Joseph took the initiative to lower his voice and speak to him—what an immense honor that was! Anthony stole a glance at this so-called "Mr. Rosewood", wondering who he was. He'd never heard of such a person in Capaville. The Rosewood family? Never heard of it either. Why was Joseph treating this man with such reverence? Eugene didn't even look at Joseph. He simply turned to Chloe and asked calmly, "Are you alright?" Chloe gave a slight nod in response. Joseph stood nearby with an awkward smile. Eugene glanced at Landon and said simply, "Let's go to the auction." "Right this way, Mr. Rosewood. This year's auction has some remarkable pieces—a few you'll definitely want to see." Joseph quickly stepped forward to lead the way.Landon shot a dismissive look at Anthony, who was still rooted to the spot, and simply ignored him. He called out to Chloe, "Come on! Let's head to the auction. Selina just texted—she's already there waiting for us. She says she has a gift for you." "Okay," Chloe replied softly, following Landon out. Left alone, Anthony slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. He was the heir of the Ruiz family! Every prominent family in Capaville showed them respect. When had he ever been treated like this? Staring after Joseph and the others, Anthony realized Joseph had probably slapped him because of that man. "Find out who that man is," Anthony ordered one bodyguard. He snapped at another, "And get me some ice for my face, now!" ***** With less than ten minutes until the auction started, guests were already moving toward the main hall. The seating arrangement here spoke volumes about status. The center stage was reserved for the auctioneer and items. Surrounding it, seating was strictly tiered. The front row featured luxurious leather sofas with gourmet snacks—exclusively for VIPs personally escorted by Joseph. Further back, seats were clearly divided. Gold invitation holders got prime positions on the sofas, while silver invitation holders were relegated to side sections. Jennifer entered arm-in-arm with Arthur, overwhelmed by the grandeur. She'd finally gotten her chance to be here. Everything felt incredibly luxurious. Joseph's collection at Mistveil Manor was legendary, and powerful politicians were his regular guests. It really made one wonder about the true extent of his wealth. "Mr. Slade will be here soon. Arthur, you should greet him while you have the chance," Madilyn whispered as she approached, still exchanging pleasantries with other passing guests. "Alright," Arthur replied quietly. Joseph's influence was well-known. Rumors said he was close with the world's richest man, Eric, and that Mistveil Manor was actually Eric's private property—Joseph was just managing it. If that were true, getting close to Joseph could mean a direct connection to Eric. Future success would be almost guaranteed. Arthur was mentally preparing his approach to start a conversation with Joseph. "Mrs. Myers, what a coincidence! I just checked—we're seated right next to your family. We'll have plenty of time to chat!" A woman's voice called out. Madilyn turned to see Virginia and Mark, whom she'd met at the entrance earlier. Madilyn had never liked Virginia. The news that they'd be sitting together instantly dampened her mood. "Oh, really? I haven't checked our seats yet," Madilyn replied, lifting her chin with obvious annoyance. In her view, no matter how quickly the Ford family was rising, they still couldn't compare to the Myers. The Ford family used to only qualify for silver invitations. A gold one now? She suspected some shady dealings behind their upgrade. "I already checked! Our families are in the same section—second row from the front," Virginia insisted, pointing toward the area with a perfect view of the auction stage. Madilyn glanced at the seats. It was a good location, directly behind the first row where Joseph and his VIPs would sit. Aside from sitting beside Joseph himself, this was the closest one could get. But knowing she'd be next to the Fords spoiled the satisfaction for Madilyn. "Mrs. Myers, after the auction ends, would you like to grab coffee with me?" Virginia asked, noticing Madilyn's impatience with a sly smile. "I've been eyeing some new handbag collections recently. I remember you're quite the enthusiast! Let's definitely chat about them!"