But after a pause, she let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. That was just her talking-Collin never actually said he would be back.
She had no reason to be upset. Collin was always busy. It wasn’t unusual for him to stay out late or not come home at all.
Still, knowing that didn’t stop the foolish feeling creeping in. She had hyped herself up on the way here, only to be met with an empty house. She didn’t let any of this show in front of the butler. Offering a faint smile, she simply nodded and headed upstairs to freshen up.
But the butler, ever perceptive, had caught the slight shift in her mood. After some thought, he smiled knowingly and wasted no time in reporting the matter to Collin.
To the butler, it was obvious-Linsey was beginning to care. And that was excellent news.
With that in mind, he vowed to keep doing his part to help bring Collin and Linsey closer.
At that moment, Collin was seated in a private box overlooking the grandest charity auction in Grester. The venue buzzed with energy, and from above, he had a clear view of the distinguished guests mingling below.
Dustin, sitting beside him, let out an exaggerated sigh as he watched the elegantly dressed men and women pair up. “Look at them-everyone has a date. Meanwhile, here we are, two miserable bachelors stuck in this box. It’s honestly tragic.”
Collin shot him a cool, uninterested glance. “Correction. You’re the lonely bachelor. I’m married.”
Dustin whipped his head around, gaping at him. For a second, he genuinely wondered if his best friend had been swapped with a lookalike. Collin-the same Collin who was always indifferent, always detached-actually said something like that? It was almost unsettling.
Just then, Collin’s phone vibrated. He checked the screen and frowned instantly. “Dustin, something’s come up. I need to head back. You handle the rest of the auction,” he said. Before Dustin could process what was happening, Collin was already rising from his seat, preparing to leave.
Dustin blinked in confusion. “Wait-what could possibly be so urgent?” Curious, he leaned over and caught a glimpse of the message on Collin’s phone. It wasn’t anything pressing-just a brief update from the butler mentioning that Linsey seemed a little down because she hadn’t seen Collin tonight.
For this? This was why Collin was leaving?
Dustin stared at him in sheer disbelief. “Collin! Are you serious right now?”
His voice rose with outrage. “You’re actually ditching the auction just to go keep Linsey company? Since when were you two so close? What about the rest of the event? You’re just going to walk out? This ties directly to our upcoming deals!”
Unfazed by Dustin’s exasperation, Collin casually slipped on his coat. “You’re here, aren’t you?”
Dustin’s jaw practically hit the floor. He clutched his chest dramatically, as if personally betrayed. “Unbelievable! You’re ditching me for a woman you’ve barely known for a few days? You’ve really changed!”
Collin shot him a withering look. His thoughts drifted to Linsey waiting at home, disappointed that he hadn’t come back. The idea of sitting here any longer felt unbearable.
“The past is the past. Things are different now. Dustin, I really have to go.”
Just as Collin was about to step away, Dustin suddenly seemed to remember something. He quickly moved to block Collin’s path. “Hold on a second.”
Collin’s brows furrowed, irritation creeping into his expression. “What now?”
Dustin let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head as if Collin were a lost cause. Typical. Collin, the walking definition of emotionally dense, had no clue how romance worked. Moments like these required intervention-and as always, it was up to Dustin, the ever-reliable best friend, to step in and prevent a disaster.
“You’re seriously going back empty-handed?” Dustin shot him a pointed look. “Linsey misses you, man. You just got married-have you even given her a single gift since then?”
The question made Collin pause. His mind flickered to the clothes Linsey had given him not long ago. She had gone out of her way to pick something for him, and yet… he hadn’t given her anything in return.
Even after buying his story that he owed 100 million dollars, she hadn’t wavered. Instead of leaving, she had promised to stand by him. Something in Collin’s usually cold gaze softened.
For the first time, he hesitated, then asked, “What do you think I should get her?”
