SWNOVELS Chapter 125
The bangle was actually quite ugly. The color of the crystal blended together, making it kind of brownish with red, yellow, green, and pink veins. It would only look or attract eccentric individuals.
Dahlia shuddered as she looked at the bangle. It was so ugly, and she would never be caught wearing it, but Madam Jasmine was eccentric. She had never been seen wearing traditional jewelry or even clothing.
Because the bangle was made from high-quality crystal, the starting price was higher than the stamp collection, at $25.000.
There were only murmurs among the guests, and no one bid for it, which made Dahlia happy. She quickly raised her puddle and increased the price by twice the amount, confident that no one else would be interested in the weird-looking bangle, but she was wrong.
She heard a familiar voice coming from behind her, and she wanted to punch that person because who else could it be?
Cherise was initially uninterested in the bangle until she remembered the head housekeeper at the Alster Mansion, who loved this sort of crystal jewelry.
Even though she was Angel and could create something for the head housekeeper, she knew Angel's style would not match the head housekeeper’s.
Like the old butler, their head housekeeper had been working for them for so long that she wanted to give her the bangle as an appreciation gift for her service.
Cherise raised an eyebrow when she heard Dahlia doubling the price. Just who was she planning to give the bangle to? Surely not Agatha, nor would she even wear it herself, she thought.
Knowing Dahlia, she would most probably use it to “bribe’ someone, like when she tried to get Katherine to forgive her by giving her many expensive presents.
Whatever, Cherise thought. If she didn’t want this item, she would not go against Dahlia, but it seemed even fate wanted her to compete with Dahlia over a strange-colored bangle.
Without thinking further, Cherise called out, “$75.000,”
Dahlia turned her head and glared at Cherise, who just smirked at her again. Was she trying to get anything she wanted? Dahlia asked in her mind but quickly bid again.
She didn’t have time to think of what that bitch wanted. She had lost the stamp collection but wouldn't lose this one. This was her ticket to be accepted in the upper-class society again without being joked about.
$75.000? Cherise furrowed her brows. She had never thought Dahlia would spend that much on that bangle, but just like Dahlia, Cherise didn't want to think too much about the reason why Dahlia wanted it.
Cherise only knew that the Alster head housekeeper would be happy with this bangle, and that was all that mattered.
She raised the price to $I50.000 and didn't even look at Dahlia again. If she wanted to go against her, then so be it, Cherise thought. No matter what, she would still be the winner. Dahlia, enraged by Cherise's blatant way of humiliating her, blurted out, “$200.000."
She prayed Cherise would not bid against her again as she did not want to spend more. Cherise couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. Seriously? Dahlia still wanted to go against her? She was more foolish than Cherise thought.
“$300.00; Cherise bid again and ignored the glare Dahlia was sending her. She arched an eyebrow and smirked, letting Dahlia know she would never win against her no matter what. Just as she thought, Dahlia stopped bidding, and she won the item again.
The auction continued until the last item, a gorgeous twenty-carat heart-shaped pink diamond, was brought out.
All the ladies in attendance went wild, asking their husbands to bid and win it. