CHAPTER 471: TAYLOR FINALLY MEET THE BERNARDO SISTERS

Staring at Taylor, the initial shock in Queen’s gaze gradually gave way to a flicker of joy—one she hadn’t even noticed herself.

Equally stunned were the other key players in this drama: Harrison and Juliet.

Especially Juliet.

She studied Taylor once more, this time with far greater scrutiny than before.

The longer she looked, the more complicated the emotions in her eyes became.

Wasn’t it said that Taylor was a frail, sickly man?

Even if his health had improved recently, it shouldn’t have recovered to this extent—so much so that not a trace of illness remained.

Harrison, on the other hand, felt nothing but awkwardness.

Though the switch in his fiancée had been arranged discreetly between the two families, the fact that he had once been engaged to Queen was hardly a secret.

If Taylor had wanted to dig into it, it wouldn’t have been difficult.

For a moment, silence fell over everyone.

The air grew heavier, almost suffocating.

Even Kai, who had been standing to the side after handling his tasks, sensed something amiss when he looked up, his face etched with confusion.

Why did the atmosphere between President Harrison, President Taylor, and the others feel so... strange?

Had they met before?

But recalling Harrison’s unfamiliar demeanor toward Sinclair and Taylor earlier, he dismissed the thought.

That couldn’t be it.

Just as he was contemplating whether to break the ice again, a deep yet smooth male voice resonated through the private room.

"Mr. Harrison, I’ve long heard of your reputation."

Taylor’s lips curled slightly as he addressed Harrison, deliberately shattering the suffocating silence.

As for Queen and Juliet standing nearby, he feigned ignorance of their identities.

*Long heard of your reputation.*

The phrase, typically a polite formality, now grated on Harrison’s ears like an ill-tuned chord.

Yet, as a seasoned player in the social arena, he masked his discomfort effortlessly.

"Mr. Taylor, Mr. Luther, the pleasure is mine," Harrison replied with practice ease, nodding at both Taylor and Sinclair before guiding Juliet to the sofa opposite Taylor.

The moment they sat, Juliet discreetly withdrew her hand from his grasp.

Meanwhile, the Queen—uninvited yet unbothered—found her own seat.

Unlike her sister, she lounged back unabashedly, her narrowed eyes fixed on Taylor as if dissecting a puzzle.

Camilla observed the battlefield of expressions with barely contained amusement, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

Her fingers ghosted Sinclair’s palm in a playful tease, sharing her silent delight in the unfolding drama.

Sinclair’s lips curved into a faint smirk.

His pale, slender fingers effortlessly enveloped Camilla’s delicate hand, intertwining with hers in a tight clasp.

"President Luther," Harrison’s gaze shifted from the composed Taylor to the ice-cold expression of Sinclair, cutting straight to the point.

"I’m here about that set of violet diamond jewelry from the auction.

My fiancée is utterly taken with it, and I’d like to present it as our engagement gift.

I hope you’ll consider letting it go."

Given the Harrison family’s standing, he wouldn’t have bothered with such courtesy toward anyone else.

But Sinclair was different—whether because of the Luther Family’s influence or the man himself.

Juliet’s eyes followed, lingering on Sinclair as a bashful flush tinted her cheeks at the mention of their upcoming engagement.

"This is Harrison’s heartfelt gesture. We’d be deeply grateful if you could accommodate us."

At this point, most people would find it awkward to refuse.

But alas.

The corner of Camilla’s lips lifted imperceptibly.

Her Sinclair was never "most people."

"My wife adores it as well," Sinclair completely ignored Juliet, his gaze fixed firmly on Harrison as he spoke.

"The auction rules ensure absolute fairness.

If you want it, Mr. Harrison, then place your bid."

His voice was deep and husky, carrying a chilling edge beneath its magnetic resonance.

So, he still wasn’t willing to back down?

The smile on Harrison’s face visibly froze in place.

President Luther’s way of turning people down was as blunt as even Kai remained unfazed.

Today, this Harrison fellow had clearly bitten off more than he could chew.

Noticing Harrison’s stiff expression, Taylor’s lips curled into a deeper smile as he took a sip of his coffee.

After setting the cup down, he didn’t glance at Sinclair or the others.

Instead, his gaze settled on Queen, who had been watching him intently.

Their eyes met, but unlike before, Queen didn’t shy away in flustered haste.

Instead, she offered him a composed, confident smile.

Taylor might not know her identity now, but he’d find out at the charity gala.

Better to acknowledge it openly now than face an awkward revelation later.

Taylor’s dark eyes narrowed slightly, his smile deepening as he gave her a slight nod in return before finally looking away.

Harrison knew all too well that when it came to financial firepower, he was no match for Sinclair.

The reason was simple.

Sinclair was the head of the Luther Family, wielding absolute control over its vast wealth and authority.

The Harrison family, on the other hand, wasn’t entirely in his grasp yet—every fund he tried to mobilize was under close scrutiny.

Juliet was well aware of Harrison’s concerns, her eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion.

As she lifted her teacup, she stole another glance at the man beside her.

Her parents had made it abundantly clear—the Taylor family’s standing was on par with the Harrison family.

Her reluctance to marry into the Taylor household had little to do with wealth.

Rather, she dreaded leaving the familiar comforts of E Country for San Francisco—and then there was Taylor’s health.

Yet, she hadn’t expected Taylor to be so strikingly handsome, his demeanor so refined.

Juliet lowered her gaze, a pang of irritation twisting inside her at the thought of someone like him falling into Queen’s hands.

"President Luther," Harrison’s voice cut through the silence, his eyes glinting with a cold edge.

"No matter how rare this amethyst set is, it’s hardly worth pushing the bid past three hundred million.

If you’d be willing to step aside..."

Harrison paused deliberately, softening his tone. "...I’d owe you a favor."

In Luville, a favor from Harrison wasn’t something money could buy.

Sinclair, as the head of his family, was no fool.

Surely, he knew the smart choice.

Harrison lowered his eyes, lifting his coffee cup with deliberate calm before bringing it to his lips.

Matvey and Juliet also believed that Sinclair wouldn’t pass up this opportunity to establish ties with the Harrison family.

Yet, as fate would have it, things took an unexpected turn.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Harrison,"

Sinclair’s lips curled slightly, his dark, narrow eyes devoid of emotion yet exuding an inexplicable chill.

"But no need."

His voice, low and icy, carried an unmistakable refusal—unyielding and final.

No need?!

Harrison paused, as if unable to believe Sinclair had rejected him yet again.

"So, Mr. Luther," When he spoke again, the politeness in his tone had vanished.

"You’re refusing to give me this courtesy?"

With those words, the atmosphere in the private room visibly plummeted into frosty silence.

Damn it!

It had come to this after all!

Matvey’s brow twitched, his legs nearly buckling beneath him as his mind raced through every possible scenario and countermeasure for what might unfold next.

"Auction houses have always operated on the principle of highest bidder wins," Sinclair’s striking features remained impassive as he regarded Harrison.

"Nothing to do with my face."

Harrison pressed his lips together, his fingers tightening around the coffee cup until his knuckles whitened.

A glacial darkness deepened in his eyes, the tension around him so palpable it seemed he might snap at any moment.

"Mr. Harrison,"

Matevi swiftly stepped forward, positioning himself between Sinclair and Harrison.

"We have other diamond collections available.

Perhaps you’d like to accompany Miss Bernardo to browse them?

If anything catches her eye, we could—"

"No need."