Balance Unlimited System

08. Acquired A Necklace

Using a pair of binoculars, Matthew began to look at all the items being auctioned that day. He was completely unfamiliar with all the unusual sights. Jewelry, stones, artifacts, paintings, and even a wooden sculpture that looked unattractive to his eyes made Matthew wonder why such ordinary objects would fetch such high prices in an auction house?

"I thought rich people were stupid," he muttered. But suddenly, the system's window opened, informing him that all the objects Matthew was reproaching were sought after by the world's collectors but not traded publicly, which was why auction houses were necessary.

"Really? I can't believe that such things have a price," Matthew said to the system. However, a woman interrupted him from behind, saying that these supposedly worthless objects were precious in the eyes of the rich.

Matthew turned around to see who was talking to him. "Hi, do I know you?" Matthew asked spontaneously. 

"No, you don't. But I know you, Dominic Rayn." The woman replied while sitting right next to Matthew. She picked up the binoculars that she also had and looked towards the auction stage.

"Really? I don't remember seeing you before."

"We have never met face to face before, but I have seen you come to my company many times and ask me to evaluate your proposal so that I can give you access to the company you will build next to your old company." The woman who had yet to introduce herself to Matthew continued to speak without looking at Matthew's face.

However, Matthew could see how beautiful she was, with a small face and thin lips that were slightly reddish. Her makeup looked natural, and her shoulder-length, wavy brown hair looked very pretty with a white t-shirt and a white jacket that matched her white skin color and looked shiny.

Matthew was surprised by the woman's statement. So, Matthew opened the system window and asked about the identity of the woman, and when the system told him, Matthew was given a bit of an idea of what he should be like to the woman named Erica Liam, owner of the company LM.Co, the company that Dominic Rayn had been chasing to become a financier for his new company, but Erica Liam always rejected the proposal submitted by Dominic without ever meeting her.

"An example is the emerald necklace currently up for auction. There are only two in the world, and one is still worn by a queen of an eastern dynasty." Erica explained as if she was eyeing that necklace as hers. 

"You like it?"

Erica glanced at Matthew with a condescending look. Even a smile that looked annoying was given to Matthew, sitting beside her. "You can't even promise me extraordinary profits, and now, you're acting like someone who can buy the whole world. That's so funny."

Matthew laughed with his face down. From living as Matthew Wilson to now being in Dominic Rayn's body, Matthew could not buy the whole world. However, at least he could still buy a watch for the price of a motorcycle that would have been destroyed when a truck crushed him to death.

[Ding]

The system window opened again. Showing the suddenly increased balance with a note underneath. The note stated that Matthew had to buy the necklace currently being auctioned off to get additional points and a different balance of 10 million dollars on his account.

"Ten million dollars is certainly not a small amount, right?" Matthew muttered.

"Did you just talk?" asked Erica. She accidentally heard Matthew mutter.

However, Matthew immediately put down the binoculars he also had, looked towards the auction stage, and saw that the necklace they had been talking about earlier was still on display, waiting for its turn to be offered. Matthew was wondering if he should buy such a thing with the balance he got from the system. However, he also could not ignore that he should because if he did not believe it, then most likely, the system would penalize him and withdraw the entire balance he had.

"Do you know about the necklace's history, Miss Erica?"

"So you came without knowing the history of all the items being auctioned here?" Erica asked Matthew back in a slightly mocking tone.

"I only came to collect a debt from my friend, Ashen Lee. He pretended not to remember that he owed me, so I sat there and tried to see if I still had money to show him."

"So, you want to show others that you don't deserve to get what you owe anymore?"

"I didn't say that."

"But if you are a person who understands the mind of a debt-averse fool like Ashen Lee, then you would know that Ashen Lee is actually a wealthy person who can escape by bagging other people's money. Moreover, you are Denias Floss's former brother-in-law, aren't you?" 

"You know Denias?" Matthew asked. However, Erica Liam waited for an answer. She only glanced at Matthew with a cynical look, like someone who was trying to antagonize him with just one sharp eye. 

For a moment, Matthew felt awkward. Not only was Erica Liam a wonderful woman with beautiful emerald-colored irises, but her stern and cold expression even looked like someone trying not to get involved with him. However, that was also a plus for a businesswoman like Erica Liam.

"If you don't want to answer that, perhaps you don't need to look at me that way, miss."

Being called out like that by Matthew, Erica Liam only snorted with an equally cynical smile. "I know almost everyone with whom I have a business relationship, Mr. Rayn."

Matthew whistled at the answer given by Erica. He was impressed with Erica Liam's business and networking skills. But what surprised him was that Erica met Denias Floss, Dominic Rayn's former brother-in-law. The young man who had stood with Ashen Lee and insulted her.

Matthew raised his binoculars again and looked at the necklace still waiting to be offered to the auctioneers. 

Matthew thought of whether he could get the necklace for himself. Matthew even glanced at Erica Liam several times and noticed the chain several times as well. Finally, Matthew accepted the order given to him by the system.

"I will accept the task this time. Then, how do I give the money to the auctioneer?" Matthew asked the system.

[We will send it directly to the auctioneer, and you will get the necklace immediately] said Trivia, the system.

Matthew continued to watch as the necklace was brought to the podium by the auction organizers. They also began to open prices starting from ten million dollars. The price is undoubtedly fantastic for Matthew. Still, the system prepared Matthew eighty million dollars to buy the necklace.

When the auctioneer offered the first price, several people began to raise their hands and offer their prices, including Erica Liam, who showed a price of thirty-five million dollars but was overridden by Ashen Lee with forty million dollars. The prices continued to rise until the price stopped at sixty million. The auction judge began to knock the gavel to attract other auctioneers who wanted to offer more.

"I don't think that necklace will be mine today." Erica was annoyed that the offered price was much higher than she had already provided. 

Disappointed, Erica Liam stood up and was about to leave the auction room. However, just as the auctioneer was about to knock the gavel for the third time, Matthew raised the auction member number board and said the figure he had offered.

"Eighty million."

All eyes were on Matthew, including Ashen Lee and Erica Liam, who were about to leave the auction room. He frowned in disbelief that Dominic Rayn, who they knew was bankrupt, would suddenly come and buy a necklace for eighty million dollars from an auction house.

Amidst the shock of all those in the auction room, the auction judge ratified the necklace to Matthew with three taps of the gavel. Everyone in the room clapped their hands, congratulating Matthew and Trivia. This system immediately opened the window and congratulated him.

[Congratulations Matthew Wilson. A balance of ten million dollars has been earned.]