[EVE]
After the painting, a historic piece of jewelry—a ruby necklace once worn by generations of English royalty—was up for auction.
The necklace held profound historical value, with its central ruby gleaming brightly, catching the attention of the crowd.
Women bid eagerly, each driven by the allure of owning a piece of history. Finally, the gavel fell at ten million, and the winning bid went to Sophia.
"This is for you, Sophie," Sophia said, turning to her daughter with a warm smile.
"Oh, Mother, thank you!" Sophie's face lit up as she embraced her mother, and the crowd applauded, moved by the scene.
Their affection was picture worthy—a perfect, enviable bond. I couldn't help but watch, feeling a pang of something I wouldn't dare call jealousy.
Sophie glanced in my direction, throwing me a small, knowing smile. I returned it, hiding the ache I felt. She had a real family, one she could rely on.
I'd never show it on my face, but I couldn't deny that I envied her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our final piece of the evening—and if I may say, our finest treasure yet," the host announced, his voice laced with suspense as a slow dramatic drumbeat filled the room. "We present to you . . . the Eternal Bloom!"
A collective gasp swept through the audience. My eyes were immediately drawn to the centerpiece on stage: the largest, most exquisite pink diamond I'd ever laid eyes on.
At sixty carats, the diamond was cut into the shape of a delicate rose, capturing every facet of light and turning it into a mesmerizing display.
Its beauty was undeniable, and I could feel the desire stirring in every woman in the room, myself included.
Even though I wasn't one to obsess over jewelry, the Eternal Bloom had a magnetic pull, an allure that was impossible to resist.
The bidding began at ten million, and in a heartbeat, the price surged as voices competed to claim this masterpiece.
My heart raced as I watched the numbers rise—twenty million, then thirty, forty. I could sense the fervor in the room, a collective enchantment that had every woman entranced.
"Do you want it?" came Sinclair's voice beside me, quiet but thoughtful.
He'd taken my advice and was now sipping warm water instead of his usual drink, after my . . .
gentle
insistence on taking care of his health.
I glanced at him, surprised. If I said yes, I had no doubt he would join the bidding just for me. The idea touched me more than I wanted to admit—he would go so far for someone like me, an adopted daughter, I almost couldn't believe it.
But I couldn't let him.
"No," I replied. "You've already done more than enough for me." I smiled, hoping to dismiss his generous offer. "Besides, we shouldn't be wasting money on something like that."
Sinclair shrugged, glancing back at the stage. "Jewelry of this caliber only gains value over time," he said, his eyes reflecting a hint of wisdom and amusement. "It wouldn't be a waste, you know."
I chuckled. "Maybe. But I don't need it such an extravagant ring."
"If you say so."
The bidding war grew intense, reaching fifty million, then sixty, and pushing onward to seventy.
From across the room, I caught sight of Sophia, her gaze locked on the ring with a glimmer of desire. Her daughter, Sophie, was no different—her young face was lit with longing, as if the diamond itself were calling out to her.
I couldn't help but wonder where they planned to find the money when they join the bid for the ring. With Sullivan cut off from siphoning funds from the Rosette Empire, could they even afford a piece like this?
"One hundred million."
The room fell silent, everyone frozen in astonishment. Heads turned, eyes scanning the hall for the audacious bidder.
That voice was unmistakable and I was all too familiar with it—Cole Fay himself, lounging in his chair with one leg crossed over the other, a hand lazily resting on his cheek. He looked as if throwing away a hundred million dollars was no more than a passing whim.
There was silence, even the Host forgot to ram the hammer.
There were no further bids.
Who would dare go higher, knowing that Cole would likely outbid them without a second thought?
The only reason he'd let Sinclair have the painting earlier was likely out of respect for the old man. But now, with Sinclair sitting this one out, Cole wasn't holding back in the slightest.
And just like that, Cole won the Eternal Bloom.
I suspected it was meant as a gift for his twin sister, Lina. Their birthday was coming up, after all.
Though, I couldn't bring myself to care all that much.
The moment the auctioneer handed over the delicately wrapped Eternal Bloom to Cole, it was as if the enchantment was finally broken.
Now, every eye in the room was fixed on him. Women gazed with open admiration, drawn not just to the diamond but to the man who could afford such extravagance with nonchalance.
Beside me, Sinclair chuckled, a deep, quiet sound. "That boy certainty knows how to throw away money with style," he said, a note of something almost like admiration in his tone. "Victor could really learn from him."
He laughed, as if savoring some secret known only to him.
I glanced at him, curious.
What is it about Victor now?
Eventually, the auction wound down smoothly, or so I thought . . . my relief was premature.
Sophia approached with Sophie at her side, and I noticed Sinclair's expression tense when he saw them approaching.
Sophia's greeting was polite, but the old man's eyes didn't soften one bit.
"Father," Sophia said, nudging Sophie to greet him as well, "I didn't know you'd be here at the Auction today. You usually don't come at events like this. If you'd told us, we could have come together."
I was just as baffled.
Sinclair rarely attended events like this in person; it was almost always Victor who made the appearances.
But with Victor busy managing the company, Sinclair must have felt he had no choice but to attend gatherings like this to restore his presence and revive the former glory of the Rosette empire.