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The Diamond Was Never Yours
The Diamond Was Never Yours
مؤلف: Cocojam

Chapter 1

مؤلف: Cocojam
Looks like Mia was more than just a childhood friend to Liam.

If Liam didn't have a damn good excuse, this billion-dollar arranged marriage was dead.

I called the number I had saved but never actually dialed. He picked up. I didn't waste time.

"Your childhood sweetheart is trying to snatch my engagement jewelry. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Silence on the other end.

Then, a cold, unfamiliar voice. "Who is this? My business with Mia is none of your concern."

Click. He hung up. Before I could even say my name.

I stared at the black screen for a second.

Unbelievable. He didn't even have my number saved.

Mia's laugh cut through the crowd. Smug and toxic.

"Pathetic! You somehow got Liam's number and actually thought he knew you? Oh my god, you're killing me!"

She tilted her chin up, twirling a piece of hair. Looked me up and down.

"Seriously, look at what you're wearing. Even the maids at Liam's estate dress better than you."

Her little rich-kid entourage burst into mocking laughter.

Honestly? I prefer quiet luxury. Pieces like Loro Piana. No flashy logos. But in a room full of flashy new money? Nobody gets it.

I pressed my lips together. Anger flaring in my chest.

"So, you judge people by brand tags? You are unbelievably shallow. Liam sure has interesting taste in women."

Thanks to her, my mood was ruined. No more taking my time.

I turned to the center's manager, pointing straight at the pink rough diamond.

"I want to start a bidding war. Whatever she offers, I'll double it," I said calmly.

The manager glanced at Mia, sweating. "Miss, our automated bidding service is strictly for VIP cardholders."

Mia let out a shrill snort. She dug into her limited-edition Hermes clutch. Pulled out a gold VIP card and slapped it on the counter.

"I spend seven figures here every year. And you? What makes you think you can compete with me?"

I took a deep breath. Pulled out a logo-less Black Card. Dropped it right next to hers.

The manager’s eyes widened the moment he saw it.

“Wait… that’s the Black Diamond Elite Card.”

His voice trembled.

“That card isn’t issued to customers. It’s reserved for the top buyers in the entire diamond industry. And only a handful of people in the country have one！”

“Is that enough?” I said calmly. “Let’s restart the bidding.”

Shocked whispers rippled through the room.

Mia's smile vanished. Her voice turned ice-cold. "This is Astor territory. Anyone who sides with her, I swear I'll ruin you on Wall Street!"

The manager turned pale. He wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and rushed over to me. He tugged at my sleeve, pleading in a low whisper.

"Miss Chloe, I know someone who holds that card certainly isn’t short on money. But please, try to understand. This entire building? The property, the security? It belongs to the Astor family! It's Liam's turf. We can't afford to offend them. Please, just do me a favor and back down..."

A few bystanders tried to warn me.

"Just let it go. I've met Miss Mia before. Mr. Astor gives her whatever she wants."

"Someone crossed her last month. The very next day, their company's stock tanked."

"Miss, don't fight Wall Street giants. Just apologize before this blows up."

Surrounded by cautious looks and warnings, Mia got even more arrogant.

She crossed her arms and stepped closer. A sadistic smile on her face.

"You heard them. Get on your knees. Slap your own face and scream: 'I'm a broke beggar and I was wrong.' Do that, and maybe I'll let you walk out of here alive."
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  • The Diamond Was Never Yours   Chapter 8

    Mia's forehead was bleeding. Dark red blood trickled down her brow, mixing with the rain. She looked like a complete beggar. Liam had no fight left in him either. He just kept bowing on the floor, mumbling the same pathetic apologies on loop.I put down my coffee cup. The clink against the table echoed sharply. "Stop groveling. You're bleeding on my rug," I said. All three of them shot their heads up. A glimmer of hope in their eyes."I've always been a merciful person." I stood up, looking down at them. "Not only will I forgive you, but I'm going to make your 'beautiful, touching' love story come true."Mia froze. Looking completely lost but relieved.I signaled my butler. He handed over a document and slapped it onto the coffee table. "Three conditions." I tapped the paper with my finger. "One, you two go to City Hall and get married. Immediately. Two, the wedding will be broadcast nationwide. I want everyone to see it. Three, after you're married, you are not allowed to leave th

