<b>Chapter </b><b>312 </b>


    Seeing that neither of the auction items had anything to do with her, Noreen decided there was no reason to stay. She stood up and said to Healy, “Mr. Healy, I have something to take care of, so <b>I’ll </b><b>be </b>heading out.”


    “I’ve got things to do as well,” Healy replied, rising to his feet right away.


    “But you haven’t bought a single thing yet,” Noreen pointed out.


    “Everything I wanted got snatched up by someone else. Didn’t the same thing happen to you? What are the odds? Looks like neither of us walked away with anything.”


    Noreenughed at his easy humor. “That’s true enough–so, shall we leave together?<b>” </b>


    Healy couldn’t have been happier. He hurried after Noreen, as if afraid she’d change her mind at thest second.


    Once outside, Noreen headed toward the parking lot.


    Healy’s car was on the other side, but he followed her anyway. “Noreen, how about we grab a bite? Since we’ve run into each other and all.”


    “I can’t today. I’ve got ns. Maybe next time,” she replied without missing a beat.


    As expected, Noreen turned him down politely, said her goodbyes, and drove off. The whole exchange took less than five minutes.


    Healy watched her car disappear down the road, feeling a pang of regret.


    Honestly, he wanted toy his cards on the table–to tell Noreen he wanted to date her, to ask if she’d give him a chance. But he knew all too well how badly he’d treated her over the past seven years.


    You reap what you sow.


    If it weren’t for the business ties between their families, Noreen probably wouldn’t even bother speaking to him–just like she treated Jude.


    So Healy forced himself to back off.


    Maybe he just needed to wait. There’s always tomorrow.


    Noreen figured the auction would be quickly forgotten–she certainly hadn’t given it a second thought. But the very next day, the tabloids were aze with gossip, and the story was everywhere.


    Even ire, who was supposed to be holed up filming with her cast and crew<i>, </i>caught wind of it. The moment she finished work and got home, she was on a video call with Noreen, hungry for thetest


    scoop.


    “Wait, are you telling me Seth dropped twenty million dors on an engagement gift for that ridiculous first love of his?<b>” </b>


    Noreen nodded. “That’s right.”


    ?


    <b>08:43 </b>


    “Does he think money grows on trees?” ire fumed.


    Noreen considered it. “Honestly? That’s not far off.”


    Seth’s investments had exploded in value over the past few years–especially the core business, Ascendancy Group, which hadunched him to the top of Rivercrest City’s social scene. The profits rolled in so fast, it really did seem like money was falling from the sky.


    “Oh, so everyone’s just rolling in cash now, huh? Seriously, has God gone blind? Did He hand all the luck meant for me and you to that jerk and his new fiancée?” ire ranted, then sighed dramatically. “Would it really kill the universe to let me be rich for once?”


    “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Noreen said calmly. “Our day wille.”


    ire shot her a skeptical look. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re just dangling a carrot.”


    Noreen grinned at her. “What’s with that look? I’m actually checking the numbers right now–the first–quarter financials for InnoCore just came in.”


    “Show me! Let me see!”


    Noreen angled herptop so ire could see the report.


    ire practically pressed her face against the screen, counting the digits. “One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand…”


    “Noreen, I can’t even count this high! Just read it out for me!”


    “In simple terms, ourpany is making three hundred forty–five thousand dors a day–without lifting a finger.”


    ire squealed and jumped around in delight. “Look at that! My money really ising out of thin air! Noreen, just you wait–once I get my bonus, I’ll take you to the next auction. We’ll go wild!”


    See? That’s what best friends are for–talking big dreams to each other.


    Noreenughed. “I’ll hold you to that.”


    After the call ended, Noreen got ready to head to Ascendancy Group.


    InnoCore was about to upgrade itstest model, and they needed more support from Ascendancy


    Group.


    She called ahead, and thepany’s notoriously chatty deputy director answered.


    “Today’s no good,” the woman said.


    “How about tomorrow?<b>” </b><fn6a0b> Latest content published on Find~Novel</fn6a0b>


    “No can do. Actually, the whole week’s out–Director Lowell and Mr. Harcourt are both overseas, scouting locations for their engagement party. They’re not even in Rivercrest City, and I can’t approve anything this important on my own.”