Chapter 71

When Sebastian successfully bid on the pendant, preventing it from falling into the wrong hands, Daphne finally breathed a sigh of relief. But even then, whispers from behind her grated on her nerves. Daphne refused to tolerate it any longer.

Turning around, she retorted sharply, "I'm the spokesperson for Turner Group, and I'm doing this for free. Is there a problem with Mr. Turner bidding on my item? If you're so ignorant, perhaps you should try using your brain. If you're upset, go complain to the Turners in person! And by all means, keep gossiping—just don't cry when you're sued." The two people exchanged awkward glances and immediately fell silent.

For this year's charity event, Wilson donated one million dollars in Yvonne's name. For a newcomer who had only been in the industry for a year, this was a significant move to gain public favor. From the perspective of online gossip enthusiasts, this generous gesture overshadowed many established industry veterans who had donated only a few hundred thousand dollars despite their years in the business.

Without even checking the trending topics, Daphne could imagine the flood of online praise.

"Wilson absolutely dotes on Yvonne," Ava whispered, unable to contain herself. "He never helped you build such a reputation back then!"

In previous years, Wilson had also made contributions in Daphne's name during the donation segments. But everyone knew it was his money, so the accolades she received paled in comparison to the adoration Yvonne was now enjoying.

This time, things were different. Wilson had intentionally coordinated with the organizers and media outlets to ensure the narrative focused solely on the kind-hearted and beautiful rising star, Yvonne Smith, generously donating one million dollars. His own name was conspicuously absent.

Many people online were already saying, "Yvonne is still a newcomer and hasn't earned much herself, yet she's donating so much. Meanwhile, Daphne, a top-tier A-lister, only donated a fraction of that in comparison. Yvonne's character is leagues ahead of Daphne's."

What no one knew was that Daphne wasn't being stingy—her divorce settlement hadn't been finalized, and she was pouring all her resources into starting a new company. Money was tight.

Daphne had fully expected to be criticized online by Yvonne's media team. What she didn't anticipate was Sebastian stepping in mid-event and adding another one million to her donation total—under the name of Turner Group's spokesperson.

This brought Daphne's total donation to two million dollars, making her the top donor among all the celebrities present. Not only did this save her from being labeled as stingy, but it also stole the spotlight Wilson had carefully orchestrated for Yvonne.

Daphne felt deeply grateful to this business partner who had repeatedly come to her aid. She was starting to realize that everything Sebastian did was genuinely for her benefit.

After the event concluded, Daphne declined media interviews. Once most of the crowd had dispersed, she picked up her gown and hurried out. At the venue's entrance, she spotted Sebastian, waiting calmly.

Before she could express her gratitude, Sebastian stepped forward, holding a beautifully wrapped gift box with both hands. He handed it to her solemnly. Sure enough, it was the pendant he had bought.

Even without a word, Sebastian had understood her intentions with an unspoken connection. Daphne felt a sense of satisfaction with her choice of business partner.

"For you. I knew you'd want it," Sebastian said in his usual calm tone.

Daphne carefully opened the box, revealing the pendant. She gently ran her fingers over it; the cool touch of the emerald brought tears to her eyes.

She didn't ask how Sebastian knew it mattered to her. She simply tucked the pendant into her clutch, her words caught in her throat.

"Don't get emotional, and don't bother thanking me," Sebastian said casually. "I just can't stand Wilson's petty behavior. Using a new girlfriend to humiliate an ex-wife and even resorting to physical intimidation. No real man would stoop that low." He spoke as if the whole matter was trivial, dismissing it without a second thought.