Cliff's POV
I thought Vanya's attendance at the auction was just out of curiosity, but when she bid half a million dollars on that piece of rock, I couldn't help but frown.
Melinda whispered, "This stone has no value. Luna Vanya's half a million is likely to be wasted."
I tried to Mind-link with Vanya, but she refused to communicate with me.
Eventually, the obsidian was sold to Vanya for five million dollars.
I immediately stood up.
Five million is not much to me, but she didn't consult with me about what she wanted to bid on.
At that moment, I noticed Vanya kept looking in one direction.
Following her gaze, I saw Theodore.
He was also looking at Vanya, even cheerfully raising his glass to her, which made my mood even gloomier.
When leaving the auction venue, Melinda tugged at me and said, "Alpha Cliff, Luna Vanya will cause you to lose a lot of money."
I coldly replied, "She bid the price herself. No one will pay for her."
Vanya's POV
As the noise of the auction gradually faded, I was planning to leave this place of trouble when I unexpectedly ran into Cliff and Melinda.
Cliff's face was stern, showing no mercy to me at all.
He bluntly said, "Vanya, if you don't understand the value of ore, don't meddle. That obsidian is not worth anything."
Melinda chimed in, "Yes, Luna Vanya. There's a lot of this obsidian in the mountains. Even we rogues won't pick it up, and your bidding makes Alpha Cliff waste five million dollars."
I chuckled lightly, responding with disdain, "I think you're mistaken. I'm the one who wants to buy this obsidian. What does it have to do with Alpha Cliff?"
Melinda blurted out without thinking, "But that's five million dollars..."
At this moment, Derrick, not far away, sarcastically added, "But it's just five million. For us, it's like buying a toy, let alone for you, Vanya. Right?"
I glanced at Theodore beside Derrick.
I indifferently said, "It's just five million dollars. It's just for fun."
I saw Melinda's face turn extremely awkward instantly.
Five million dollars might not be much for Cliff. It was even less significant for me.
But it made Melinda deeply realize that in front of us, she was like a frog in a well, unable to see the bigger picture.
Her flushed red face was the best proof.
Theodore suddenly asked, "I heard Alpha Cliff found his mate. Who is this young lady beside him?"
Melinda immediately blushed and frantically waved her hands, saying, "No, no..."
But Cliff pulled me to his side and said, "This is my mate, Vanya."
I felt a wave of aversion and tried to shake off his hand subtly, but he held on tightly.
Since the beginning, I've noticed Theodore's gaze kept lingering on me.
The minds of men were always subtle.
Probably, Cliff also sensed it, which was why he acted this way.
However, he wouldn't know that Theodore was looking at me partly because I asked him for an invitation to the auction.
Derrick continued to joke, "So Luna Vanya is your mate. Sorry, my bad. I saw you and this young lady talking and laughing in the venue. I thought she was your mate. Then this young lady must be you Beta. No wonder she was bidding for you just now."
Hearing this, I almost couldn't help but laugh.
Although I no longer care about the nonsense between Melinda and Cliff, Derrick's words still made me feel secretly satisfied.
And Melinda's face had already turned pale and embarrassed.
Seeing this, Cliff ordered, "Elliot, take Melinda home."
"Yes, Alpha Cliff."
Derrick still had that smirky look, "Then we won't disturb you anymore, goodbye."
After Derrick and Theodore left, I forcefully shook off Cliff's hand.
I said irritably, "Are you done?"
Cliff obviously didn't expect me to be so resolute. He probably still remembered the past when I just became his mate and cared about him a lot.
But tonight's me was a different person from before.
Finally, Cliff said coldly, "If it's to attract my attention, you didn't need to do this."
This sentence made me instantly speechless, wanting to retort but not knowing where to start.
After all, according to how much I used to care about him, I might really do something like this to get his attention.
But I was no longer the Vanya from before.
Feeling agitated, I simply gave up and said, "Whatever you think."
"Wait," Cliff stopped me.
"What for?" I asked impatiently.
"What's your relationship with Theodore?" His gaze carried a hint of scrutiny.