Chapter 49

The familiar figure vanished in the bustling crowd.

Susan Thompson curled her lips in self-mockery. Andrew Lucas should be wrapped up in sweet moments with Nicole Capra right now. Why would he be here?

Perhaps it was for the best. She didn’t want him to witness her at her most vulnerable.

In the dressing room, the makeup artist’s fingers glided over her face, punctuated by occasional gasps of awe. Susan kept her eyes closed, listening to the endless stream of compliments.

"You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen," the makeup artist murmured, her voice tinged with regret. "It’s just… such a shame…"

Susan understood the unspoken words. She opened her eyes. The reflection in the mirror was breathtaking—yet she was about to become a commodity for sale.

The manager brought in an exquisite gown with flowing sleeves, its waist adorned with rubies that shimmered under the lights. The gemstones on her forehead ornament, necklace, and anklet were all genuine, making her look like a celestial being descended to earth.

The auction results for the first five girls had been announced. The highest bid was five million, won by a foreign tycoon in his seventies. Susan watched the girl in the ballroom forcing a smile, bitterness welling in her chest.

A sheer veil covered her face, leaving only her mesmerizing eyes visible. With one glance, the crowd below erupted in excitement.

"Stunning!" Torey Smith clapped Andrew on the shoulder. "Andrew, is this what they call an Eastern beauty?"

Andrew didn’t even lift his head, his brows furrowed with impatience. He despised these events. If not for his friend’s insistence, he wouldn’t have set foot here.

The music began. Susan raised her sleeves, each graceful turn radiating breathtaking beauty. The room fell silent as her slender waist swayed.

Torey was spellbound, beads of sweat forming on his nose. "Andrew, how does that Chinese poem go? 'Graceful as a startled swan'—"

Andrew finally looked up.

The moment his gaze landed on the stage, his pupils constricted.

That woman on stage—it was unmistakably… Susan.