Love on the Fast Track - Chapter 99

Chapter 99:

Norah wasn’t keen on letting Sean address her in such a tender way, but he was persistent. So, she let him be.

Derek and Madeline walked in, finding their seats directly behind Kason and Kathy by chance. Catching sight of Derek’s somber expression, Kathy felt a shiver run through her and instinctively snuggled closer to Jordy.

Jordy seemed clueless, nearly forgetting what had just happened at the door. He couldn’t stop himself from touching Kathy. It was the first time someone had taken the initiative to approach him, but since Kathy seemed at odds with Norah, he had to keep a close eye on her.

Madeline, resting against Derek’s shoulder, envied Norah sitting in the front row. Norah looked stunning in her red dress, blending seamlessly with the elite. She didn’t come across as the ideal wife and mother Derek had described. Instead, she seemed mysterious, with a personality far from what Derek had portrayed.

With the auction about to start, Norah looked around and asked, “Has Susanna not arrived?”

The event had attracted the celebrities of Glophia, and Susanna was expected to be among them.

Sean responded with a lack of interest, “She’s asleep. When I called her, she said she didn’t feel like getting up.” Susanna had been to countless auctions since her youth, finding them no longer exciting.

Hearing this, Norah chuckled and said, “It looks like this auction doesn’t intrigue her much. Otherwise, she’d have been here by now.”

Lɑτєѕτ cнαρτєrs 𝑖n g𝓪l𝗇ovєl𝑠.𝓬o𝓶

For Susanna, auctions had lost their charm, while others had to make an effort to attend. Norah’s gaze drifted to the crowd behind her. There was Derek, sitting beside Jordy, his expression dark as he observed Jordy’s inappropriate touches on Kathy.

Meanwhile, Kathy scanned the room for potential suitors. The auction host stood on the stage, giving a quick rundown of the items up for auction and the order in which they would be presented.

Having been to numerous auctions both domestically and internationally, Norah wouldn’t have been interested if Sean hadn’t insisted on her presence. She glanced over and noticed Kason’s lack of enthusiasm.

Catching Norah’s look, Kason smiled softly, leaned in, and whispered, “Norah, if there’s anything you like, let me know. I’ll get it for you as a present.”

“Nothing for me,” Norah whispered back, shaking her head gently. “How about you? Anything catches your eye?”

“No.” Kason grew up in a military family, so he had a thing for weapons. However, since most of the items here were paintings and antiques, none of it caught his eye.

Sean interjected, “Norah, check out this brooch.”

Norah’s gaze followed to where the auctioneer was showcasing the next item.

“This brooch is adorned with a Cullinan diamond, the same type found on the scepter of the Queen of Otland. The starting bid is five million.”

“It’s stunning.” The square diamond, surrounded by smaller ones, was set exquisitely.

Many of the men present, most of whom had wives, found the brooch captivating. After all, diamonds have a special place in every woman’s heart. The bidding quickly escalated to millions.

Kathy’s eyes were glued to the diamond brooch, marveling at the size of the diamond. She imagined how marvelous it would be to own such a gem.

Turning around, Kathy noticed Madeline trying to persuade Derek to bid for the brooch. Glancing at the fierce and unpleasant Jordy next to her, Kathy fought back the urge to feel sick.

Jordy had come because she asked him to. She knew the invitation was meant for Jordy’s brother, who was still in the hospital. Therefore, Jordy held the invitation instead. She knew Jordy wouldn’t buy anything here, especially not for her.

“Derek, I really want this diamond brooch. Could you get it for me, please?” Madeline pouted as she asked.

Derek was momentarily enchanted by her plea but quickly snapped out of it, glancing over at Norah in the front row.

Driven by a peculiar sense of rivalry, he decided to bid.

As the price climbed higher, many bidders dropped out. Derek boldly bid, “12.8 million.”

Norah spun around, shocked at hearing Derek’s voice. Was Derek out of his mind? He wanted to spend over ten million on a diamond brooch? Did he ever consider the financial state of the Carter family? Could they afford such an extravagant purchase?

Norah couldn’t help but recall Derek’s reluctance to share financial resources with her, even demanding a divorce without any settlement. She had assumed the Carter family was nearly bankrupt. Yet here he was, ready to splurge roughly ten million on a diamond brooch for Madeline!

Catching Norah’s shocked look, Sean could tell she recognized Derek’s voice. He frowned.

With a casual gesture, Sean lifted his bidding paddle and murmured, “15 million.”

The bid jumped by almost three million, causing Derek, who was about to bid, to halt in surprise. Sean was bidding? For whom might Sean want this brooch?

Norah turned to Sean, puzzled. She wondered whether he aimed to secure the brooch for Susanna, or perhaps for his mother. Given the rarity of such a large, flawless diamond, it made sense he’d be interested.

Norah wasn’t much for jewelry herself. She supported her chin with her hand, admiring the diamond brooch sparkling on display. Indeed, it was a piece any woman might desire.

“Do you like it?” Kason asked, without waiting for Norah’s response.

Kason confidently bid, saying, “16 million.”

Norah’s eyes went wide. Was Kason serious? She hadn’t expressed any interest. What was Kason thinking?

Norah gently tugged at Kason’s sleeve, whispering, “I don’t actually like it…”

Upon witnessing this, Sean kept raising the price, saying, “I’ll bid 17 million.”

Sean and Kasan exchanged a challenging glance.

At that moment, Derek wavered. For him, millions represented a significant amount.

“Derek, I really want that diamond brooch,” Madeline said, her tone softening. She added, “If it’s too much, it’s okay. You can get a different diamond some other time.”

Madeline gave Derek a playful wink, trying to ease the embarrassment.

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