This time, though, it was Haynes who spoke up.


    "Of course."


    He fixed his gaze on Ste, his dark eyes reflecting her image-deep, probing, as if he could see straight through her.


    "She''s telling the truth. Everything she bid on, she paid for out of her own pocket. After all..."


    Although Haynes was addressing the others, his eyes never left Ste.


    "She has a fortune of a hundred million at her disposal. She can spend it however she likes."


    Ste''s longshes fluttered, but her face wore only the faintest smile-calm, unruffled.


    She didn''t deny it. Instead, she asked, "So, Mr. O''Brien, are you going to keep raising the bid?"


    Haynes''s lips quirked in a cool, almost indifferent smile, but his eyes were like ice.


    "With Ms. Cameron throwing money around with such determination, I''d be a fool topete."


    Ste''s smile widened. "I''ve set aside eighty million for this. Aren''t you tempted to keep bidding, Mr. O''Brien? Make me spend a little more?"


    Haynes''s voice was clear and cold, like a mountain spring.


    "Just so you can stop suddenly and leave me holding the bag? If you want it for eighty million, why not just bid that now? No one would stand in your way."


    Ste replied, "But I like a good deal as much as anyone. If I can walk away with it for forty million, who in their right mind would offer eighty? My money doesn''t grow on trees, you know. If I can save forty million, that''s more than enough to keep mefortable for the rest of my life."


    It finally dawned on Rachel Ste really was filthy rich.


    Not long ago, Ste had even threatened Haynie with her own life and ckmailed her for a hundred million! Of the things Ste had just won, she''d spent a little over ten million—leaving her with nearly ny million still at her disposal.


    She could easily oust everyone here.


    And who knew? Maybe Ste would pull the same stunt she''d used on Jasper- raise the price just high enough, only to drop out suddenly and leave someone else with the bill.


    Ste was willing to gamble. The rest of them weren''t.


    The thought made Rachel''s hands itch with the desire to strangle her.


    First, Ste had snatched back her mother''s ne. Now, she was about to take Rachel''s beloved Neptune''s Tear as well.


    Sensing Rachel''s poisonous re, Ste turned to her.


    "What''s wrong, Ms. Pearce? Care to bid higher yourself?"


    Rachel forced a strained smile. "...No, if you want it so badly, Ms. Cameron, it''s yours."


    But Ste corrected her, "You''re mistaken, Ms. Pearce. You''re not letting me have it. I won it fair and square. Unless, of course, you''d rather keep bidding? We couldpete on even ground."


    Rachel clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms, but she didn''t even feel the pain.


    This bitch is doing this on purpose. She just wants to humiliate me.


    She tasted blood in her mouth from biting down so hard.


    Haynes seemed to have had enough. He spoke in a low, steady voice. "Ste, I''d advise you to show a little more restraint. Otherwise, you might find it alles back to bite you."


    Ste didn''t back down in the slightest, her arrogance on full disy.


    "Fine by me. I''ll be waiting for the day it does."


    Haynes''s eyes shed with cold light. He wasn''t one to argue he simply gave Ste a long, searching look, then fell silent.


    Before long, one of the staff appeared, carrying Neptune''s Tear on a velvet


    cushion, as if it were the most fragile thing in the world.


    If it dropped, Ste could have refused to take it—they all knew that.


    Forty million. Even just holding it made your hands tremble.


    Now, all eyes in the room were fixed on Ste, waiting to see if she''d follow


    through on her bold promise—or try to worm her way out of the deal at thest second.