Chapter 36
Chapter 36:
But inside, she was fuming. She wanted that tiara. She had imagined herself wearing it, basking in the attention it would bring. And now? Ruben had just walked in and ruined everything.
Gerard set down his paddle, signaling that he was done. He wasn’t about to risk offending anyone further.
And just like that, Ruben also lowered his paddle.
The final bid came from the businessman in the corner: “1.8 million p>
In the private suite above, Noelle watched the scene unfold, momentarily taken aback.
She had assumed Ruben was genuinely interested in the tiara, but the moment he stopped bidding after Gerard quit, she understood what had really happened.
Her lips curved slightly. Willa had wanted that tiara so badly—and still walked away with nothing. Noelle didn’t even need to see her to imagine Willa’s expression: a mix of shock, rage, and silent humiliation. The thought alone made her smile deepen.
A𝖽𝘥𝗂c𝗍i𝘃𝗲 s𝗍o𝘳𝗶eѕ 𝗈ո
Turning her head, she looked at Ethan. “Was that you? Did you send Ruben p>
Ethan’s eyes were half-closed, relaxed, as he tapped his finger lightly against his coffee cup. “Nope p>
“So he went on his own p>
A warmth spread through Noelle’s chest. Ruben had turned out to be far more entertaining than she expected.
Ruben soon returned to the suite, clearly in high spirits. “Ms. Moss, Mr. Martin asked me to head down and join the bid. You should have seen Willa’s and Gerard’s faces. Priceless p>
Noelle spun around and stared at Ethan, her clear eyes wide with disbelief, as if to say, You just told me it wasn’t you who told Ruben to go down there!
Ethan fell silent.
He turned slowly to look at Ruben, calm, cold, and entirely unamused.
The spark of excitement on Ruben’s face vanished in an instant. A chill ran down his spine. Wait. What just happened? Had he said something wrong?
The auction continued, and as expected, the items kept climbing in value.
The next piece was a true treasure—an antique piano, preserved for centuries and renowned for its rich history. It wasn’t just rare—it was priceless to the right collector. The starting price: five million.
Willa’s eyes lit up the moment she saw it.
After missing the princess tiara earlier, she was determined to win this time, no matter what.
Gerard noticed immediately. He didn’t want to see her disappointed again. Willa was the only sister he truly cared about—her happiness came first.
He gritted his teeth and began bidding without hesitation, raising his paddle again and again. Within minutes, the price had already reached ten million.
Noelle watched quietly. The way Gerard openly doted on Willa, as if she were the only one who mattered, stirred something sharp and deliberate in Noelle’s chest.
She leaned slightly toward Ethan and asked, “Can I bid p>
“Sure.” Ethan glanced at her with a raised brow. “Do you like the piano p>
Noelle shrugged. “Not really p>
Then, without another word, she calmly raised her paddle. “Twelve million p>
The auctioneer lit up, instantly pointing toward the second floor. “Twelve million from Ms. Noelle Moss in the VIP suite upstairs p>
The name echoed across the hall. Downstairs, the Moss family froze.