The auctioneer frowned.

“Little girl, it’s best if you don’t lie to us. Your crime will only add up.”

I sighed and looked at Holley and Sophia’s ‘pretending to be concerned’ faces while hiding a smirk inside.

I sharply gazed at the auctioneer which made him flinched.

“That’s a serious allegation. I’m sure whoever tipped you will go to jail with you for defamation against my name once I had proven that I have a hundred thousand dollars with me.” I said without batting an eyelid.

Instantly, droplets of water formed on the auctioneers face. They didn’t expect for a sixteen-year-old girl to suddenly talked about the law. They assumed that the moment they mentioned the police, she would panic and cry herself to tears like any normal teenage girl would do.

I smirked at Sophia’s uneasy expression.

“Little girl, if you can pay us now, then we will forget this whole matter.” The auctioneer immediately said, tapping a handkerchief on his oily face.

“Funny, you’re so sure that I don’t have the money and was ready to take me to jail without first making sure whether I have the money or not.” I leaned closer and smiled wickedly at the fidgeting man.

“Do you think that just because I’m a sixteen-year-old girl, you can easily scare me? How about I let you taste what fear is really like?” I held my phone and set the sound to max before playing the recordings from the time when I saw Sophia whispered something to her father.

Hmmp! Do you think living for more than seventy years in my past life, I haven’t learned a single thing?

Instantly, the whole room turned soundless. The auctioneer’s face paled and contorted like crumpled sheets of paper.

Sophia looked at me like she saw a ghost. Holley and Nixon were shooting daggers at me while Zoe’s eyes held admiration and amazement.

“T-t-that’s—-” The auctioneer stammered.

“Evidence of course, of you slandering my name.” I looked at Sophia and smiled at her, “together with the one who just tipped you off.”

Sophia was taken aback and held her mother’s dress – shaking. She gave Nicholas a pleading look.

“Leanna, I’ll pay the hundred thousand dollars for you, just let this matter off. Do it for everybody who participated and looking forward to this auction.” Nicholas’s voice was calm and pleading, yet all I heard were pretentious egoistic tone.

“Wow, that’s young master Farrell for you.”

“So considerate of others.”

“It’s a shame though. He’s wasted on Zoe.”

“I don’t know what he sees in that young miss.”

I frowned and wanted to retort, but Zoe held my hand. “Leanna, that’s for the best. There are still some paintings left to be auctioned.”

I raised an eyebrow and smiled sweetly. I heard some people breathed a sigh of relief including the auctioneer.

“I heard defamation will cost you a hundred thousand dollars and imprisonment for two years depending on the gravity.”

…..

…..

Hmmpp!! Do you think I will just let this matter off just like that?

I stared at the auctioneer.

“Well? If you can give me a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of compensation, I’ll let this matter go.”