity got the best of her.
Granny hesitated for a moment, her eyes still on it. "It is one of a kind," she replied, her palms gently stroking it.
Ava sighed, she doesn't know much about this woman, but she hopes the necklace is worth the price.
"You sure know how to get what you want!" A voice said, behind, gradually walking towards them.
Granny gaze met the person who just spoke, then her eyes darkened. "What are you doing here?!"
A woman with blond hair partially hidden beneath a wide brimmed hat, her eyes fixed on the glittering necklace lady.
She was the lady from earlier who bid the necklace two hundred million.
Isabel, Granny's close friend from college, until Isabel snatched her boyfriend, just because he won a lottery.
"What a wonderful way to greet your old time friend!" Isabel exclaimed, her hands entangled together as she opened her mouth.
"Nina let's go," Granny said, gently putting the necklace inside her handbag, then her grip tightening against Ava's wrist, dragging her towards the door.
"If you think you can use that necklace to ease your pain and past, you lie!" Isabel laughed loudly, her palms on her forehead.
Ava's brow furrowed as she observed the tense exchange between the two women, then she frowned.
"What is so special about this necklace? Well it is a gold necklace but can it ease someone's pain?" Her inner self, asked.
Granny ignored Isabel, dragging Ava towards the exit without glancing at Isabel.
The drive back to the mansion passed in silence. Grannyn gazed out the window, her eyebrows raised slightly as she was lost in thought.
"Granny, are you okay?" Ava asked, her voice laced with worry.
"I'm fine, just a little headache," She replied, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
Back at the mansion, Granny opened the car door quickly.
"The driver will take you home." Without waiting for Ava to respond, she headed towards the front door.
Ava frowned as the driver sped off towards her destination.
"Is he back?" Ava asked the butler, watching his hands grip the water can tightly as he carefully watered each flower. He seemed to admire the beauty of the garden, unaware of her presence.
The butler paused, the watering can suspended in the air for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Ava.
"Not yet," He said with a smile.
….
Meanwhile, Ava's family was on the verge of bankruptcy. Staff members hurried through the office, clutching documents, their faces etched with worry.
"What do you mean, no one wants to invest in the company?" Mr Adams shouted, his voice echoing through the hall.