Lahat ng Kabanata ng Side Chick Era… Over: Kabanata 301 - Kabanata 310

No matter how fired up Nate was, even he knew this price for the bracelet was way beyond its real value.The auctioneer's smile looked like it might split his face. He was practically trembling from holding back his glee.Their commissions were tied directly to the final sale price. Sure, the starting bids were high, but the cut they got from something selling at the base price was always modest.The higher the markup, the fatter their paycheck.The more suckers in the room, the better.Sharon noticed Nate hadn't raised his paddle again. Her voice was calm, almost teasing."Nate, if you're not bidding anymore… does that mean this bracelet is mine?"The auctioneer jumped right in. "Eight million. Anyone else?"Eight million going once—"His words hadn't even fully landed before Nate's eyes went bloodshot.He jerked his paddle up. "Nine million!"Sharon smiled. She didn't bid again.The auctioneer glanced around, confirmed no further offers, and then gave a wide grin."Nin

Nate didn't dare provoke Sharon the way he had before—not anymore. Not when there was a real chance she wouldn't take the bait.But the more items she bid on, the more he convinced himself of one thing: piece by piece, this would add up. There was no way Xavier would keep footing the bill for her.One auction after another, Nate bid. And each time, Sharon swooped in and secured the item.At first, Nate felt pretty smug, thinking he'd finally managed to trap her into overpaying for junk.But each time, she swiped her card with that same calm, unfazed expression. She collected the items as if none of it mattered, like spending that kind of money was as easy as breathing.And slowly, Nate started to feel... something was off.By now, Sharon's total spending had crossed well over ten million.Nate's gaze drifted toward Xavier.The man hadn't lifted his bidding paddle once. He just sat there, lips curved in that faint, unreadable smile, like none of this had anything to do with him

"Thirty million," Sharon called out.Nate stared at Sharon like he was looking at someone clinically insane. "Is she out of her mind?"He glanced at Carter, silently asking whether he should keep going.Carter's eyes were dark—deep pools of ink, unreadable and cold. He gave a subtle nod.Nate cleared his throat. "Thirty-five million." His voice lacked its earlier confidence. He didn't dare push it the way Sharon had—jumping in tens of millions.But Sharon didn't hesitate. "Forty million."The room, which had been buzzing with shock before, now sank into a stunned, suffocating silence.Every single person looked at Sharon as though they were watching a madwoman.Even someone hell-bent on burning money wouldn't throw it away like this.Kelly's face flickered through shades of disbelief and anger.She had finally seen something she truly loved, and Sharon was willing to pay any price just to rip it from her hands?Kelly couldn't hold back anymore. "Sharon," she said, forcing co

Surprisingly, Carter spoke up, "Of course."His gaze rested quietly on Sharon, reflecting her figure with a depth that seemed to see straight through her."She's not lying," he said evenly. "Everything she's bid on tonight… she's paying for herself. After all…" His voice was directed at the others, but his eyes never left her. "She has a fortune of 100 million. However she chooses to spend it is her business."Sharon's lashes fluttered slightly, but the faint smile on her lips didn't waver. She didn't deny it.Instead, she asked, "So, Carter… are you still planning to raise the bid?"A cold, distant smile tugged at the corner of Carter's lips, though his eyes were nothing but ice."Sharon, you are clearly determined, throwing money around like it's nothing. I suppose… I'll yield."Sharon's smile deepened. "My budget's eighty million. Carter, aren't you going to keep bidding? Wear me down a little?"Carter's voice was as cool as mountain spring water. "And let you pull the same

"Carter, she's out here blowing your money like it's nothing. She's buying whatever she wants and even fighting us for it. Seriously, how long until we can freeze her assets and stop her from pretending she's something she's not?" Nate's face twisted with frustration.Carter shot him a cold glance. "Sharon and I are divorced. You think freezing someone else's assets is that simple?"A temporary freeze? Sure, that was doable. But a few days—ten at most—would be pointless."I've got things to handle," Carter said, "Nate, I'll leave it to you to make sure Kelly gets home.""Got it," Nate replied.As soon as Carter left, Kelly leaned in, lowering her voice. "Nate, didn't you say you were going to pin something on her? How's that coming along? Once Sharon's convicted, all her funds will be seized and returned to Carter."Nate scratched his head, irritation flickering in his eyes. "I talked to the lawyers. It's not that easy to fabricate charges. Still… I've already got people working