Chapter 66
It wasn’t the signal. Megan simply hadn’t texted Howard back.
He pursed his lips.
“Howard? What’s wrong?” Alyssa noticed the change in his expression and leaned closer.
He closed his eyes and slipped the phone away. By the time he opened them again, his gaze was calm and steady. He shook his head slightly, though his hand curled into a fist under the table.
Time moved slowly as item after item appeared on stage and was carried away by eager buyers. Each donor was free to choose the percentage of their proceeds that would go to charity, but according to Ferrell Group’s rules, all donations were set at 70% unless stated otherwise.
Only the first piece, a 17th–century antique used to break the ice in the room, had been offered at 50%.
Everything that made it to Ferrell Group’s auction was valuable.
Alyssa watched as the pieces were presented one after another. She never raised her paddle. Each lot was far too expensive, and while she wanted Howard to see her as independent and capable of paying her own way, she had no intention of draining her savings.
At last, just before the break, something new was brought out.
“The next item is a tanzanite gemstone. According to the appraisal, this gem is valued at 100 thousand dollars.”
As the auctioneer spoke, the gemstone was placed under the lights. The deep blue stone immediately drew the attention of the entire room. Its quality was exceptional, and its beauty was undeniable.
In the movie “Ship of Dreams“, the necklace worn by the main lead was imagined as a rare blue diamond, but in truth, the prop used on set had been cut from tanzanite.
The raw, unpolished stone quickly reminded everyone of the legendary necklace in the movie.
Like everyone else, Megan’s eyes were drawn to it.
That gemstone belonged to her. She had sold it to Jimmy, who arranged for it to be listed under his name. From the moment she decided to attend this gala, she had known she needed to bring something. It was, after all, a charity event. To show up empty–handed would never sit well with Edward.
Her goal tonight was simple. She had to win him over.
The tanzanite wasn’t the most expensive piece in the room, but it was respectable enough, a suitable donation from a rising star like her.
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Megan lowered her gaze slightly as she thought of the story behind the jewel. She had bought the tanzanite to be her unborn child’s birthstone.
She looked forward to the day her child would be born when she first got the tanzanite. But now, the child
was gone.
When she learned that the gala would benefit sick children, she knew she had to donate the tanzanite. Let
it be her way of doing good in memory of the one she lost, a hope that somewhere beyond this world, the child might be at peace.
Under the lights, the deep blue stone gleamed.
“The starting bid for this tanzanite is 70 hundred dollars. Each increase will be…”
Before the auctioneer could finish, a paddle was raised, and the digital screen displayed the figure.
“80 thousand dollars from Bidder 888.”
As the auctioneer made the announcement, everyone turned to look at the bidder. After all, the number 888” did not belong to anyone ordinary.
Then, they saw Alyssa with her paddle raised
Chapter 67
Chapter 67
