Using Me as a Substitute? Did You Know Your Best Friend Calls Me Wife?

"She said she lied to me last time because she didn’t want to go public, so she didn’t tell me the truth. She also said she’s crazy about that guy, so much so that I’m completely out of the running."

"She said she’s crazy about him?"

"Yeah." Owen Sinclair sounded dejected.

"You’ll meet someone more suitable in the future. She... isn’t right for you."

"Adrian, I’ll never meet another girl I like this much. You haven’t seen her when she’s shining—so spirited and exceptionally talented. If you met a girl like that, you’d fall for her too."

The other end of the line was silent for a long time. Owen Sinclair decided to drop the subject. After all, Adrian Preston was already a married man—in a marriage arranged by the old master, no less. He probably couldn’t understand.

"I’ll buy you a drink sometime."

Afterward, Owen Sinclair hung up and went to find Mia Kane to discuss an order, happening upon her browsing a website.

It was the webpage for an auction. Her eyes were glued to a master’s embroidery piece.

It was the final work of a master before their retirement, put up for auction by their family. The embroidered landscape of mountains, water, and plants seemed alive, every detail imbued with a vibrant spirit.

Moreover, it was a double-sided embroidery with steady, powerful stitches. The threadwork was simply exquisite.

Mia Kane had been following this piece for a while and had already noted the auction’s time and location.

Unfortunately, only major figures could get in. She didn’t qualify.

"You want to go? I can get us invitations."

Hearing this, Mia Kane’s eyes lit up. Owen Sinclair knew Adrian Preston, so his family background must be nothing to scoff at. Getting a couple of invitations would surely be simple for him.

But... getting in was easy; buying it would be hard.

The starting bid for the piece was thirty million. Where would she get that kind of money?

Clearly, Owen Sinclair didn’t have it either.

"Even if we can’t buy it, just going to see it would be great. This might be the closest we’ll ever get."

In the end, Mia Kane was swayed. Owen Sinclair quickly procured two invitations, the most basic kind.

「As night fell, they hurried over.」

The first floor was just seating, while the second floor had a few exclusive private suites. Only the top elites could get into those suites.

Mia Kane had never been to such an event and felt a little out of place.

Soon, the auction began. Mia Kane paid no attention until the embroidery piece appeared.

Someone had already placed a bid.

"Thirty-one million."

"Thirty-two million..."

The bidding increased slowly. It seemed not many people were interested in embroidery.

The price soon reached thirty-five million, and no one else bid.

The auctioneer continued his energetic pitch, unwilling to sell it for such a price.

Mia Kane was itching with anticipation and raised her paddle without a second thought.

"Thirty-six million."

"Guest number twenty bids thirty-six million! Is there anyone else who wants to raise the bid? Anyone?"

"Mia, where are you going to get that kind of money?"

"I don’t have it! I’ll ask my man for it!" Mia Kane blurted out, too preoccupied to notice Owen Sinclair’s shocked expression.

Mia Kane stared nervously at the crowd, terrified someone would raise the bid.

But after a minute, there was still nothing.

The auctioneer had no choice but to announce it.

"Thirty-six million going once, thirty-six million going twice, thirty-six..."

"Forty million."

Just then, someone from a private suite upstairs placed a bid.

The auctioneer shouted excitedly, "President Lockwood of the Lockwood Group and his fiancée bid forty million!"

Mia Kane’s heart trembled.

It was Chase Lockwood and Vivian Lynch upstairs.

At that moment, the suite door opened, and Vivian Lynch walked out. She looked down on Mia, her eyes filled with provocation.

Behind her, Chase Lockwood draped his jacket over her shoulders, and she immediately adopted a gentle and charming expression.

"Chase, I love this piece. You know how dedicated I’ve been to the fashion industry lately. I need a master’s work."

"It’s an honor for you that it has caught your eye."

Mia Kane gripped her bidding paddle tightly, feeling bitterly resentful.

"Forty-one million."

"Fifty million."

Chase Lockwood spoke calmly, and the bidding screen quickly displayed the number fifty million.

The people behind them began to whisper.

’As expected of the filthy rich. Even their bids are more aggressive, jumping by ten million at a time.’

"Fifty-one million."

Mia Kane steeled herself and continued to bid.

"Sixty million."

Chase Lockwood shot her a disdainful glance.

Mia Kane knew that as long as they were here, she would never get the embroidery.

Her face paled with anger, her nails digging into her palms.

She was unreconciled, yet utterly helpless.

Just as the auctioneer was about to bring the hammer down, a new string of numbers unexpectedly appeared on the bidding screen.

"How much?"

"One hundred million? The guest in the Celestial Suite bid one hundred million? What’s going on? Is this thing embroidered with gold?"

"Even if it were all gold thread, it wouldn’t be worth that much, right?"

Mia Kane was stunned. ’Someone else upstairs is still bidding?’

Some guests in the upstairs suites, like Chase Lockwood, were willing to reveal their identities.

Others preferred to remain anonymous, wanting to quietly purchase items for their private collections.

No one knew who the guest in the Celestial Suite was.

The auctioneer was shocked. It had been a long time since he’d seen such a fierce bidding war.

"The guest in the Celestial Suite has just bid one hundred million. I wonder if Mr. Lockwood wishes to raise the bid?"

Chase Lockwood frowned. The price for the embroidery was already far too inflated. But Vivian Lynch liked it, and it was a chance to crush Mia Kane’s spirit, so he was naturally willing to keep bidding.

A few tens of millions was just small change to him, a way to make a woman happy.

But now, it was one hundred million.

Chase Lockwood had to do a mental calculation. Ever since Vivian Lynch had gotten a whim to get into fashion design, he had already spent nearly a hundred million on her.

"Chase, I love it..."

Vivian Lynch whined coquettishly.

"One hundred and five million."

Chase Lockwood glanced at Vivian Lynch and raised the bid again.

"Two hundred million."

The bidding screen updated again.

Even Vivian Lynch was starting to feel the pressure. She could tell from Chase Lockwood’s expression that he wasn’t pleased.

She spoke tactfully, "Forget it. It’s not worth that price. I don’t know what kind of sucker would spend so much money on an embroidery piece with a starting bid of only thirty million."

"Two hundred million going once! Two hundred million going twice! Two hundred million, sold!"

Everyone was thrilled by the spectacle. Insignificant cannon fodder like Mia Kane was nothing in the face of true capital.

For items won by guests in the private suites, they could be delivered first, with payment to follow.

For those downstairs, however, it was cash on delivery after the auction ended.

The auction house staff placed the embroidery in a brocade box and respectfully carried it upstairs, only to bring it back down again under everyone’s watchful eyes.

Just as the crowd was wondering what was going on, the piece was placed in front of Mia Kane.

"The guest in the Celestial Suite wishes to gift this piece to you."

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room erupted.

Everyone stared at Mia Kane in shock. Mia herself was even more baffled.

"This... this is too valuable. I can’t accept it."

"Please, accept it. We’re just following orders. The guest in the Celestial Suite said that if you wish to thank him, you should go to his private lounge."

Hearing this, Mia Kane suddenly realized who was upstairs.

She looked up in astonishment.

’Adrian Preston is here too?’

’He actually spent two hundred million to go against Chase Lockwood... was it... for me?’

But, as much as she adored the piece, she still felt a pang of heartache at the two-hundred-million-dollar price tag.

When she looked away, her gaze met Chase Lockwood’s.

His face was ashen, his expression livid.

Mia Kane instinctively straightened her back and gave the brocade box in her hands a little shake.

Everyone had witnessed Chase Lockwood’s humiliation.