<b>Chapter 309 </b>


    Xylia attributed her mood swings to all the stress she’d been dealing withtely.


    For the sake of all the favorite dishes Joshua ordered for her, Xylia forced herself to forgive him.


    ‘Guess I’ll let him off the hook–just this once,‘ Xylia thought grudgingly.


    After the meal, she tagged along with Joshua on ast–minute business trip.


    Their destination turned out to be an auction hall.


    Apparently, the person Joshua was searching for was supposed to show up there.


    Xylia followed Joshua inside, asking nothing and just going with the flow–she looked around the auction <b>hall</b>, her energy low, like she was just there for the ride.


    She picked out a prime spot.


    Then she grabbed an auction catalog, let go of Joshua’s hand, and started checking out what was on offer. <fn443d> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find?novel</fn443d>


    Joshua nced over at her but chose not to disturb her.


    He spotted the person he needed and, noticing Xylia was interested in something at the auction, let her take care of the bidding on her own.


    “Go ahead and bid on whatever you like. I’ll foot the billter,” Joshua told her.


    Xylia wagged a finger at Joshua, teasing, “Please–I’m Ms. Sadler, and Daddy’s favorite, too. I can totally afford this. Go handle your business.”


    She wasted no time heading to her chosen spot, waiting for the auctioneer to kick things off.


    Joshua just shook his head, a smile full of affection curling on his lips, and walked away.


    Xylia had been to her fair share of auctions in the past, but this one had a freshness to it she couldn’t quite exin.


    There were several lots up for bid today that she genuinely liked.


    One in particr–a pink diamond–had her eyes glued to the catalog.


    She was determined to snag it and turn it into a cufflink for Joshua.


    His wardrobe was way too in. With a face like his, it’d be a crime not to add some style.


    She decided she’d have to take it upon herself to give him a makeover.


    The other day, she’d designed a new suit for Joshua, and with that pink diamond as the cufflink, it would <b>be </b>the ultimatebo.


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    EX 56 #euchera


    Xylia could practically picture Joshua wearing the suit she created, that cufflink gleaming at his wrist–a look that was all her doing.


    He’d look incredible, with pink bubbles floating all around him in her imagination.


    Just picturing it put a blissful smile on Xylia’s lips.


    A man sitting beside Xylia nced at her, a hint of curiosity in his eyes, then quickly looked away, lost in his own thoughts.


    The pink diamond was actually the second item up for bid.


    Earlier, Xylia had already picked up a few things as gifts for her Sadler brothers.


    Active bidders who won several lots in a row always attracted plenty of attention at an auction.


    After Xylia scored several items back–to–back, people around her began murmuring and whispering.


    “Who is thisdy? Snatching up so many lots in a row–every single one at least a million. How loaded is she?” someone whispered.


    “She looks kind of familiar… Where have I seen her before?” another murmured.


    The room went quiet for a moment, then someone suddenly blurted out,


    “Wait, that’s Xylia Schultz! Connor’s ex–wife. Remember how Mr. Ford used to bring her gifts from every auction he attended?<b>” </b>


    “Oh, right! Their wedding was all anyone talked about back then. After that, it was radio silence. Only things that made the rounds were Mrs. Ford’s hit–and–run drama and the whole divorce mess.<b>” </b>


    “Didn’t they clear up that hit–and–run thing? The real culprit was Xylia’s sister, Tessa Schultz. Word is, Mr. Ford did a ton to cover for her.”


    “Yeah, gossip like that–everyone knows how those things go,” someone snickered.


    “But didn’t Xylia just drop off the map after the divorce? Mr. Ford went all out trying to track her down, but she totally vanished. So what’s she doing back here now?”


    “Is she here trying to win him back?” someone spected.


    “Bet that’s it. No way could she throw down that much cash at an auction unless Mr. Ford was funding her- she’s totally spending his money,” another scoffed.


    The auction hall was mostly filled with men.


    They weren’t exactly whispering, so their chatter reached Xylia’s ears.


    Xylia could only roll her eyes.


