After settling thepany''s debts, Reese had less than three hundred thousand left. She honestly didn''t know if she stood a chance against Sebastian tonight.


    "One hundred and ten thousand," Reese called out, raising her paddle.


    Sebastian''s eyebrow quirked up when he heard her voice. So she had her eye on the ne too?


    "Sebastian..." Sofia sounded worried, unsure if he''d really let Reese win.


    "Two hundred thousand," he bid, lifting his paddle. Sofia rxed, ncing at Reese with a smug little smirk.


    But Reese refused to back down. She gritted her teeth and raised her paddle again. "Two hundred and ten thousand."


    A few people in the crowd started snickering.


    "Reese is something else. Mr. Ratcliff''s upping the bids by the hundreds of thousands, and she''s adding ten thousand each time. She''s so petty. And she thinks she canpete with him?"


    "She probably just wants his attention. She''s tried that trick before."


    "Everyone knows Mr. Ratcliff spoils his wife rotten. He''s buying this for his wife. Why does Reese even bother?"


    The whispers grated on Sebastian''s nerves. He nced at Reese. Her face was pale, her eyes burning with frustration. She wanted that ne so badly, but it was obvious her funds were running low.


    Forget it. If she wanted it that much, he''d let her have it.


    He leaned toward Sofia. "There will be anything else you liketer. If not, pick a style and I''ll have something custom made for you from overseas."


    Sofia''s eyes shed with disappointment. She opened her mouth to argue, but caught the warning in Sebastian''s eyes and swallowed her words. "Okay. Whatever you say."


    "Two hundred and ten thousand, going once," the auctioneer announced.


    Reese noticed Sebastian had stopped bidding and was whispering to Sofia instead. She let out a shaky breath, finally able to rx.


    "Two hundred and ten thousand, going twice."


    It was clear to everyone that Sebastian wasn''t interested in fighting Reese for the ne, so nobody else tried to outbid her.


    Reese clenched her fist, sitting up straighter.


    "Two hundred and ten thousand, go..."


    "Two hundred and fifty thousand," Zach called out, his paddle up, a wicked grin on his face as he looked straight at Reese.


    Her heart dropped. She nced at Zach, mentally running the numbers in her bank ount, then lifted her paddle again. "Two hundred and sixty thousand."


    Zach''s eyes stayed on her, his grin only growing when he saw how shaken she looked.


    Of course he knew what this ne meant to her. Reese''s mother had spent years searching for it. He remembered Marie joking to his own mother that someday, Reese would wear this ne at her wedding to him.


    But now, he married someone else. The ne should be on someone else too.


    Zach stood and crossed the room, taking a seat at the main table. He shot Reese a challenging look.


    "Three hundred thousand."


    The whole room buzzed in shock. Even Sebastian frowned.


    "Is Mr. Wiles here just to stir things up?"


    Reese''s face turned gray. She knew she couldn''t beat Zach tonight, no matter what.


    "Three hundred thousand, going once."


    "Three hundred thousand, going twice."


    "Three hundred thousand, sold! Congrattions to Mr. Wiles for winning the natural sapphire ne!"


    A staff member brought the ne to Zach. He inspected it under the light, nodded in satisfaction, and then walked over to Tara, fastening the ne around her neck.


    Reese watched as the ne, the one that should''ve belonged to her mother, now sat on Tara''s corbone. The sight stung. She red at Zach, furious.


    He knew exactly how much this meant to her, yet he had to take it and give it to Tara.


    Zach felt the heat of her re. For the first time in years, the bitterness he''d been carrying seemed to fade just a little.


    Reese, do you regret it now?


    If she hadn''t married Sebastian, if she''d waited for him toe back, she''d be the one standing next to him, the one wearing that ne.


    Now that the ne was gone, Reese didn''t have the heart to stay. She stood up and slipped out of the auction hall, ready to leave.


    "Reese."


    Tara''s voice stopped her at the door. "You really wanted that ne, didn''t you?"


    Reese looked up, her voice cold. "You know it was my mother''s. Why did you even ask?"


    "It was Aunt Marie''s?" Tara took off the ne, turning it over in her hands, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. Then she held it out to Reese.


    "If it was your mother''s, then you should have it."