Until We Met Again ( Rowan and Johnson )
Chapter 30

Chapter 30 

Karla was out of options, so she reluctantly accompanied him to the auction. Only after they settled into their designated seats did Blake apologize, “I’m really sorry about this, but there’s a particular item I absolutely must have. Hope it doesn’t throw a wrench in your day?” 

“No worries, I’m off work today, got nothing but time,” Karla said nonchalantly, waving her hand dismissively. A part of her was actually curious. She had never been to an auction before and thought it could be quite the spectacle. 

The auction room’s high–end vibe was unmistakable, and it was clear that the items up for bid were no small potatoes. 

Blake watched her with a smile curving his lips. He liked her straightforwardness; it made her a breeze to be around. 

“Oh, by the way, you seemed in a hurry to find me. What’s up?” Blake suddenly remembered to ask. 

Not one to beat around the bush, Karla got straight to the point, “I heard you have a grandpa named Nicholas?” 

Blake paused, slightly taken aback, “Yeah, that’s right. What about him?” 

“I was wondering if I could meet him?” Karla asked frankly. 

“Ms. Karla, you rushed to find me just to meet my grandpa Nicholas?” Blake’s expression was a mix of bemusement and surprise. It was unexpected to hear his grandpa’s name from her lips. 

Nicholas and she were hardly connected, so why this sudden interest, and why the desire to meet him? 

Karla knew her request was abrupt but preferred to cut to the chase rather than dance around matters. “I know it seems strange, but I have something to discuss with him. Can you help me out? If not, no sweat, I’ll figure out another way.” 

“Ms. Karla, my grandpa Nicholas is pushing ninety. Not many people know him these days. So you got me curious, what is it that you want to talk to him about?” Blake was just as direct. 

Karla pursed her lips. Just as she was about to say something, the auctioneer stepped onto the stage and announced that the auction had officially begun. She’d have to shelve her request until after the auction. 

“Ms. Karla, I mentioned earlier there’s something very important that I need to win here,” Blake spoke up again. 

Karla was fully focused on the set of jewelry being auctioned on stage, taken aback by the high prices. So, she only responded with a perfunctory “What?” 

“It’s something my grandpa Nicholas wants.” 

At that, Karla swiveled her head to look at him, but Blake just smiled and said, “Just wait. It’ll be up soon.” 

Karla waited, and soon enough, a painting veiled in red silk was carefully brought onstage by two attendants. “That’s the piece,” Blake said. 

“A painting?” Karla was momentarily puzzled before a thought struck her, and she muttered, “No way…” 

As the silk was drawn back, revealing the figure in the painting, Karla’s guess was confirmed. She covered her face, unable to bear the sight. 

Blake, too, was caught off guard. He hadn’t known what the painting was, only that his grandpa Nicholas had insisted he secure it. 

Blake stared at Karla, his face a mask of astonishment. Was it a coincidence? The angel in the masterpiece bore an uncanny resemblance to her. 

The auctioneer’s voice boomed, detailing the painting’s origins: a work from 1968 by an enigmatic artist, simply 

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Chapter 30 

titled “ANGEL.” It had passed through the hands of wealthy collectors, a one–of–a–kind treasure. 

In 1981, at a private auction in France, a mysterious buyer shelled out a cool sixty million for it. Twenty years later, in 2001, it was donated to charity, only to find its way back to the auction circuit now. 

The buzz of speculation rose among the crowd. Could an unknown artist’s work be so valuable? Could acquiring it prove a wise investment? 

Karla was stunned. In 1981, someone paid sixty million for her portrait? Were they simply flush with cash? But then again, perhaps it was the artistry they were after, not the subject of the painting itself. 

Despite his confusion, Blake was ready to bid as soon as the auctioneer announced it. He had to have the painting. 

Turns out, he didn’t have much competition. With a winning bid of eighty million, Blake secured the painting. 

Hearing the final price, Karla was even more convinced that the mysterious buyer from 1981 was a fool. 

Wait! A new possibility dawned on Karla. Maybe that anonymous buyer had to have the painting at any cost, and someone deliberately drove the price up. Yet, the buyer didn’t blink, claiming it regardless of the cost. 

Who was this enigmatic buyer? 

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