Chapter 3 Name Your Price

Leo smacked his forehead and stared at Asher like he could not believe what he was seeing, then said, "Mom's always telling you to hit the books properly and quit wasting so much time on computer games. You've been glued to those games way too much, haven't you? You even spelled two words wrong!"

"Ah, don't fuss over little things," Asher said with a cheeky grin. After scribbling out the words, he sketched a ridiculously over-the-top pig right next to them.

As he drew, he gave a mocking snort and muttered, "What a pig."

He wanted everyone to know that Daniel, their father, was an absolute scumbag.

Even though they had never actually met Daniel face-to-face all these years, they had heard his name before and seen him on TV, smiling brightly at events with another woman.

So the second they spotted him here, they recognized him at once, and they were certain it was him.

Emilia had never wanted to speak to the children about Daniel at all. Most of what they knew about him had come from her best friend, Madison Ward, who had only told them because they kept pressing her with questions.

That was why the children knew Emilia had brought them here to live on their own, because Daniel had hurt her deeply. In their eyes, he was unworthy of being their mother's husband, let alone their father.

"Leo, Asher! What are you two doing?" Olivia came running over.

"Shh!" Asher quickly covered Olivia's mouth. "Keep your voice down. We're doing something bad."

Olivia promptly slapped both hands over her own mouth and nodded, promising to stay quiet. Then she noticed the words Asher had written on the Maybach and said, "Asher, you misspelled two words."

Asher gave an awkward wave of his hand. "Ah, don't fuss over little things."

Leo took Olivia's hand and asked, "Has Mommy finished work yet?"

"The manager called her into the office," Olivia answered.

Meanwhile, the moment Emilia stepped into the manager's office, the manager hurriedly waved her over and introduced her to the important client. "Amelia, come here and meet Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Wright, this is Amelia Morgan, the auctioneer you wanted to see."

The instant Emilia heard the manager call someone "Mrs. Wright", she lifted her eyes and frowned faintly.

To her astonishment, she saw Isabel, the very woman Daniel had loved so deeply.

What the manager said made it clear to Emilia that Isabel had, by all appearances, become Daniel's wife. Still, the revelation didn't shock her, because she had long believed Daniel would marry Isabel the instant their divorce was over, considering how deeply he loved her.

She'd walked away back then so Daniel could be with Isabel. Never thought she'd see her again-especially not here.

Something faintly bitter curled through Emilia's chest, and her face cooled at once.

Looking polished from head to toe, Isabel lowered her coffee cup and looked over Amelia-who was really Emilia behind a veil-with open disdain in her eyes.

What she had heard was that Amelia, the head auctioneer at this house, had a sharp eye for antique authentication, had become famous after a single legendary auction, and had been blown up by online gossip into some sort of miracle talent.

Isabel had expected someone far more impressive. Instead, she was annoyed to find that Amelia wouldn't even reveal her face.

Nor could Isabel make sense of Danny's urgency about meeting Amelia.

She gave a cold snort. "So, you're Amelia Morgan. I hear you're more than an auctioneer, and that you know how to authenticate antiques as well. We intend to hire you, and you'll return with us to the Wright estate in Zloigas for a few days to inspect some antiques. Name your price."

Isabel had no doubt Emilia would accept, because an offer like this was not something people refused, especially with the name Wright behind it.

With deliberate ease, she raised her coffee cup and took a sip, fully expecting Amelia to fawn over her.

Inside, Emilia let out a cold scoff. She did, in fact, know how to authenticate antiques, yet she had already made up her mind that she would never work for Isabel or Daniel.

She had left in the first place to keep them out of her life, so there was no chance she would go back to Zloigas with Isabel.

"Sorry, I'm only an auctioneer. If you need someone to verify whether antiques are genuine, you'll have to ask someone else. I can't help you. I've got something else to handle. I need to leave now."

On that note, she turned to leave.

Isabel froze in surprise. Being refused was the last thing she had expected.

She hurriedly called after Emilia, "Wait. Do you have any idea who I am? Think before you answer."

"I have thought about it carefully. My answer is no," Emilia said coolly.

"What is your problem? I'm offering you money to come with me. Who are you to say no?" Isabel snapped, pushing to her feet and seizing Emilia by the arm.

She needed to get Emilia back with her, or Danny would not be pleased.

A crease formed between Emilia's brows as her eyes dropped to Isabel's hand, still locked around her wrist.

Then her eyes widened.

There, on Isabel's wrist, sat a diamond bracelet, every inch of it drenched in glittering stones, the kind of dazzling masterpiece that was clearly worth more than a hundred million dollars. In an instant, Emilia knew it was her family heirloom.

Her mother had placed it in her hands herself and told her to guard it carefully, because one day it might be of use to her. Yet when Emilia had fled in haste all those years ago, she had left it behind at the Wright estate. Never had she imagined she would find it now on Isabel's wrist.

At once, she assumed Daniel must have been the one who gave it to Isabel.

Rage surged through her at the thought that he had taken something that was hers and handed it to Isabel simply because he wanted to give Isabel a gift.

Emilia twisted her hand around and caught hold of Isabel's wrist, then asked in a low, heavy voice, "Does this bracelet belong to you?"

Isabel threw Emilia an irritated glance. "Of course it belongs to me. My husband gave it to me. It's not as though it could ever be yours."

That answer confirmed Emilia's suspicion. A sharp ache cut straight through her chest when she realized Daniel had known perfectly well that the bracelet was hers, and had still given it to Isabel anyway.

In her heart, she cursed him as the lowest kind of scumbag for handing his ex-wife's heirloom to his new wife without the slightest trace of guilt.

"Let go." All at once, a cold, commanding voice rang out.

Emilia lifted her gaze and found a man standing in the doorway, though she had no idea when he had appeared there, and her eyes collided with his dark, piercing stare.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, standing straight as a blade, with a face so strikingly handsome it was impossible to ignore, and even in stillness, he carried the crushing presence of a man long used to power.

Emilia's hands curled into fists.

It was Daniel.

Shock hit her when she realized Olivia had not been mistaken.

A wave of frustration swept through her for failing to expect him; with how fiercely he and Isabel loved each other, if Isabel was here, then of course he would be beside her.

Not once in the five years since her departure had Emilia imagined she would ever see Daniel again. She had never wanted to see him again either, because there was something she feared.

She had given birth to three children. If Daniel learned the truth, he would absolutely take them away from her. A family as powerful as the Wrights would never allow children of their blood to remain outside the family.

Those children were Emilia's whole world. She would never gamble with even the smallest possibility of losing them. That was the reason she had hidden behind a veil all these years and stayed alert at every moment.

Emilia balled her fists tighter; Daniel's gaze stayed fixed on her, as though he were trying to see through the thin veil and uncover her face.

Her heart would not stop pounding.

Isabel jerked her wrist free from Emilia's grasp and immediately softened her manner, saying in a gentle voice, "Daniel, I already spoke to Ms. Morgan, but she flatly refuses to come back with us. She seems to think very little of us."

Inside, she gave a silent sneer, thinking that anyone bold enough to show contempt for the Wright family was simply begging for trouble.

With that in mind, she raised her chin with pride.

Daniel fixed Emilia with a cold stare and said, "Name your price."