  • The Diamond Was Never Yours   Chapter 7

    My butler's voice came through the intercom. A tiny hint of excitement in his tone. "Miss, Mr. Richard and Mr. Liam have been kneeling outside the estate for three hours now. The rain is getting heavier."I held my freshly ground Geisha coffee, lounging by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Took a slow sip. Rain battered the glass. Outside, those two figures kneeling in the puddles looked like abandoned stray dogs."Let them in." I set my cup down. "We can't let Mr. Richard catch a cold out there. After all, he still owes me thirty billion." The butler went to fetch them.Less than five minutes later, the hall doors opened. Two drenched, pathetic men stumbled in, leaving a trail of muddy water on the polished marble floors.Liam couldn't hold it in. He burst out talking the second he walked in. Seven days of pent-up anger and self-pity in his voice. "Are you happy now?" He was shivering, either from the cold or pure rage. "Do you have any idea what I've been through this week? I'm the

  • The Diamond Was Never Yours   Chapter 6

    "Dad, don't get mad over garbage. It's not worth it." I leaned against him, my voice a little hoarse. Dad looked down at the bloody scrape on my hand from her heel. His eyes grew colder by the second. "Not worth it?" He scoffed. "She touched one finger of my daughter. That's the biggest sin she could ever commit."He didn't say another word. Just carried me to the car. The convoy sped into the heart of Manhattan. Parked in front of a plain white building. The VIP Pavilion at NewYork-Presbyterian. The most exclusive private wing in the country. And our family owned 100% of its shares."The best doctors, the best team. I want zero scars on her." Dad ordered the hospital director. His tone left no room for debate. The director bowed, nodding furiously. Sweat beading on his forehead.I lay on the hospital bed, watching a nurse carefully treat my hand. Dad sat beside me, holding my other hand. Guilt written all over his face. "This is Dad's fault," he muttered. "I always made you keep

  • The Diamond Was Never Yours   Chapter 5

    The hall was so quiet you could hear a heartbeat. Nobody dared to speak. Even their breathing was shallow.After three minutes of dead silence, Liam's phone started buzzing like crazy. No warning. Then, a second phone. A third. Every Wall Street exec in the room had their phones blowing up at the exact same second."My god..." An older guy with gray hair stared at his screen, his voice shaking. "Astor's stock... it's diving?" "Not diving. Free-falling!" Someone else gasped. "It dropped almost 40% in ten minutes! Someone's running a coordinated slaughter!"Liam went ghost pale. He pulled out his phone with trembling hands. A flood of red alerts on the screen. Like a death sentence.His ringtone blared. Caller ID: Dad. Liam's hand shook violently. He scrambled to answer it. "Hello... Dad?"The voice from the other end was so loud I could hear it from feet away. It was Richard. The former financial titan who used to pose on Forbes covers. But right now, his voice was trembling. Close

  • The Diamond Was Never Yours   Chapter 4

    The second I saw him, tears spilled out. No warning. All the grievance, the pain, the humiliation. It all flooded out at once."Dad—" I choked out. I broke free from the guards' grip and stumbled into his arms.The scent of his tailored cashmere coat wrapped around me. Mixed with that cedarwood smell he always carried from his business trips. In that moment, I finally let myself break down.The air in the hall turned to ice. Those billionaires who were just watching the show? Now their faces were pale as paper.They recognized the fleet of bulletproof Maybachs outside. And they definitely recognized the silent, chilling row of men in black. Elite private military contractors. The world's absolute top-tier private force. You couldn't even hire them unless your wealth rivaled a small country."Oh my god... is that..." "Shh! Shut up!" The whispers died instantly.And Mia? She had zero survival instincts. She strutted right up to my dad in her stilettos."You're her dad?" She crossed

  • The Diamond Was Never Yours   Chapter 3

    My dad told me Liam's family paid a massive price to push this merger through. If they knew it all fell apart because of Liam? I would pay good money to see the look on his face.That thought calmed me down. I couldn't be bothered arguing with these idiots anymore. I turned to leave.But Mia wasn't done. She stomped toward me in her stilettos like a hyena smelling blood. Two massive bodyguards flanked her. Bulging muscles under their suits. They had that dangerous mercenary vibe."You bitch! You think you can just walk away? You stole from me and put your hands on me! We are not done!"I gave her a cold look. "What exactly do you want?"She mistook my patience for fear. Her hand swung hard at my face. "I'm going to beat you until I feel better!"Before her slap landed, I grabbed her wrist and twisted it hard. At the same time, I slapped her across the face with my other hand. Right in the nose.Mia clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief. "You cheap, broke bitch! How dare you

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