48 The Three–Hundred–Million–Dollar Savior
The auction hall buzzed with anticipation, Expensive perfumes mingled with tension in the air as I stood my ground, paddle clutched in my sweating palm The jade bracelet glowed under the spotlight, my mother’s memory caught in its depths
*One hundred and ten million; Lcalled out, my voice steadier than my heart
The crowd gasped. I caught Vera’s horrified expression from the corner of my eye. She gripped my arm tighter.
“Hazel, stop! You’ve already bid way beyond what you can afford!”
I ignored her eyes locked on the auctioneer’s face as he repeated my bid with barely concealed excitement.
“One hundred and ten million from paddle twenty–eight. Do I hear one–twenty?”
From across the room, Alistair’s face darkened. He leaned toward Ivy, whispering something in her ear. My stepsister’s eyes narrowed, a cat–like smile playing on her lips as she nodded.
Charlotte, acting as their proxy, raised her paddle. “One hundred and twenty million.”
The crowd erupted in whispers. What had started as a standard auction for a jade bracelet worth at most seven million had morphed into a spectacle of revenge and
obsession.
“You can’t keep up with this, Vera hissed. “Sebastian only loaned you fifty million!”
I knew she was right. Each bid dug me deeper into financial ruin, but watching ivy’s smug expression as she clung to Alistair’s arm ignited something reckless inside me.
One hundred and thirty million. I announced, raising my paddle high.
The auctioneer could barely contain his glee. “One hundred and thirty million! Dol thear one–forty?”
Alistair suddenly stood up, his expression thunderous as he strode toward the
What the bell are you dong he demanded, grabbing my wrist. You’re going to bankrupt yourself”
I varked my mm away, anger farms “Don’t touch me. This isn’t your concern
VIDOre
Plauel, be reasonable, he lowered his voice, glancing around at the curious onlookers
I know what thus bracelet means to you, but this is madness
“Oh, now you care what it means to me laughed bitterly “Where was this contem when you let by convince you to bid against me in the first place?”
Ivy appeared at his side, her sickly sweet facade firmly in place: “Is everything okay?
The auctioneer’s waiting
“One–forty from paddle seventy–one! Charlotte called out from her seat, raising her
paddle without waiting for Ivy’s signal.
The auctioneer nodded. “One hundred and forty million to paddle seventy–one. Do!
hear one–fifty?
Red clouded my vision. I raised my paddle. “One hundred and fifty million.”
Wera groaned behind me. Alistair’s face paled.
Hazel, stop this now,” he pleaded, reaching for my paddle. “You don’t have this kind of
Trenched away from him. “Don’t pretend you care about my financial wellbeing You
sade your choice when you left me for her
concern shipped revealing the vicious satisfaction beneath. “She’s right
are Let her rujo herself if that’s what she wants.
Something in her tone pushed me over the edge
For baudred and fifty million going once the auctioneer called
my
The story piece of ray mother I have left I said voice shaking “The mother who sted after your mother stole my father away. The least you could do is let ine have this
De g
Two hundred million, Ivy suddenly shouted snatching the paddle from Charlotte
A collective gasp rippled through the room. Even the auctioneer paused in shock
Alistair grabbed her an “by! What are you doing?”
She shrugged him off, eyes glittering with malice as she stared directly at me
“Winning
My heart sank. There was no way I could counter that bid. I was already one hundred million beyond what I could afford.
The auctioneer recovered his composure. “Two hundred million from paddle seventy–one. Do I hear two–ten?”
I raised my paddle without thinking. “Two hundred and ten-
Alistair lunged forward, physically forcing my arm down.
“Stop it, Hazel!” he hissed. “This isn’t worth destroying your life over!”
“Let go of me!” I struggled against his grip, tears pricking my eyes. “You don’t get to decide what’s worth it to me!”
“Two hundred million going once,” the auctioneer called.
“Please” Alistair whispered, his eyes suddenly desperate. “I’m trying to protect your
“Going twice…”
“Protect me?” I spat. “You’re six years too late for that.”
Ivy’s triumphant smile widened as the auctioneer raised his gavel.
“Three hundred million.”
The clear, commanding voice cut through the tension like a knife. Every head in the
room swiveled toward the VIP boxes above us
The auctioneer nearly dropped his gavel. “Three… three hundred million from the VIP
box?
Whispers erupted throughout the hall “That’s Sebastian Sinclair, someone nearby marmured. “Second son of the Sinclair family”
My gaze shot upward, meeting the dark, intense eyes of the man who had already Acaned me fifty milbon. Now he’d bid six times that amount for my mother’s bracelet. He smiled down at me, a calm, confident curve of his lips that made my heart skip
ivy’s face contorted with rage and disbelief. “Who is that? Who does he think he is?
Alistair had gone completely still beside me, his grip on my arm slackening.
“Three hundred million going once, the auctioneer called, his voice trembling with
excitement. “Going twice.
No one dared breathe, let alone bid.
“Sold to Mr. Sebastian Sinclair for three hundred million dollars!”
The crowd erupted in applause and excited chatter. I stood frozen, relief and
confusion washing over me in equal measure.
Ivy stormed away, dragging a shell–shocked Alistair behind her, Charlotte followed. looking dazed by the turn of events.
Vera clutched my arm. “Hazel, do you know what just happened? Sebastian Sinclair
just spent three hundred million dollars on your mother’s bracelet.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off Sebastian as he descended from the VIP box, moving with practiced grace through the crowd that parted before him. Every step brought him closer to me, his gaze never wavering from mine.
What does he want?” I whispered, more to myself than to Vera. “Why would he do this?
“I don’t know,” she replied, “but whatever his reason, he just saved you from financial suicide
Sebastian stopped before me, towering and magnificent in his tailored suit. Up close his eyes were even more mesmerizing–dark and knowing, as if he could see straight through to my soul
Ats. Shaw he ward, his voice low and smooth. Fbelieve this belongs to ver
The held out a small velvet box, inside nestled my mothers jade bracelet, its green depths catching the light
- Words failed me Tcan’t accept this. The amount you paid
“Is irrelevant, he finished, placing the box in my trembling hands. The bracelet is yours I always has been?
I stared at him in disbelief “Why would you do this for me? We barely know each
other
Sebastian’s smile deepened, revealing something warm and almost tender beneath his imposing exterior
“Perhaps it’s time we changed that,” he said. “Would you join me for dinner tomorrow evening? I believe we have much to discuss.
With the auction hall still buzzing around us and my mother’s bracelet finally back in my possession. I found myself nodding, drawn into Sebastian Sinclair’s orbit like a planet caught by an inescapable gravity
Whatever price he ultimately wanted me to pay, in this moment, I couldn’t bring myself to care
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