"Four hundred million," Alex said, and his voice was still calm. Still unbothered. Like he was ordering coffee instead of bidding hundreds of millions of dollars.That calmness seemed to infuriate Simone more than the actual bids. "Four hundred and twenty million!""Four hundred and forty million.""Four hundred and sixty million!"The auctioneer had actually sat down in a chair at the side of the stage, looking like he was having a mild heart attack from the stress of watching this unfold."Four hundred and eighty million," Alex said.And then Simone snapped. His voice rose to a near-shout, echoing through the silent hall with barely controlled rage."FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS!"The number hung in the air like a physical thing. Five hundred million. Half a billion dollars. For a single artifact, no matter how rare or legendary.The entire auction hall erupted in whispers and gasps. People were frantically texting, making calls, unable to believe what they were witnessing.Simone s

The subtle insult—the implication that Simone might be bidding beyond his means—landed like a slap. Several people in the crowd actually gasped or covered their mouths to hide smiles."I never withdrew from the bidding," Alex continued. "I simply paused to verify my resources. The auctioneer hadn't struck the gavel. The sale wasn't finalized. I'm still in the game. Unless, of course, you'd like to claim that checking one's finances before making a half-billion-dollar purchase is somehow improper?"Simone's face had gone from red to purple, veins standing out on his forehead and neck. His entire body was trembling with fury—at the continued defiance, at the public questioning of his accusations, at the fact that this nobody was STILL refusing to back down."You—you can't—" Simone stammered, so angry he could barely form coherent sentences. "This is—I won't—you have NO RIGHT—"His hands had clenched into fists at his sides, his breathing ragged. The professional, charming facade he'd be

Simone stood frozen, his paddle still lowered, feeling the weight of hundreds of eyes on him. The auction hall had gone quiet after the gavel strike, but that silence was somehow worse than noise—it meant everyone was watching, waiting to see how the Greene heir would react to his very public defeat.He could feel their stares. Could sense the whispers that would start the moment he left the room.Could imagine the stories that would spread through high society circles within hours.Simone Greene was outbid. Simone Greene backed down. Simone Greene lost.His teeth ground together so hard he could hear it in his own skull. His jaw ached from the pressure. Every muscle in his body was tense with barely suppressed fury.If he gave up now—if he just accepted this defeat and walked away—the humiliation would follow him for months. Maybe years.Every business meeting, every social event, every family gathering would carry the unspoken knowledge that he'd been beaten. That someone had challe

As soon as Alex lowered his paddle and sat back, signaling his withdrawal from the bidding war, Mia's face went through a rapid transformation of emotions.First came disappointment—sharp and immediate. Her eyes dropped to her lap, her shoulders sagging slightly.Alex had assured her he had this under control, had promised he knew what he was doing, and she'd believed him.Had let herself hope that maybe, just maybe, she could have The Last Eye.That symbol of eternal love that had captivated her for years.But now he'd given up. Backed down. And The Last Eye would go to Simone after all, to be used exactly as she'd feared—as a tool of manipulation, a corrupted symbol of forced engagement rather than genuine love.But almost immediately, relief washed over the disappointment.Because while part of her was sad about losing the artifact, another part was genuinely relieved that Alex hadn't bankrupted himself trying to win it.Eight hundred and fifty million dollars was an insane amount

Simone stood frozen in the middle of the auction hall, feeling the weight of hundreds of eyes boring into him. The whispers were getting louder, more pointed. People weren't even trying to be discreet anymore."Eight hundred million for a piece of jewelry...""Has he lost his mind?""The Greene family is going to be furious...""What kind of bidding war was that?"Every word felt like a knife. Simone's face burned with humiliation, but he knew—he KNEW—that refusing to pay would make this infinitely worse. The scandal of a Greene refusing to honor an auction bid would be catastrophic. His family's reputation would be permanently damaged. He would be the disgrace who'd embarrassed one of the most powerful families in the world.With no other choice, his hand trembling with barely suppressed rage, Simone reached into his jacket and pulled out a black card. Not just any credit card—the Greene family black card. Unlimited spending power. Reserved for the most elite members of the family an