His Unveiled Passion

At the auction house, the atmosphere was elegant and refined.

The auctioneer, dressed in a sophisticated navy dress, exuded grace. Her poised demeanor and charm captivated the audience, effortlessly commanding their attention.

The earlier auction items failed to catch the interest of either Stephen or Zachary. But soon after, the pink diamond necklace was unveiled.

The auctioneer briefly introduced the necklace, emphasizing its rarity and royal heritage, before announcing the starting bid at four million dollars.

Without hesitation, Zachary raised his paddle.

After several rounds of bidding, the price quickly climbed to six million dollars, leaving only a few competitors in contention.

Determined, Zachary raised his paddle again, increasing the bid to 6.2 million dollars.

The auctioneer gestured gracefully. "The current bid is at 6.2 million dollars. Would anyone like to raise it to 6.5 million dollars?"

Stephen, composed as ever, raised his paddle.

The auctioneer smiled in his direction. "We're now at 6.5 million dollars. Is there a bidder for 6.6?"noveldrama

Zachary shot a glare toward Stephen, his expression darkening as he raised his paddle again.

"We're at 6.6 million dollars! The bid returns to Paddle 20. Will anyone go higher? Perhaps 6.8 million dollars?"

Stephen raised his paddle once more.

The auctioneer acknowledged him with a nod. "We're now at 6.8 million. Are there any further bids?" Determined to secure the necklace, Zachary gritted his teeth and raised the bid to seven million dollars. Seven million dollars was a reasonable investment for him. If Uriah's cousin appreciated the gift, it could pave the way for a partnership between Gomez Group and Somerton Group, yielding returns worth ten times the cost.

People said that one must take risks to secure the prize. Zachary was determined to win this necklace. The auctioneer's voice was confident. "Seven million dollars! The bid returns to Paddle 20. Would anyone like to go higher?"

Once again, Stephen raised his paddle.

"7.5 million!" the auctioneer announced.

Without hesitation, Zachary raised the bid to eight million dollars.

Stephen moved to raise his paddle again, but Tessa gently placed her hand over his. "Let it go. It's not worth it."

The necklace, which had started at four million dollars, had already doubled in price.

Tessa glanced at the pink diamond necklace. To her, it wasn't worth more than two or three million dollars, and she didn't particularly like it. There was no sense in continuing to bid just to spite Zachary.

Let him have it.

She recalled that a blue diamond necklace she preferred was coming up later in the auction. That one had truly caught her eye.

Stephen looked at her briefly, and seeing her calm resolve, set down his paddle.

In the end, the pink diamond necklace was sold to Zachary for eight million dollars.

Seated beside him, Wendy cast a smug glance at Tessa, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

So, Tessa's new companion didn't seem as impressive after all. He gave up after just eight million dollars.

...

In the ladies' restroom, Tessa touched up her makeup. She soon noticed Wendy's reflection as she entered behind her.

Wendy approached the sink, her expression smug as she turned on the faucet. "Well, it seems you've found yourself a new man in just a few days."

Tessa continued applying her lipstick, ignoring her completely.

Wendy chuckled softly. "I only mentioned that the necklace was beautiful, and Zachary spent eight million dollars to buy it for me. Your man, though, doesn't seem to care much for you. He couldn't even bring himself to spend a bit more."

Wendy glanced at Tessa through the mirror, her lips curling into a disdainful smirk. "Of course, wealthy men aren't fools. They know where to spend their money wisely. And you... You're just not worth it." Tessa finished applying her lipstick, her gaze meeting her own reflection in the mirror. Unfazed, she replied, "Is that so? Well, best of luck to you."

With that, she turned and walked out with composed elegance. Wendy's words didn't faze her in the slightest. After all, her life was far better than Wendy could ever imagine.

At this moment, Wendy resembled a pitiful dog, barking helplessly in anger. Tessa saw no reason to engage with her, as it would only make the situation worse.