Chapter 33

Taking a slow breath, Roger steadied his nerves. With tenderness, he reached for Marilee's hand, his tone gentle. "My mother has already told me everything.Marilee, you looked after me so well at the hospital,and I can tell your kindness is real. Tonight, if anything catches your fancy, just let me know. I'll make sure you have it."①

A blush crept onto Marilee's cheeks as her eyes wandered to the nearby display. Something dazzling drew her in. "Roger, over there-see that crown? Isn't it breathtaking?"

The brilliance of the crown captured not only Marilee's attention but aIso everyone else's. Its grand unveiling sent a buzz through the hall, and even the auctioneer's voice vibrated with excitement. "Now,feast your eyes on this exquisite creation-the Adam's Heart! The centerpiece is none other than the rarest, largest ruby in the world, a symbol of Adam's heart. This crown stands for Adam's everlasting, unbreakable love for Eve. Bidding will open at one hundred million."

A hush swept over the audience at such a staggering opening price.

Without hesitation, Roger lifted his paddle high. "One hundred fifty million."

Heads swiveled at his bold move, and murmurs erupted throughout the hall.

"Did you see that? Roger's making a statement tonight. Who's the lucky recipient?"

"It's obvious, isn't it? He's with Marilee, the newly acknowledged Jenkins daughter."

"She's a celebrity, after all. It's no wonder she's turned Roger's head."

Bathed in admiration, Marilee drew herself up, pride shining in her eyes.

Roger's offer set off a sudden surge of interest from the crowd.

A clear voice rang out. "Two hundred million."

Another chimed in, "Two hundred and fifty million."

Someone else didn't hesitate. "Three hundred and fifty million!"

Both Roger and Marilee were left wide-eyed at how fast things escalated. Roger, in particular, began to feel something wasn't quite right as more bidders joined in.

The new players were mostly from rising tech and finance circles, a starkcontrast to the old-money families like the Gibsons. When a pharmaceutical giant pushed the bid to four hundred million,the hall buzzed with speculation.

A handful of executives in tailored suits watched the crown as if nothing else existed. Tension, heavy and silent,passed between rivals.

A whisper escaped Marilee, her voice edged with disbelief. "Roger..." The bidding had soared to four

hundred million. Even with the Gibson family's wealth, that sum seemed reckless.

Deep down, she knew Roger wouldn't risk everything just to win her favor.

A shadow crossed Roger's face as he weighed his next move. When he looked up, his eyes landed on Alexia murmuring something to Waylon. The two of them fit together effortlessly, their heads nearly touching as they shared quiet words.

The sight hit Roger in a place he rarely acknowledged, and his fingers curled into a tight fist.

So that was Alexia's game-chasing a higher rung on the social ladder.①

Did she really believe this display would spark regret in him?

How absurd it all seemed. In Roger's eyes, Alexia meant nothing.

He made up his mind-everything he had to give would now go to someone else, if only to make a point.

With ironclad determination, Roger lifted his paddle,his voice clear and unwavering. "Five hundred million!"

That sum was fifty times more than the amount he had planned to set aside for Alexia's divorce. He wanted her to see that her years with him meant as little as a speck of stone in the crown's setting.

Never once did he consider her worthy of standing beside Marilee.

All around, the crowd erupted in gasps and hushed chatter, every gaze flicking to Marilee with curiosity and awe.

"Can you believe it? Roger's willing to drop five hundred million for Marilee? He sure never spent like that on his ex-wife."

"It's no wonder Alexia's so out of place now. The moment their divorce was announced, Roger was already parading Marilee around at business events,

treating her like royalty. Makes you wonder if Alexia ever felt loved at all."

"Honestly, what did she expect? Even the Jenkins family barely looked her way after the real daughter turned up. Two decades under their roof, and she was tossed aside without a thought. A house pet would have earned more loyalty. If Waylon hadn't shown up, who knows what would've become of her?"

"They're just friends, right? Waylon and Alexia go way back, childhood stuff. He's only helping her because he feels sorry for her."

A small, satisfied grin crept onto Marilee's lips as she overheard the whispers swirling around her.

Roger's bold jump in the bidding knocked the wind out of the other tycoons.

Few expected him to wade into such a cutthroat contest. To them, his actions bordered on lunacy.

Yet the hall's expectations were upended again when Waylon lifted his own paddle.

His words rang out steady and unbothered. "One billion. Spare me the incremental games."

The announcement sent a jolt through the crowd.

More than one bidder struggled to breathe, caught off guard by the staggering leap. For a heartbeat,the bustling hall went dead quiet-only to explode into frenzied commotion seconds later.

"Did you catch that? One billion? That's insane!"

"Waylon's pulling a wild card. But why is he after the crown? He's never shown interest in jewelry before!"

"Nobody's got the nerve to match that! He's changed the whole game!"

"Roger's out of his league now. Wait... Is Waylon doing this for Alexia's sake?"