Chapter 7

The auction started.

I clutched my bidding paddle tightly. I stared dead at the stage. I waited for Lot 47.

Finally, the auctioneer held up the sapphire necklace.

"Lot 47. A stunning vintage sapphire. We'll start the bidding at half a million."

I instantly raised my paddle. "Five hundred thousand."

"One million," Chloe's voice rang out from beside me.

I turned to look at her. Chloe smiled and held her paddle high.

"One point five million," I countered. My voice was tight.

"Two million," Chloe said without hesitation.

The price started skyrocketing.

Three million. Five million. Eight million...

My palms were sweating. My agent said my assets were worth fifteen million. But the bidding was nearing twenty million.

"Twenty million." Chloe casually raised her paddle. Like she just called out a trivial number.

The auctioneer looked at me. "Miss, do you wish to continue?"

My hands were shaking. I couldn't lift the paddle anymore.

I was out of money.

The entire room's eyes were on me. Including Victor's.

I swallowed my pride. I turned to look at him.

"Victor, lend me some money," my voice shook. "Please. That's my mother's necklace. It's the only thing she left me."

Victor looked at me. A complex, hard-to-read emotion flashed in his eyes. He reached for his black card...

Chloe turned to him too. Her voice was sweet and whiny. "Victor, I've never owned anything nice in my entire life. This is the first time I've loved a piece of jewelry this much. Can you make Serena let me have this one?"

She tugged on his sleeve. She widened her pitiful eyes.

Victor's gaze shifted between me and Chloe.

Those few seconds felt like a century.

"Let Chloe have it," Victor finally spoke. His voice was terrifyingly calm.

My world collapsed.

"Twenty million going once!" the auctioneer's loud voice rang out.

"Twenty million going twice!"

I wanted to scream. I wanted to beg Victor again. But the words stuck in my throat. Choked to death by the betrayal.

"Twenty million, sold!"

The gavel dropped. My heart died completely.

Chloe clapped her hands in excitement. She turned to me. "Serena, thank you!"

She didn't even try to hide the smugness on her face.

After the auction, Victor went to get Chloe's meds. She suddenly claimed she had a headache.

I sat alone on the plush sofa in the VIP lounge. I watched the staff pack up the remaining items.

Ten minutes later, Chloe came backstage. She walked up to me.

I stood up to face her.

"Chloe, I'll trade you for the necklace. Anything."

"Like what?" Chloe arched one perfectly groomed eyebrow.

"I have a limited-edition Ferrari. Some couture accessories. It's not worth twenty million. But give me some time, I'll pay you the rest..." I tried to keep my voice steady. "Just give the necklace back."

Chloe shook her head. "I don't need those."

"Then what do you want?"

Chloe pretended to think. A cruel smile spread across her face. "Get on your knees. Apologize to me. Then beg for it."

"What did you say?"

Vicious light danced in Chloe's eyes. "You were so mean to me before. Now it's your turn to beg."

I glared at her. My hands balled into tight fists at my sides.

But thinking of my mother's necklace. My last connection to her. I slowly, painfully, began to bend my knees.

"Good girl. But before that, let me show you where the necklace is right now." Chloe smiled smugly. She pulled out her phone.

She opened a video. She shoved it in my face.

On the screen, Chloe's expensive newly bought purebred poodle was lying on a velvet cushion.

Hanging around its neck, like a literal dog collar, was the sparkling sapphire necklace.

My mother's necklace.

"See that? Even my dog wears vintage couture," Chloe smiled sweetly. "I think it's a perfect match."

My blood instantly ran cold.

"What did you say?"

"Your mother was a cheap gold-digger. This necklace belongs on a bitch. Don't you think?" Chloe put her phone away. Her smile unwavering.

"Which hand did you use to put it on the dog?" My voice dropped to a whisper. So quiet even I could barely hear it.

"My right hand. Why?" Chloe was still smiling. Drunk on her victory.

The next second, the string of sanity in my brain snapped completely.

I swung my arm back. I slapped Chloe's smug face with everything I had.

"Ah!" Chloe shrieked. She lost her balance. She stumbled backward. She slammed hard into the antique glass display behind her.

The expensive glass shattered.

Sharp shards rained down. They slashed her dress. They stabbed into her arm.

Blood spurted out. Chloe let out a blood-curdling scream of agony.