Without further ado, I picked a quiet corner and sat myself down while watched as the auction began. One by one, the treasures were displayed. From sapphire necklaces, famous paintings, to rare antiques. None of those interested me. I was waiting for something special.
At some point, I surely had dozed off because a flash of light startled me when I opened my eyes. Under the soft golden glow, a golden wrist watch sparkled beautifully.
“Starting price, fifty thousand,” the auctioneer announced.
I lifted my bidding board as I responded, “Sixty thousand.”
Almost immediately, another bidder called out, “Eighty thousand.”
The wristwatch was made for a man. It was finely made with its surface smooth and clear for a well-maintained 18th century wristwatch. It looked perfect. Something my baby could wear when he had grown up.
“One hundred fifty thousand,” I said calmly, raising my board again.
The room fell silent. No one else raised a bid.
“Sold!” the auctioneer declared, striking the hammer.
I took a steady breath and stayed seated, still hoping to find more things suitable for my child. Then, a large man suddenly rose from his seat.
He mockingly asked, “One hundred fifty thousand, you say? One hundred fifty thousand? I’ve been in business for years and never seen you before. Who are you … some mistress pretending to be rich?”
Andrew, who had been sitting beside me, looked ready to argue, but I stopped him with a gesture. There was no need to make a scene. For my baby’s sake, I had to stay calm.
A voice from the crowd shouted, “Verify her funds! Let’s see if she’s real!”
The auctioneer signaled for two staffs to come forward. Without hesitation, I handed them another card. This card held all the savings I had built up since I was young. It was money I had planned to give only to someone truly precious. And that person was my unborn child.
When the auctioneer announced the verified amount, which had billions in assets, the entire room went quiet. The event continued and I ended up buying a few more items. The Hutton-Mdivani necklace, a Van Ceef & Arpels Paris twisted hoop earrings and the Theseus Ring.
Finally, the auctioneer raised his voice as he shouted, “And now, our final piece!”
He continued, “This item may look simple, but it’s a true treasure.”
“It was ordered by King Louis XIV of France for his beloved great-grandson, King Louis XV of France. This was made by the finest jewellery in Paris at the time.”
The auctioneer lifted a small gold pendant. It glowed faintly under the lights. For something so old, it looked surprisingly well-preserved.
“This is the Jesus and Mother Mary’s pendant,” the auctioneer continued.
“It symbolizes the love and blessings for future generations.”
“Starting price, ten million.”
My heart leaped as I shouted, “Twenty million.”
“Fifty million!” another voice called.
I hesitated. Fifty million was already a lot for me. Before I could decide, the auctioneer raised his hammer.
“Sixty million!” I blurted out.
“Sixty million once!” he called.
I smiled faintly. It seemed no one else would compete. Then, a cold voice from the shadows broke the silence.
“Eighty-eight point eight million.”
I turned to look. In the dim corner, a man in a black suit sat quietly. I couldn’t see his face clearly.
“One hundred million,” Andrew said suddenly.
He winked at me and whispered, “A welcome gift for the baby.”
The whole room erupted in surprise.
But from that same dark corner, his voice rang out again.
“Two hundred million.”
Andrew opened his mouth to raise the price again, but I gently touched his arm to stop him. The auctioneer counted, “Two hundred million, going once, twice, three times … sold!”
The hammer fell as a hush spread across the hall. Everyone watched as the man in the black suit carefully picked up the pendant, walking away without a word. After the auction ended Andrew and I said our goodbyes outside the building.
But before I could take a step, a familiar Bentley pulled up. Lucas got out quickly with a grim face.
“Yvette, why are you out here with another man behind my back?”
