Emmett remained wary of Yvette, as he was of anyone who appeared near Jeremiah. His duty demanded extreme caution. He couldn't help questioning her presence. Yvette's sudden appearance at the auction, on such an important day, was highly suspicious. Even if coincidental, her presence could disrupt their plans. Nothing was certain.

Emmett considered Yvette a hindrance. Should conflict erupt, he would have to protect her, adding a significant burden. After glancing at the silent, downcast Yvette, he hesitated before cautiously asking, "Ms. Zeller, did you come here alone?"

Yvette turned, her eyes betraying their usual indifference. "No, I came with a friend. He went to take care of something."

Jeremiah's expression darkened; his brows furrowed. His voice grew cold. "Pull our people out. Return to standby."

Shocked, Emmett thought, Retreat? Jeremiah had meticulously planned this for days, waiting for Caleb to appear. He couldn't understand Jeremiah's withdrawal, but knew it stemmed from Yvette's presence. Jeremiah was acting far too irrationally.

Regardless, Emmett's loyalty to Jeremiah was absolute. Still, his resentment toward Yvette grew. If not for her, this carefully planned operation, costing significant manpower and resources, wouldn't have been abandoned at the last minute. However, he knew he couldn't change Jeremiah's decision. He nodded reluctantly. "Understood, Mr. Chavez. I'll give the orders now." He then left the room.

Yvette rested her left arm, her tanned skin visible at her wrist. Her beautiful face followed Emmett's exit with a calm expression. Then, she pursed her lips slightly. "Did I offend him?"

Jeremiah, pausing mid-coffee pour, thought, She's sharp. Emmett thought he'd hidden his displeasure well.

"No," Jeremiah replied, "he doesn't mean any harm. He just doesn't understand why you're here."

Yvette turned, her gaze different. After a few seconds, her tone became more serious. "Aren't you curious why I'm here?"

Jeremiah smiled faintly; it vanished as quickly as it appeared. In that brief moment, Yvette was momentarily stunned. She had to admit he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.

Noticing Yvette's distraction, Jeremiah felt a flicker of satisfaction. Andrew's "beauty trap" idea seemed to be working. Yvette was affected; for once, Andrew wasn't entirely wrong. Jeremiah considered using this tactic more often.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, his voice slightly raspy. With focused intensity, he said, "It doesn't matter. You've never asked why I'm at Argrol University, either."

Yvette lowered her coffee cup, blew on it gently, and took a sip. She then lifted her gaze slightly and exchanged a silent smile with Jeremiah. Everything was conveyed without words.

A knock came. "Excuse me, sir, may I interrupt for a moment?"

Jeremiah gestured toward the couch. "Rest there. I'll call you when the bidding starts."

"Okay," Yvette replied.

Jeremiah composed himself, returning to his aloof demeanor, exuding cold elegance. His voice was icy. "Come in."

The woman who entered was one of the courtesans selected to serve VIP guests. Selection required striking beauty, a captivating figure, and fluency in several languages. Despite stringent requirements, generous pay drew fierce competition. The auction operated under unspoken rules; the girls could be taken away, provided the price satisfied both parties. Many stories existed of girls whose lives transformed overnight.

Lily, who had entered, had her eye on Jeremiah. She used every trick, but he didn't glance her way. Initially thinking him uninterested in women, she then watched him with an incredibly beautiful girl. Lily, experienced in this industry, knew some were simply beyond her reach. If Jeremiah wasn't interested, she'd move on; her life wasn't worth risking.

Standing straight, Lily bowed deeply. "Hello, sir. Someone on the first floor just opened an AAA-grade emerald. According to the auction's rules, the guest gifts a bottle of rare wine (worth 100,000 dollars) to another guest. That guest requested it be sent to your lounge and expressed gratitude to Ms. Zeller."

Lily hadn't expected the wine to go to Jeremiah, misjudging Yvette's status.

Jeremiah turned to Yvette, who leaned back, her expression dazed, her gaze contemplative, as if she hadn't heard Lily. "Just put it on the table. What's the name of the person who opened the AAA-grade emerald?"

After placing the wine, Lily leaned down slightly. "Sir, the guest's last name is Garcia, and Ms. Zeller would know him." She gracefully retreated.

Jeremiah furrowed his brow. "That guy from earlier? Did you come with him?"

Yvette sat up, her voice slightly nasal. "No, we met halfway. He… is not bad."

Jeremiah felt a twinge of jealousy. "Not bad" implied a high opinion. He wondered what she thought of him.

"He's lucky," Yvette nodded nonchalantly. Her indifference slightly eased Jeremiah's unease.

Earlier, on the first floor, after Yvette left, Kevin stared at the raw emerald receipt. Having already spent a large sum, he didn't intend to return it for processing. He considered cutting it open there.

He called Martin. Upon hearing Yvette suggested the purchase, Martin dismissed it. Upon closer inspection, they believed containing such high-quality emerald was nearly impossible. They figured the money was lost and decided to cut it in the exhibition hall, expecting nothing.

However, when the cutter made the first incision, a vibrant green hue appeared, stunning them.