CHAPTER 449: NEW PEOPLE, NEW LOVE STORY

"Juliet," Harrison’s gaze softened once more as he looked down at Juliet.

"Let’s head up."

"But," Juliet’s sunglasses obscured her eyes, yet her stare toward Queen’s direction carried little warmth.

Her voice, however, remained gentle.

"Queen went to the restroom.

Shouldn’t we wait for her?"

"Don’t worry about her. It’s not like she’ll get lost," Harrison checked his wristwatch, his tone still amiable.

"Let’s go.

The auction starts in fifteen minutes."

Hesitating briefly, Juliet finally nodded in reluctant agreement.

"...Alright."

Not far away, Queen watched the two step into the elevator, her lips curling into an unmistakable smirk.

*What a perfect pair—one loves brewing drama, the other loves drinking it up.*

If it weren’t for her parents’ repeated insistence, she would never have come along to play this charade with them.

Just watching it unfold made her sick to her stomach.

The elevator doors slid open on the ninth floor.

"President Harrison," The attendant waiting at the door recognized Harrison immediately and hurried forward with an ingratiating smile.

His gaze flickered briefly to the people accompanying Harrison, a hint of caution flashing in his eyes.

"Miss Juliet."

Regardless of which Miss she was, the title was safe enough.

Harrison gave a slight nod.

"Where is our private room?"

"Number six, to the right.

Allow me to show you the way."

The attendant ushered them into the exclusive VIP suite, serving premium tea, pastries, and coffee before switching on the projection screen in front of them.

Instantly, a crystal-clear live feed of the auction hall on the eighth floor appeared on the screen.

With the auction about to begin, most of the guests had already arrived.

Given the high-profile nature of the event, every attendee was a person of wealth and influence.

The auction hall’s lavish decor made ordinary luxury venues pale in comparison.

Each group was seated in their own semi-private booth.

Exquisite and expensive pastries were arranged on the table, accompanied by tea or coffee tailored to each guest’s preference.

At the moment, they were murmuring among themselves, taking advantage of the time before the auction officially began.

"Mr. Harrison, is there anything else you require?"

"That’ll be all," Harrison replied, shifting his gaze from the projection screen to the attendant.

"You may leave."

"Of course," the attendant nodded.

"I’ll be right outside the door.

Simply press the service button if you need anything."

With a slight bow to both of them, the attendant exited, leaving only Harrison and his companion in the private booth.

"Juliet," Harrison handed a cup of tea to Juliet, his chiseled features softening with an affectionate smile.

"Tonight, anything that catches your eye—I’ll win it for you."

"No need," Juliet took the tea in her hands, shaking her head with a gentle smile. Her expression was tender, her voice soft enough to melt hearts.

"I don’t lack those things.

I’m just here to keep you company."

Harrison sipped his coffee, his lips curling into a deeper smile at her response.

"I know you don’t need them, but I want to give them to you anyway," he said, his tone dripping with affection.

"We’re getting engaged soon.

It’s only natural to spoil my fiancée a little."

The more experienced a man was in love, the more easily he could be captured by a woman’s pure and gentle nature.

Harrison was living proof of that.

"Harrison.." But Juliet didn’t seem overjoyed by his words.

Instead, she lowered her gaze to the teacup in her hands, her expression unreadable.

After a long pause, she finally spoke in a quiet voice.

"About our engagement... let’s postpone it for a while."

"Postpone?!"

Harrison’s smile froze on his handsome, chiseled face, replaced by a look of bewilderment.

"Juliet, you’re not serious, are you?"

Juliet didn’t raise her head or respond.

A faint air of melancholy seemed to cling to her.

Watching her, Harrison’s brows knitted together.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Of course not," she said quickly, shaking her head as if afraid he might misunderstand.

Her delicate face was etched with panic.

"Harrison, you’re wonderful—more than wonderful."

"Then why postpone the engagement?"

His sharp, deep-set eyes studied her face—so similar to Queen’s in features, yet so different in essence.

His voice was low but firm. "Juliet, I want the truth."

"I..." She bit her soft, rosy lips, her clear eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

The words came out with difficulty.

"I... I’m afraid Queen will be upset."

Her head remained bowed, her voice thick with guilt.

"After all, it was her who was originally engaged to you."

So that’s how it was.

Harrison let out a sigh and gently took Juliet’s hand in his, his voice softening.

"Juliet, the decision to change the engagement was made by both families and agreed upon by me.

It has nothing to do with you."

Harrison squeezed her hand slightly tighter.

"If Queen wants to blame anyone, it shouldn’t be you. Don’t overthink it."

Juliet and Queen were twins, born from the same mother.

As the elder sister, Juliet had been betrothed to the Taylor family of San Francisco before she was even born.

Queen, on the other hand, was promised to Harrison family.

Of course, this arrangement was known only within their inner circles.

At first, Harrison had no objections—after all, Queen was widely regarded as one of the most beautiful women in their social circle. But after spending time with Juliet, his perspective shifted.

Compared to Queen’s capricious nature, Juliet’s poised and gentle demeanor made her far more suitable as his wife.

After much deliberation, he proposed the idea of switching fiancées to his family.

Though Juliet and Queen were twins, complications during birth had left Juliet with lingering health issues, leaving her frail since childhood.

On the contrary, Queen, unaffected by whatever had plagued her sister, enjoyed robust health from childhood, rarely even catching a cold.

This very reason made her parents feel a lingering guilt toward her, their hearts inevitably tilting in her favor.

Over the years, they showered her with extra care and attention.

Harrison and his family, recognizing this dynamic, saw no reason to reject Harrison’s proposal and voiced their intentions to the girls parents.

Their parents, too, had their own calculations.

They were aware of the rumors about the Taylor family’s son recovering from his illness.

But given Queen’s delicate constitution, they were reluctant to let her marry far from home, beyond their protective reach.

Their younger daughter, Queen, was spirited and resilient—hardly the type to be easily wronged.

With this in mind, they agreed to the switch in marriage arrangements.

As for the Taylor family, they saw no need to inform them.

After all, when the engagement was first made, no one had known there would be twins.

"Really?"

Juliet lifted her gaze to Harrison, her pale, delicate face the picture of innocence.

"But Queen, she’s been so... toward me lately..." Her words trailed off mid-sentence.

Harrison understood instantly.

"As her elder sister, you know better than anyone how willful she can be," he said with a knowing smile.

"Just childish tantrums—she’ll come around once she cools down."

Juliet bit her lip, remaining silent.

The helpless look in her eyes tugged at Harrison’s heart.

Harrison rose and moved beside her, slipping an arm around her slender waist.

"Juliet, don’t worry," he murmured, pulling her close.

"I’ve got you."

"Mmm."

She melted into his embrace, letting his strength support her.

At an angle invisible to Harrison, the faintest smirk curled at the corners of her lips.

Since childhood, everything she’d ever desired had been effortlessly wrested from Queen’s grasp.

And this marriage would be no exception.

Meanwhile... As Sinclair and Camilla entered the private lounge, their eyes fell upon Taylor—his long legs casually crossed as he reclined on the sofa, flipping through documents with lowered lashes.

Hearing their arrival, Taylor snapped the file shut and set it aside without ceremony.

With a gentle, faint smile, he turned his gaze toward the two of them.

"You’re here."