Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
Rebecca’s voice was resolute. “It doesn’t seem genuine to me. The crown vanished overseas, and no one would ever auction off something so valuable like this.”
Jada quietly responded, “Hmm… Too bad no one else would realize that.” As Jada spoke, she watched Rebecca’s face closely, noticing her clenched fists. Jada smiled.
The room buzzed with energy as people competed for the crown. Andrew leaned toward Isabella, saying, “It’s amazing you’d part with such a priceless piece for auction.”
“It’s an auction. We have to contribute something worthwhile. Plus, the funds will go to a good cause,” Isabella answered warmly.
Andrew’s gaze softened further as he admired her. She might seem distant, but in truth, she had the kindest heart. At an auction where others hesitated to offer anything significant, Isabella presented a rare and valuable antique—something that even elite auctions might not see. Thanks to her contribution, this charity auction would go down in history.
The bid had climbed to one hundred and fifty million, and there were no further offers.
“Two hundred million!” Andrew raised his paddle. His calm, quiet words silenced the lively crowd in an instant. Many wanted the crown, but two hundred million was steep. Reality set in, and they realized it was time to back down.
“Alright then, two hundred million going once, two hundred million going twice—“
“Hold on!” Just as the hammer was about to drop, someone stood up and shouted, “I’d like to know—is that crown real?”
It was Jada’s friend, Rebecca. Isabella glanced over and recognized the woman, a well-known socialite of Ansport. Her father, a renowned connoisseur of antiques, had filled their home with priceless treasures. This wealth and prestige had made Rebecca notoriously arrogant.
“Miss Alpert, all of our antiques have been meticulously authenticated by experts,” the host explained. “Even though this is a charity auction, we would never offer a fake item.”
Rebecca sneered, her tone dripping with disdain. “No one has laid eyes on Queen Sophia’s crown in years. Even so-called experts might struggle to verify its authenticity. This wouldn’t be the first time something like this has happened. The evaluation may say it’s genuine, but it could very well be a fake.”
The host fell silent, acknowledging the truth in Rebecca’s words. Indeed, this had happened before. For a moment, doubt crept into everyone’s mind regarding the authenticity of Queen Sophia’s crown. Was this crown truly a fake?
“I demand another evaluation,” Rebecca declared. “Luck would have it, my father has in-depth knowledge of Queen Sophia’s crown. I can determine whether it is genuine.”
The host was caught in a dilemma, facing an unprecedented situation at the auction. He glanced at the influential figures offstage—Andrew, Dane, and several other high-profile investors. Noting their approving nods, the host reluctantly agreed.
Rebecca quickly made her way onto the stage. Her antiques prompted her to always bring her evaluation tools with her. She began examining the crown for authenticity. The crowd held their breath, their eyes locked on the crown as they anxiously awaited the verdict on its authenticity.
“I’m done,” Rebecca said abruptly, her face long. “It’s a fake. Just look! The diamond glimmers too brightly—it’s clearly man-made. The diamond on the real crown emits a soft, hazy glow.” The audience erupted in uproar.
“A fake?”
“How could someone offer a fake at this auction?”
All eyes turned to Isabella, seeking an explanation. Isabella’s face remained serene and composed. She said lightly, “It appears that my crown has been replaced.”
“Ha-ha, I doubt you intended to auction the real one.” Rebecca glared at Isabella with disgust. “You’ve gone too far. How could you deceive us with a fake on such an important occasion?” Her disdain was deeply personal; her father had once purchased a fake at a charity auction, fueling her intense hatred for such deceptions.
She sneered, “If you didn’t want to auction the crown, you could have just offered something else. Imagine the disappointment if the buyer discovers it’s fake after purchasing it. Isabella, you owe everyone an apology!”
The hall fell so silent that even the faintest sound could be clearly heard. Rebecca’s direct confrontation took everyone by surprise. After all, Isabella came from the influential Patton family, while the Alpert family was comparatively less powerful. Yet, some people felt that Rebecca had a point.
“Yes, even though this is a charity auction, using fakes is unacceptable.”
“Exactly!”
“What Isabella has done brings shame to the Patton family!”
“Well, Rebecca,” Jada stood up and said, attempting to soothe the tension, “I understand that you’ve had a bad experience with fakes before, which makes you sensitive to this issue. But Isabella likely had no ill intentions. She simply wanted to showcase Queen Sophia’s crown. It’s her first time at a charity auction. Let’s not be too harsh on her.”
Rebecca, feeling angry, retorted, “Can wrongdoing simply be forgiven? How shameless of Isabella! If this continues, the reputation of the charity auction will be ruined. Who will want to attend in the future? If Isabella doesn’t apologize, I won’t be attending anymore!” Her impassioned words resonated with some in the crowd.
“After all, no one wants to buy a fake.”
“It’s truly Miss Patton’s fault.”
“She should definitely apologize! This is a crown worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”
“If she doesn’t apologize, I don’t think I’ll be attending the charity auction again. It’s only getting worse.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Isabella remained remarkably calm. As Andrew was about to speak, Isabella spoke up first. Facing Rebecca, she declared, “I can guarantee that the crown I offered is genuine. If it’s a fake now, then someone must have replaced it.”
