Hannah looked at Oscar. Their eyes met briefly before both quickly looked away.

Oscar shouted at the auctioneer, "Hurry up and finish the deal!"

The auctioneer, clearly enjoying the moment, quickly responded, "Thirty million, going once! Thirty million, going twice! Last chance... sold! Congratulations to Mr. Wells!"

The crowd applauded. Oscar went to the stage and accepted the jewel, which was placed in a delicate glass box. Its dazzling blue light captivated the audience; many eagerly awaited a closer look.

He then approached Charles and Hannah. Charles frowned, expecting Oscar to boast about his acquisition. Instead, Oscar handed the jewel to Hannah. "Take it," he said.

The crowd gasped. Oscar's reputation for debauchery and disregard for rules was well-known; this act was a stark contrast.

Hannah looked at Oscar. "Didn't you like it?" he asked, his tone intimate and clear. Hannah was deeply moved.

Before Charles could utter his protest, "Hannah won't...", Oscar had already given the box to Hannah, who accepted it without hesitation.

Charles stared, disbelieving. Hannah explained, "Since Mr. Wells insists, I couldn't resist."

Oscar smiled, a captivating smile that charmed many women. Turning to Charles, he quipped, "And that, my dear Charles, is what's meant by a virtuous man not depriving someone of what they love." He was clearly teasing Charles's earlier hypocrisy.

Charles's displeasure was unconcealed. "Bye," Oscar said to Charles, though Hannah felt the remark was directed at her. She watched him leave with a carefree air, acknowledging his powerful aura, even in his recklessness. "So, that's how he wins women's hearts?" Susan blurted out, her characteristically loose tongue causing Charles's gloom to deepen. Hannah, however, smiled subtly.

Charles, always boasting of his difference from other wealthy young men, considered himself virtuous and exceptional, a view widely shared by the public. He was lauded as a once-in-a-thousand-years genius in Northfield, his family background, intellect, and abilities making him seem impossibly perfect. Hannah later learned his reputation was carefully cultivated by the Sawyer family, who had nurtured his image from a young age. Charles himself believed his own hype, believing himself superior. His humiliation by Oscar was clearly upsetting.

Susan, sensing the awkwardness, quickly excused herself, "It's late, Hannah. I should go."

Hannah nodded. "Be careful."

"Okay."

The banquet ended, guests departing. Charles, concealing his resentment, drove Hannah home. In the car, Hannah was silent, occasionally glancing at the sapphire. Charles, still furious, imagined the media's portrayal of him. His anger building, he snapped at Hannah, "How could you take his thing?" The unspoken accusation, "You've embarrassed me!" hung in the air.

Hannah explained, "My mother's birthday is coming up, and she likes sapphires. I wanted to give it to her."

"Even so…"

"I planned to buy it myself," Hannah interrupted, "but you stopped me."

Charles was speechless, realizing he had assumed she'd expect him to pay. Hannah continued calmly, "I told my father before the banquet that I wanted the sapphire for my mother. He approved and didn't limit my spending."

Charles, embarrassed, stammered, "I... I was afraid you'd be tricked by that wastrel."

Hannah didn't challenge his lie. "Since Oscar Wells didn't want it, there's no harm in taking it."

"But it was given by that wastrel..."

"Charles, you never call people names. Why have you changed?" Hannah asked innocently.

Charles was taken aback. "You've called him a wastrel all night, and I barely recognize you. I always thought you wouldn't speak like that," Hannah said, expressing genuine disappointment.

Charles quickly backpedaled, "I was just angry because he irritated me. If you don't like it, I won't say it again."

Hannah nodded. His anger subsided, thanks to her words. Secretly, Hannah sneered. He wanted to be a hypocrite? She'd let him.

…

Charles drove her to the Cooper Manor. Suddenly, a voice startled her, "Miss Cooper!"

She glared at Oscar, leaning against a wall under a streetlight, arms crossed. "Do you have to appear out of nowhere?" she snapped.

"Isn't that how a love affair should be?"

"Who'd have a love affair with you?" Hannah's temper flared despite her training.

"I thought you fancied my body when you wanted me to ruin the marriage."

"..." She wanted to hit him.

"If not, give me back the card!" he demanded.

Hannah took a deep breath. "Wait here," she said, retrieving the card and returning it. Oscar prepared to leave, but Hannah stopped him. "I'll pay you for the sapphire later."

"It's fine," Oscar replied. "I don't need the money."

Her suspicion remained; why was he after the card if he didn't want the money?

"Goodnight, Miss Cooper." He drove off in his flashy red sports car.

Hannah felt that Oscar was different from his public image – profound, even. It wasn't an illusion. He looked at the card with a playful expression, his thoughts unreadable. He connected to his Bluetooth. "Hey, Theodore. Manuel has returned."

"Got it," he said.

"I heard you spent thirty million to please a woman tonight," Theodore remarked incredulously.

Oscar smiled. "Yes, I'm in love."

Theodore was stunned. The man who had never shown interest in women claimed to be in love, with an unsettling confidence, as if he were the sole expert on romance.