Dustin’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow, so you really are losing your mind over Linsey.” He folded his arms, looking amused. “And here I thought you were supposed to be brilliant. Have you forgotten where we are?” He gestured at the bustling auction below. “I just checked the catalog. Up next is a gemstone necklace-a masterpiece by a world-famous jeweler. It’s one of a kind. Tons of people showed up tonight just for that piece.”
Dustin smirked. “If you win that auction and give the necklace to Linsey, I guarantee she’ll be happy.”
Dustin was absolutely convinced that any woman would be over the moon with such a grand surprise. If Linsey were to discover that Collin had placed a bid on an exquisitely expensive gemstone necklace for her, she would undoubtedly be touched-perhaps even enough to start falling for him.
As Dustin pondered this possibility, his own heart raced with a surge of excitement, mirroring the thrill of a blossoming romance. Over the years, while Dustin had navigated through relationships with numerous girlfriends, Collin had remained steadfastly single. As Collin’s best friend, Dustin felt almost obligated to play cupid in Collin’s quest for love.
Collin had to admit, Dustin’s words made a lot of sense. After all, Linsey had thoughtfully gifted him clothing, which he had cherished deeply; reciprocating with a thoughtful gift seemed only appropriate.
Resolved, Collin nodded firmly. “Alright, I’ll place my bid on that necklace before I leave tonight.”
The auction progressed, and soon it was time for the gemstone necklace to take center stage, with the bidding starting at a staggering five million dollars. As the necklace was unveiled, a wave of awe swept through the room, lighting up the faces of many women with eager anticipation. They clutched their bidding paddles with renewed vigor.
“Six million dollars!”
“Eight million dollars!”
“Ten million dollars!”
“Twenty million dollars!”
“Thirty million dollars!”
“Fifty million dollars!”
The bidding frenzy catapulted the price to astronomical heights, electrifying the atmosphere in the venue as fortunes were staked with a simple raise of a paddle.
Suddenly, in the bustling auction hall, a female executive, dressed in a bespoke, shimmering gown, assertively raised her paddle. “One hundred million dollars,” she announced, her voice laced with a mix of amusement and firm resolve. “Everyone, I’ve fallen absolutely in love with this necklace. I would truly appreciate it if you would refrain from challenging this bid. I am determined to make it mine.”
The room fell into a hushed silence as all eyes turned toward her.
There stood Adela Greville, a figure synonymous with wealth and a well-known connoisseur of fine jewelry. Her presence and her audacious bid cast a momentary spell of hesitation across the crowd. Recognizing her, almost everyone decided against crossing paths with Adela-either out of respect or simply lacking the means to contest such an overwhelming amount.
“One hundred million dollars, going once, twice!”
Just as the auctioneer was poised to finalize the sale, a satisfied smile played on Adela’s lips, her confidence peaking as she anticipated her victory. The room seemed to collectively assume the necklace would soon adorn her collection.
However, in a thrilling twist, a steady yet authoritative voice broke through the tension from one of the private boxes perched on the second floor.
“One billion dollars.”
The declaration sent a shockwave through the audience, prompting a cacophony of gasps and murmurs. Heads swiveled and eyes widened in disbelief.
“One billion dollars? Did I hear that correctly? Surely, that must be a mistake!”
The whispers grew louder, buzzing with speculation and surprise. The auctioneer paused, his gavel hovering in mid-air, as he processed the unprecedented escalation.
In his decades of conducting auctions, never had he seen such a leap-from one hundred million to one billion dollars.
Collin’s voice echoed crisply from the luxurious private box, slicing through the murmur of the crowd. “That’s right. One billion dollars.”
The room fell into a stunned silence as everyone absorbed the magnitude of the bid-someone was indeed offering a massive one billion dollars for the necklace.
The gemstone necklace that lay resplendent under the spotlight was undoubtedly a masterpiece of craft, sparkling with an ethereal glow. Yet, despite its allure, the price tag of one billion dollars catapulted it into a stratosphere of opulence far beyond its estimated value. This audacious bid transformed the necklace into a symbol of unparalleled luxury overnight.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.