?Chapter 144:

    Sensing the waning interest of the guests in the other items, the host elerated the auction process. Soon, the main attraction, Star, was up for bidding.

    Holding the microphone with excitement, the host announced, “You may know Star as the King of Jewelry. It’s aplete set, uniformly designed and immensely popr worldwide, spawning numerous imitations overnight— a testament to its fame.”

    As he spoke, he lifted the ck cloth, revealing the set’s brilliant sparkle under the lights.

    The design was inspired by time, with each piece reflecting personal creativity. The set included a ne, a ring, and earrings. Individually, each piece was valuable, but together, they were exceptional.

    Katelyn was no longer concerned with Lise. Her focus was entirely on the jewelry set before her— a project her dear friend had dedicated her life to.

    In her final moments following a car ident, her friend had grasped Katelyn’s hand and implored her to recover her life’s work. Katelyn hadmitted to this promise for years.

    However, the anonymity of the auction meant that even the organizers might not know who had contributed the set. Katelyn’s gaze remained fixed intently on the set, a detail not missed by Neil and Vincent.

    Neil’s fists clenched as he recalled the warm light in Katelyn’s eyes— a stark contrast to the cold disdain she now showed him.

    Holding her bidding paddle, Katelyn waited in silence.

    Pleased with the energized crowd, the host dered, “The opening bid for the Star series, the King of Jewelry, is 50 million dors. It goes to the highest bidder!”

    Immediately, paddles flew up in rapid session, with shouts of “50 million dors!”, “55 million dors!”, “70 million dors!”, and “80 million dors!” filling the room as the bidding escted fiercely.

    This auction proved that if collectors wanted to fetch a high price, bringing their valuables here could potentially double their worth.

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    Katelyn’s mind was troubled by a lingering question. The Star series, renowned as the uncrowned king of jewelry, was coveted by all.

    Yet, why would a collector choose to auction such a prized set?

    After extensive efforts to track down the thief of the original designs, Katelyn was startled to learn that there was no individual credited as the designer when the series was released.

    It was said to be the work of a foreign design team, publicly celebrated as a collective achievement— a fact insiders knew to be false.

    How could one deny such recognition?

    Especially when the acim was attributed to the group rather than to any one individual.

    Lost in these thoughts, Katelyn was brought back to the moment by Vincent’s casual bid.

    “100 million dors!” he dered, stunning the crowd.

    Whispers filled the room as everyone wondered who had made such a bold bid, only to nod in understanding upon realizing it was Vincent.

    Given his reputation and presence, such a grand gesture seemed fitting for him.

    Katelyn leaned closer to Vincent, her voice a soft whisper. “Do you also admire this set?”

    Her warm breath, carrying the soft scent of gardenia, gently brushed against Vincent’s ear.

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