Wed To The Forbidden Uncle

CH 16

Mercy sat in the VIP box on the second floor, flipping through the auction catalog with a bored expression. Her uncle had told her to bid on something she liked for charity, but nothing had caught her interest so far.

"Hmm?" Her fingers suddenly stopped flipping and she quickly turned back a few pages. "I can't believe it's actually here!"

Her finger tapped on the page, stopping at item number 44. That was it.

Having decided on what she wanted to bid on, but knowing it wouldn't be up for a while, Mercy felt restless. She grabbed her number card and headed downstairs to sit with the crowd.

Nearby, a little boy was happily sipping on a soda, the fizzy sound making Mercy crave one too. The VIP box only had fruit teas and such.

She recalled seeing a vending machine at the entrance when she arrived.

"Ahh~" The cold soda slid down her throat, washing away the lingering summer heat. It truly was the ultimate refreshment!

Mercy felt a burst of happiness, like little flowers blooming in her heart.

"Mercy?" A somewhat familiar voice called from behind her. Mercy turned around, holding her soda bottle.

"It really is you! What are you doing here?" A sharp-looking girl stood in front of Mercy, arms crossed. Her friends gathered around, blocking Mercy's path completely.

Mercy squinted for a long time before she recognized the person under all that heavy makeup. It was Cathy, her high school classmate.

Cathy was a minor internet celebrity. Mercy remembered Zara often gossiping at home about how Cathy had undergone plastic surgery, calling her a "face swap monster." Mercy recalled Cathy used to have a pretty delicate look. Now, her chin was so sharp it could probably plow a field.

Cathy tilted her head towards Mercy. It had only been a few months since they last met, but Mercy seemed to look even better. Had she secretly gotten some work done?

Remembering Zara's comments about Mercy calling her a "face swap monster," Cathy felt a surge of anger as she looked at Mercy's bright, pretty face. She immediately started mocking her.

"You were so poor you couldn't even afford to join us for dinner back in school and now you're at a charity auction? Are you just pretending to be rich?"

Back then, Mercy didn't skip the dinners because she couldn't afford them; she just found the gatherings too noisy. Besides, Mercy was always a bit of a loner and didn't have many friends in class.

"Oh, wait, I heard you came from an orphanage. Is the charity money going to your orphanage? Don't worry, I'll make sure to bid on a few things so you can afford college instead of having to work everywhere."

Cathy looked down at Mercy with her chin held high, as if she were a pitiful creature struggling in the dirt.

"Our Cathy is so beautiful and kind-hearted. I'll help you start a live stream later so your fans can see."

"Yeah, there aren't many positive influencers like Cathy."

The friends Cathy brought along were also internet personalities, though not as popular. They were eager to ride on her coattails, showering her with compliments. Cathy was only at the charity auction to boost her own popularity.

Mercy was tired of their nonsense. If Cathy really did bid on more items, that would be great.

"In that case, I'll thank you on behalf of the kids."

With that, she turned to leave.

"Wait, did I say you could leave?" Cathy reached out to stop her, feeling a surge of irritation at Mercy's calm and composed demeanor. Mercy was just a country bumpkin, yet she carried herself with the grace of the most refined socialites Cathy had ever met.

What gave her the right to be so proud? Who gave her the confidence? Today, Cathy was determined to break that pride. Mercy glanced at the arm blocking her path, thinking about the things she needed to film soon. Her eyes turned icy. "Do you not want your hand anymore?"

Cathy suddenly remembered the time in school when she had tried to corner Mercy with a few others, only to be caught by the principal. That day, Mercy had barely touched her hand, yet it was sore for days.

It was uncanny.

Mercy didn't want trouble, but if they insisted on blocking her way, she wouldn't hesitate to...

"Hey, what's going on here? Cathy, haven't you outgrown your habit of cornering people even after graduation? Should I call the principal over again?"

The newcomer effortlessly pulled Mercy out from the human barricade and stood protectively in front of her.

"Esther? So it was you who told the principal last time? Why do you always ruin my plans?"

That wretch again!

If Cathy merely disliked Mercy, her feelings for Esther were pure hatred. Their families were close and the children were often compared. Cathy had grown up in Esther's shadow.

"Pfft, I was just doing the right thing. Besides, if you hurt the class genius, could you afford to compensate our teacher?"

Esther flicked her hair back and playfully winked at Mercy.

So it was Esther who had helped her back then.

Mercy felt a warm sensation in her heart as she watched Esther stand up for her. They hadn't exchanged many words during school and she never expected the usually aloof and elegant Esther to be so endearing in private.

"You!" Cathy raised her hand to strike, but Mercy quickly intercepted her arm.

"Are you done yet? Keep this up and I'll have security throw you all out!" Mercy's voice was calm but firm.

"Hmph! Just you wait!" Cathy, hearing the threat of security, hurriedly left with her group, looking defeated.

"Wow, Mercy, that was so cool!" Esther's eyes sparkled as she looked at Mercy. "I always thought you were like a little bunny that needed protection."

Mercy blinked, thinking that Esther might have misunderstood her. If it weren't for avoiding trouble, those people wouldn't have been a match for her.

Isn't it funny how people are so easily deceived by appearances?

She sighed and took Esther's hand, leading her inside. "Come on, my lady. Weren't we going to the auction?"

Esther sat next to Mercy's previous seat, not expecting Cathy and her group to be in the same row. What a small world.

On stage, the 37th auction item was being displayed—a pair of sapphire cufflinks. Under the lights, they sparkled brilliantly, reminding Mercy of an endless starry sky.

These cufflinks would go perfectly with Uncle's misty blue suit and Mercy wanted to bid on them as a gift for him.

She raised her paddle to join the bidding. "One and a half million."

Cathy noticed Mercy's bid and sneered. "Hmph, just putting on a show. I don't believe she can actually afford it."

With that, she raised her paddle too. "Two million."

If Mercy wanted those cufflinks so badly, Cathy was more than willing to "help" her out.