Without warning, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, burying her face against his chest. His steady heartbeat echoed in her ears, strong, calm, and unwavering, gradually slowing her own ragged breathing.Alexander stiffened for a brief moment, clearly caught off guard by the sudden embrace, before a helpless smile softened his expression. He rested one hand gently against her back.“It’s alright,” he murmured. “You don’t have to be afraid.”A few nearby guests glanced over curiously, but Alexander paid them no attention. At that moment, Clara’s need for comfort mattered far more than appearances.After nearly a minute, he let out a chuckle. “There’s just one problem.”Clara lifted her head, confusion flickering in her eyes. “What problem?”He gestured toward his white shirt. “Your lipstick,” he said.She blinked in surprise. “My lipstick?”Alexander laughed lightly. “It’s all over my shirt.”Clara immediately looked down and saw the bright crimson stain

The applause surrounding Nahir did not fade quickly; instead, it rolled through the auction hall in waves, as if the crowd could not get enough of the spectacle he had created.Beneath the dazzling crystal lights, the pink diamond shimmered brilliantly. An attendant handled it with the utmost care, placing it into an elegant velvet box before presenting it to him with both hands.Nahir accepted the box with a composed and confident smile. Without hesitation, he turned toward Aurelia.At that moment, every eye in the hall followed his movements.With deliberate, measured steps, he walked to her side and gently opened the jewelry box. The soft pink glow of the diamond scattered countless reflections across Aurelia’s face, making her already striking features appear even more radiant.A collective gasp spread through the audience, quickly followed by whispers.“What a beautiful diamond, I wish I could afford it…”“They say it’s a fragment from that legendary twenty-billion-yuan pink diam

At that very moment, Alexander slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the cold surface of a black card.It was something he had once sworn never to use again, a symbol of the identity he had abandoned.An identity that would bring danger back into his life the moment it resurfaced, he closed his eyes briefly.He had wanted peace. He had wanted to leave that world behind, but when he opened his eyes again, his gaze settled on Clara, who stood alone beneath the harsh lights, trying to protect the last trace of her family.That was enough; he had seen enough for that day. He made his decision. Alexander reached out and gently caught her wrist.She froze in place, startled.“You don’t need to apologize,” he said quietly.Confusion filled her eyes. “But—”He stepped past her before she could finish; his movements were calm, but each step echoed through the silent hall, drawing everyone’s attention.Even Elliot fell silent.Alexander looked toward the private booth and spoke in a voice t

His laughter grew louder as murmurs spread through the crowd.“In reality, he’s broke,” Nahir continued mockingly. “He’ll probably end up borrowing money from his ex-wife.”Whispers rippled outward.“So they know each other?”“I heard he used to live off her family.”“That explains everything.”Aurelia’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she frowned. “Nahir, that’s enough,” she said quietly.However, he ignored her completely and draped an arm around her shoulders in a possessive gesture.“Everyone deserves to know the truth,” he declared. “They’re already getting divorced, so if he can’t pay, please, I beg you, it has nothing to do with Aurelia.”He smiled confidently. “My future wife won’t clean up another man’s mistakes.”The murmurs grew louder.“So they’ve already separated…”“No wonder he’s acting like this.”Aurelia lowered her gaze slowly, her chest tightening as she listened.Just weeks ago, that position beside her had belonged to Alexander; now it had been replaced so ea

Most guests appeared satisfied with her explanation, but Nahir did not relent.He folded his arms and spoke again. “Ordinarily, I would agree,” he said, “but this situation is different.”The host’s brows drew together slightly. “Different in what way?”Nahir pointed directly at Alexander. “The woman beside him is the invited guest. She holds the status and the credentials. She is the one with authority here.”He paused for emphasis. “But she never placed the winning bid. He did.”His finger remained fixed on Alexander. “He is merely her bodyguard, yet he personally bid two hundred million. That is hardly the same situation.”The hall erupted once more.“He’s just a bodyguard?”“I thought he was bidding on her behalf.”“So that bid was his own?”For the first time, the host’s composed expression shifted.She mentally reviewed the bidding process and realized that Nahir was correct. Throughout the auction, Clara had placed every bid herself, except for the final and decisive one.That