CHAPTER 465: BIDDING WAR

A man caught in the whirlpool of love has a heart smaller than the eye of a needle. Inside the private room, only Sinclair and Camilla remained.

"Sweetheart—"

"Hmm."

Sinclair responded indifferently, his gaze still fixed on the auction unfolding on the screen before him.

Camilla gazed at her husband with exasperated fondness shimmering in her beautiful eyes.

"Don’t you smell something... overwhelmingly sour?"

Sour?

Sinclair didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled her into his arms in one swift motion, his fingers threading gently through the cascade of her long hair spilling down her back.

Under the soft glow of the private room’s lighting, Camilla’s delicate features took on a rosy flush, her allure impossible to ignore.

"Overwhelming?"

His lips curved into a faint smirk, those dark, fathomless eyes holding nothing but her reflection.

"There’s something even more overwhelming."

Before she could react, his hand cradled the back of her head, drawing her in as he closed the distance between them, capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

Camilla melted instantly under his touch, her heart turning to liquid warmth.

Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as she kissed him back, soft and yielding.

Only when the air between them grew thick with longing did Sinclair finally pull back—just slightly.

His lips still brushed against hers, their breaths mingling in the scant space between them.

"Sweetheart," he murmured, voice roughened with emotion.

Sinclair guided her hand to rest over his heart, where the relentless rhythm betrayed everything words couldn’t say.

"I can’t help it.

I just can’t control myself."

Sinclair couldn’t stop caring, couldn’t stop feeling jealous, couldn’t stop the anger that flared up—no matter who it was about.

Sinclair wanted to keep her in a world where only he existed.

But he also knew that would make her unhappy.

So he held himself back.

Liking someone is reckless, but loving someone means restraint.

The words, heard somewhere before, surfaced in his mind at just the right moment.

"I know. I understand everything," Camilla whispered, pressing her hand firmly against Sinclair’s pounding heart.

"This just means you care about me, that you love me," she murmured before brushing another soft kiss against his lips.

"I don’t see it as a burden.

On the contrary, it makes me happy.

Truly."

Sinclair’s dark eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained silent.

No matter what he did, the feeling of being loved unconditionally—it was indescribably good.

By now, the auction was drawing to a close.

The organizers unveiled their grand finale—the most expensive jewelry set of the entire event.

A top-tier luxury collection named "The One," meticulously crafted from a rare 111.1-carat natural purple diamond.

"As the name suggests, this is currently the only jewelry set in the world carved from a purple diamond weighing over a hundred carats," the auctioneer explained to the captivated audience while projecting the dazzling ensemble onto the massive screen at the center of the hall.

"It also symbolizes an eternal bond—’one love, one lifetime.’"

"Now, please take a moment to admire its beauty before we begin the bidding."

The moment the breathtakingly opulent and visually striking set appeared on the screen, gasps of awe rippled through the auction hall.

"That hue of purple is absolutely flawless!"

"Both the diamond itself and the craftsmanship are divine—nothing short of legendary."

"This has to be the most stunning piece auctioned in E Country this year.

Truly mesmerizing."

"’The One’—what a romantic name."

"Given this quality, the starting bid will easily hit eight figures."

.It was undeniably exquisite.

Queen reclined lazily on the sofa, swirling the glass in her hand.

Juliet would probably adore it, wouldn’t she?

After all, she always believed the finest things in the world should rightfully belong to her.

With this thought, Queen cast a sidelong glance at Juliet on the other side.

Just as expected.

The moment the word "Only" appeared, Juliet’s expression remained composed, but a glimmer of excitement flickered in her eyes.

Others might not have noticed, but as her twin sister, Queen saw it all too clearly.

No surprise there.

She shot a faintly pitying look at Harrison, who had just returned from taking a call.

Seemed like this poor fool was about to bleed his wallet dry again.

But when one was willing to strike and the other willing to endure, there was nothing anyone could do.

A smirk tugged at her lips as she settled in to enjoy the show.

"Only—one love for a lifetime,"Juliet murmured, her beautiful eyes softening as she gazed at the screen.

"How utterly romantic."

Her voice was just loud enough—part private musing, part deliberate projection—to ensure Harrison caught every word.

And indeed, it was romantic.

But this romance didn’t come cheap.

Harrison took in Juliet’s expression, his gaze lingering on the diamond set displayed on the screen.

For people like them, top-tier jewelry wasn’t just an accessory—it was an investment.

Juliet would soon be marrying into his family.

Buying this extravagant diamond set for her wasn’t a big deal—after all, it would ultimately become part of his household.

The instinct to weigh profit was ingrained in his bones.

No matter how much Harrison adored Juliet, he couldn’t defy his nature.

After some quick mental calculations, he reached out and took Juliet’s delicate, pale hand, placing it gently over the auction button. "If you like it, let’s bid for it."

"No, really," Juliet shook her head, attempting to pull her hand back.

"This set is obviously worth a fortune.

You’ve already given me a gift earlier—there’s no need to spend more."

*Tsk tsk.*

Queen inwardly applauded her sister’s performance.

The classic push-and-pull act Juliet was as consistent as ever.

"How could spending on my fiancée ever be considered extravagant?"

Harrison’s mood lifted even higher as he watched Juliet hesitate. "Don’t even mention one set—even ten wouldn’t be too much."

No woman could resist sweet words and a generous man.

Whether Juliet had any real feelings for Harrison or not, in that moment, her affection for him was undeniably genuine.

"But—" "No buts," Harrison interrupted gently yet firmly, his gaze shifting to the screen.

"Just sit tight and wait for the bidding to start."

Meanwhile, in a private booth not far away... Sinclair’s dark eyes narrowed slightly as they landed on the "Only One" displayed on the screen.

Finally, it had arrived. "Now that everyone has had a good look, let’s begin the official auction," the auctioneer’s voice echoed through the grand hall.

"The starting bid for ’Only One’ is one hundred and ten million."

One hundred and ten million.

A fitting price for something called "Only One."

Though steep, the crowd had already braced themselves the moment they laid eyes on the diamond set, so the announcement caused no major stir.

"One hundred and thirty million."