Benjamin's Heirloom Ring

Purple Ginseng

After Valerie ended the call, Benjamin played dumb, asking, "Valerie, I noticed you were emotional. Did their company turn down your request?"

Valerie smiled faintly and shook her head. "You've got it wrong, Benjamin. These tears are tears of happiness. You know, they're lending me 50 million dollars with no interest because they empathize with our family's financial struggles."

Benjamin became genuinely enthusiastic. "Wow, they're willing to loan you that much money! How generous! So, how much did you end up taking?"

"I borrowed only 30 million dollars and pledged to repay it within two years," Valerie responded. She continued, "If Morgan Company Limited can make a swift recovery under my grandfather's guidance, we might even clear the debt in just one year. When that happens, Platinum Estate won't regret their decision to assist the Morgan family."

Benjamin smiled with genuine happiness. "I sense it, Valerie, your family's company is bound to thrive under your leadership."

Not long after, Valerie received a notification on her mobile banking app, signaling the deposit of a substantial sum into her account.

The girl clenched her fists in excitement. "I've got the money! Now, we have at least 50 million dollars to work with. Ben, even though it seems like a hefty sum, we should still be prudent with our spending," she advised.

Benjamin nodded in agreement. Fifty million dollars didn't appear significant in his eyes. Even after the Frost family had suffered setbacks at the hands of their adversaries, they still left behind an inheritance surpassing 200 billion dollars in deposits. This didn't even account for the assets they presently held.

When all was tallied, the Frost family's net worth could now approach 500 billion dollars. This immense wealth had been solely bequeathed to Benjamin.

On an individual basis, he had surpassed even Elon Musk, whose current net worth hovered around 250 billion dollars!

If he wished, bestowing Valerie with one or two billion dollars would be a straightforward affair. However, he harbored a different, more significant objective for the girl.

Following that, a stunning young woman in a knee-length red dress stepped onto the stage.

She didn't rely on a microphone or loudspeaker, yet as she spoke, her voice resonated throughout every corner of the hall.

"Good evening and a warm welcome to the Timeless House Center, ladies and gentlemen!" The girl's voice rang out, vibrant and cheerful, capturing the attention of everyone present. "I'm Jessica Pembroke, and I'll be your auctioneer for the evening!"

The entire hall rumbled with the sound of applause.

Some of the VIP guests gazed at the perfect curves of Jessica Pembroke and began to comment on her.

"Isn't she the second daughter of the renowned Pembroke family in the city?"

Others chimed in, "Indeed, she is. The Pembroke family holds a distinguished position in this city, but their second daughter opted for the entertainment industry. Instead of hosting a television gossip show, she's become an auctioneer or an emcee for high-profile weddings. Doesn't that seem like a bit of a stain on the prestigious Pembroke family?"

"You're spot on. Jessica is quite different from her older sister, who's deep into the business world. This girl has truly disappointed her family," someone remarked.

One of the men grinned slyly and remarked, "She's a delight for all of us, pal. Her face is sweet, and her figure is flawless. She's like an angel in appearance. Hehe, everyone knows a comfort woman always trades her body."

"You're not wrong. What's her going rate for a night?"

All the conversations could actually be heard by Jessica Pembroke as well as the rest of the auction guests. That was because the impeccable architectural design of the building was able to reflect even the smallest sound with high quality.

However, as the men who made those inappropriate remarks occupied the VIP seats and hailed from the upper echelons of Regal Hill, nobody dared to voice their objections.

This included Jessica Pembroke herself. Despite her family's elevated status and the authority to confront anyone, she opted not to create a scene.

After all, she had faced such distasteful comments throughout her career in the entertainment industry. She used to be angered by them, but that was in the past. Over time, she had grown more indifferent to such remarks.

Jessica called out once more with enthusiasm, "Tonight, the Timeless House Center is set to auction a greater number of plants and herbal medicines than ever before. Brace yourselves for an intense bidding war tonight!"

She continued, "We have a total of one hundred items gracing the stage tonight. The initial ninety items consist of herbs aged between twenty and fifty years, while the final ten are plants ranging from fifty to over a hundred years old."

"Rest assured, every single plant up for auction is legitimate and under the supervision of the government's health and botanical agencies. Representatives from both agencies are in attendance tonight and have been accorded honorary VIP seats," Jessica assured the audience.

In that regard, Jessica had already singled out two gentlemen in sharp black suits situated among the VIPs. The duo rose briefly, basking in the applause from the audience.

"With the government agency representatives here, authenticity concerns about the plants and herbal medicines we're auctioning can be put to rest," Jessica declared. "Without further ado, let's dive into the first item!"

Jessica signaled to some men backstage with a wave of her hand. Swiftly, the men responded, bringing the initial item, enclosed in a sizable wooden box, onto the stage.

Clearing her throat a few times, Jessica pressed on, "Now, for our inaugural item tonight, we present an exceptionally rare 20-year-old purple ginger. According to traditional healers, the boiled water from this ginger has the potential to remedy anything from stomach ailments to high cholesterol. Our team discovered this gem in the jungles of the Philippines."

Furthermore, Jessica announced that the price of the purple ginger starts at 500 dollars, with the highest bidding limit reaching 2,000 dollars. Each time you bid, the next increase must be in increments of 100 dollars.

"600 dollars!" A guest raised his board.

Jessica immediately exclaimed with excitement, "I heard the first bid, 600 dollars! Are there any others?"

"700 dollars!" Another guest swiftly raised his bidding board high.

Not to be outdone, the original bidder raised the stakes, declaring, "800 dollars!"

A bidding war ensued over the first item, much to Jessica's delight. She exclaimed, "800 dollars! Who's ready to push the bid higher?"

"1,000 dollars!" New bidders emerged. "Mr. Chris, Mr. Merry, my sincere apologies for challenging you both, but I truly must acquire this purple ginger for my health sake!"

Mr. Chriss and Mr. Merry shook their heads. A thousand dollars for a twenty-year-old green ginger was too much, they weren't going to go through with it.

"The last bid came from Mr. Jones for 1,000 dollars! Are there any other high prices?" Jessica looked around the hall. 

Mr. Jones slightly hunched forward and declared loudly, "I apologize if I'm seeming to stand in your way, but I'm genuinely in need of this purple ginger to address my stomach issues!"

Certainly, such conduct was considered unethical in the auction setting. Nevertheless, Jessica refrained from raising any objections. Likely, it was because the Timeless House Center had reaped a substantial profit by selling the purple ginger for $1,000.

"Alright, with no other bids heard, I'll lift the gavel and commence the countdown to three. This is the final opportunity for any other bidders still interested in the purple ginger!" Jessica declared.

As Jessica raised her gavel and commenced the countdown, Benjamin suddenly flashed a peculiar smile. 

He shouts out, "2,000 dollars!"