    People always said women loved to gossip, but turns out, men could be even louder about it when they got


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    together.


    She pretended not to hear a thing.


    55 vouchIE


    When the auctioneer finally presented the pink diamond, Xylia didn’t hesitate–she raised her paddle again.


    “Five million,” she said loud and clear.


    The starting bid was four million–she instantly bumped it by a million.


    Earlier, when she was buying gifts for her Sadler brothers, she’d been cautious, upping the price in small increments.


    But the pink diamond was a must–have for her. This time, she was all in and didn’t n to drag things out. But out of nowhere, the guy sitting next to her raised his paddle and, in a low voice, called out, “Ten million.” Xylia turned her head, curiosity sparking in her eyes as she nced at him.


    This was the only time he’d bid in the whole auction. ‘Is he here just for the pink diamond?‘ Xylia wondered.


    Xylia asked with a hint of interest, “Hey, are you here just for this pink diamond?”


    The man turned and gave her a soft, boyish grin.


    He had gentle features, and when he smiled it lit up his whole face–he looked downright youthful.


    He said with a bashful chuckle, “Yeah, sis–I want to get this pink diamond for my girlfriend.”


    ‘Well, too bad,‘ Xylia thought, biting her lip before saying, “Funny, I want it for my boyfriend. Guess we both have our reasons, huh?”


    She raised her paddle again. “Eleven million.”


    “Twenty million,” the man fired back, cool as ice.


    ‘Wow, this guy’s packing some serious cash,‘ Xylia thought, impressed.


    She’d already blown a small fortune on gifts for her brothers earlier; if she kept going, her wallet would be


    toast.


    She gritted her teeth. “Twenty–one million!”


    “Fifty million!” The guy didn’t even blink.


    The crowd sucked in their breath–hard.


    Sure, the pink diamond was rare, but this was just crazy money.


    Xylia put her paddle down. No way she was going any higher.


    Shelling out way more than it was worth just left a bad taste in her mouth.


    ‘Sorry, Joshua. You’re just gonna have to deal with it, she thought, a little regretfully.


    The auctioneer’s gavel mmed down, and the pink diamond went to the man beside her. Xylia couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy–but hey, what could she do?


    Once the staff brought over her purchases and she settled up, she headed off to find Joshua.


    But as Xylia was about to head out, the guy suddenly called after her, “Hey, wait a second!”


    “Hang on, can you wait for a sec?”


    Xylia nced back at him, puzzled. “You talking to me?”


    He gave a little nod, looking totally defeated, then held out the pink diamond to her.


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    “You can have it,” he said with a wry smile. “My girlfriend just broke up with me over the phone. I don’t want it anymore.”


    Xylia didn’t dare reach out and take it, pulling her hand back instinctively.


    “Breaking up is a big deal,” she said gently. “Maybe you should keep it and talk to her. Who knows? You might still have a chance to give it to her.”


    “No way,” he muttered,pletely defeated.


    He looked utterly drained. “Sis, you don’t know the half of it. She’s been wanting to ditch me for ages, but I just kept holding on. Watching her hook up with other guys over and over… I’m just exhausted.”


    Xylia didn’t know what to say.


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    Xylia waspletely out of her depth–there nothing she could say to make it better.


    The guy grabbed her hand and shoved the diamond into it, his grip firm.


    “Sis, if you don’t want it, just chuck it,” he said, his voice t.


    Before Xylia could even react, he turned and bolted out of the auction hall.


    “Hey, wait! I don’t want it!” Xylia called after him, but he was already gone.


    She chased after him a few steps, but by the time she reached the entrance, he was nowhere to be seen.


    The pink diamond, which she’d been so eager to win earlier, now felt like a hot potato in her hand–heavy and ufortable.


    When Joshua came out, he found Xylia spacing out by the entrance. He walked over and gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.


    8:10 Tue, Sep 30


    “What’s up?” he asked.


    Xylia turned to him, awkwardly clutching the diamond in her hand.


    She grumbled, “Ugh, it’s like a freaking hot potato–1 can’t shake it off no matter what.”