“Replaced it?” Rebecca scoffed, finding the notion absurd. “Fine, then check the surveillance footage to see who swapped out your crown!”
The auction items had been tucked away in the storage room before the auction. The host requested someone to retrieve the surveillance footage. The video revealed that Isabella and a staff member had placed the crown into the storage room. No one else approached the room until the auction was about to start. Subsequently, the staff member had come to inspect the auction items and then moved them to another location.
“See? No one has touched your crown.” Rebecca regarded Isabella with a look of contempt. Everyone had seen the video clearly. It seemed that Isabella’s crown was indeed fake. Suddenly, disappointment spread across their faces.
The Patton family had always been held in high regard—why was Isabella tarnishing that reputation? “Who said no one touched it?” Isabella replied, her tone indifferent.
“What has touched the crown?” Rebecca asked with a frown.
“That staff member,” Isabella replied.
“Staff member?”
Everyone was at a loss for words. Rebecca was even more irritated. “Are you out of your mind? Do you really think the staff member replaced your crown? Isabella, even if you’re trying to shift the blame, you can’t target the innocent staff member.”
“What? Can’t a staff member do something like that?” Isabella retorted.
In the corner, the staff member watched this unfold, her fingers trembling slightly.
Jada interjected, “Enough, Rebecca. Don’t concern yourself with this anymore. I apologize on Isabella’s behalf. That’s it.”
Wesley couldn’t help but complain, “If someone has to apologize on your behalf for your mistakes…” He believed Isabella could never measure up to Jada.
Isabella cast a disappointed look at her. “Why are you doing this? Jada, it’s one thing if others doubt me, but do you not believe me either?”
“Isabella, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but the evidence… I understand you’re upset. Let me take you out for dinner when we get back. Don’t be too downhearted,” Jada said with a comforting tone, projecting an image of kindness and grace that won many present over. In their eyes, Jada, being one of the most renowned ladies, lived up to her reputation.
Isabella looked down. “Jada, the item I provided is authentic. Now it’s been replaced with a fake. As my friend, you should be on my side… I’m truly disappointed.” Jada’s heart skipped a beat at this reaction. Would Isabella distance herself from her after today? It had been a challenge to be close friends with Isabella in the first place.
“Isabella, I’m saying this for your own good. Let’s investigate who swapped your crown later. What do you think?” Jada’s tone was gentle and slightly ingratiating.
Isabella kept her gaze lowered and remained silent. Wesley, unable to tolerate it any longer, spoke up. “Don’t push it, Isabella. You presented a fake item, and Jada defended you. How can you treat her this way?”
Andrew cast a chilling glance at him, making the entire hall feel as though it had plunged into winter. Dane shot Wesley a glare, and the combined gazes made Wesley shiver involuntarily.
Isabella declared, “It’s straightforward to determine if the staff member swapped my item. Just investigate her movements here today.”
The host immediately sent someone to investigate. The crowd remained puzzled. Why was Isabella so adamant? Could her crown truly have been swapped? It wasn’t long before the surveillance footage was retrieved.
The video showed that after the staff member took Isabella’s auction item from the storage room, she headed backstage and stored it there. Then Susan approached her, chatted with her briefly, and handed her a box. After Susan left, the staff member glanced at the contents of the box and passed it to someone tasked with placing auction items on stage.
When the process was revealed, the staff member looked overwhelmed. “I’m so sorry, Miss Patton,” she stammered. “I never imagined this wasn’t your request. When Miss Riggs gave me the box, she said she wanted to swap it for the real crown and even offered me money. I assumed you wanted to use a replica because the original was far too valuable.” Her confession flipped the situation entirely.
Was this all orchestrated by Susan? Had she set Isabella up? All eyes turned toward Susan.
Susan was shocked, her face growing dark. “What are you saying? Your colleague asked me to deliver the box! I was just helping out—I didn’t even know what was inside.”
“Susan, you’re always so careful. How could you hand over a box without checking what was inside?” Jada remarked with disappointment. “Isabella is your friend. How could you betray her like this? If the truth hadn’t come out, she would’ve been blamed by everyone. How could you live with that?”
“Oh my God, they’re friends!”
“How awful! I knew Miss Patton wouldn’t do something like this.”
“This is unbelievable! Why would Susan do such a thing?”
“It’s obvious, it must be…”
Susan, pale and shaken by the disgusted stares, turned to Isabella. “I didn’t do this, Isabella. I swear I didn’t!” Susan didn’t care about the others’ judgment—she only worried that Isabella wouldn’t believe her.
Jada interjected, “Isabella, now that it’s clear Susan was behind it, let’s handle it later. We should let the auction resume for now.”
If the situation ended here, everyone would remember Susan’s misdeed. Jada would never let Susan lead an easy life. Plus, this would drive a huge wedge between Susan and Isabella. Jada felt she’d hit two birds with one stone—her plan had worked perfectly.