Chapter <b>38 </b>


    At the auction, the auctioneer moved through the early lots with practiced elegance. Neither Asher nor Drake showed interest until the pink diamond ne appeared.


    “Opening bid at ￡400,000,” the auctioneer announced with polished precision.


    Drake immediately raised his paddle. After several rounds, the price reached ￡600,000, most bidders falling away.


    “￡620,000,” Drake called.


    The auctioneer gestured elegantly. “￡620,000. Shall we try ￡650,000?”


    Asher raised his paddle with casual indifference.


    “￡650,000. Do we have any advance?”


    Drake shot Asher a venomous nce before bidding again. A subtle war unfolded between them, the price climbing steadily.


    At ￡700,000, Drake remained resolute. The ne would be worth every penny if it helped secure Sterling Industries‘ investment. The old saying rang true – sometimes you had to spend money to make money.


    “￡750,000,” Asher countered smoothly.


    “￡800,000,” Drake snapped.


    As Asher moved to bid again, Thalia touched his arm. “Let it go. It’s not worth this.”


    The ne was barely worth half its current price, and she preferred the sapphire pieceing upter. There was no point in a petty bidding war with Drake.


    Watching from beside Drake, Sienna smirked triumphantly in Thalia’s direction. Clearly her new man didn’t value her enough to continue.


    Later in thedies‘ room, Thalia was applying lipstick when Sienna sauntered up.


    “My, my, how quickly you found a recement,” Sienna’s reflection sneered. “Though Drake just spent ￡800,000 on a ne for me, while yours couldn’t be bothered. But then,” she studied Thalia through


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    the mirror, “you’re hardly worth the investment, are you?”


    Thalia finished her lipstick with steady hands, “Best of luck with that,” she said simply, turning to leave, Sienna’s words were meaningless now like a small dog yapping at a distance,


    At the g dayster, Alexander Sterling’s estate filled with luxury cars and elite guests. Beyond social climbers like Drake, many industry leaders hade specifically to meet Thalia valuable connections


    for her legal career.


    The Sterling estate’s driveway was lined with cars worth millions. Among the guests were not just opportunists like Drake, but genuine industry leaders Alexander had personally invited to meet Thalia, In the legal profession, connections were invaluable.


    Thalia and Asher arrived early. Alexander, cutting a striking figure in his white dinner jacket, greeted them at the main entrance.


    “Finally, cousin!” he embraced Thalia warmly. “More stunning every time I see you.” He turned to Asher with a yful grin. “Never thought I’d be calling you brother–inw. Come on, let’s hear you call me ‘brother‘ just once.”


    Asher’s only response was an arctic look.


    “So cold!” Alexanderughed. “How does my cousin tolerate you?”


    “Cold?” Thalia’s eyes sparkled. “He’s perfectly warm with me.”


    “Save the romance for after the engagement,” Alexander groaned theatrically.


    After some light conversation, Thalia and Asher entered the ballroom. The ground floor was already filling with guests, most unfamiliar to Thalia. Asher was immediately surrounded by people hoping to


    catch his attention.


    When a foreign couple needed to discuss an important project with Asher and Alexander, Thalia gracefully stepped aside. “Go ahead. I’ll entertain myself for a bit.”


    She had barely settled onto a sofa when Mrs. rke approached with pearl earrings.


    “Miss Winters, you forgot these when you left. Your stepmother asked me to bring them.”


    “Oh!” Thalia touched her bare earlobes. “How careless of me.”


    “Shall I help you with those?” Mrs. rke offered warmly, the same maternal care in her touch that hadforted Thalia through her mother’s death.


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    “Well, well. Tha Winters.” A familiar voice cut through the moment. Margaret Ashcroft, Drake’s mother, stood there with Sienna. Her eyes moved between Thalia and Mrs. rke’s uniform with calcted disdain. “So your mother’s a servant? How… illuminating”


    “No, madam, you misunderstand,” Mrs. rke quickly protested, distressed at causing Thalia potential embarrassment. “I’m the Winters housekeeper.<i>” </i>


    Margaret’sugh was brittle. “Oh, darling, no need for pretense. We all saw that touching little moment with the earrings. How… quaint.”


    Sienna covered her mouth, giggling. “No wonder you’re embarrassed. I’d simply die if my mother was a


    servant.”


    (5)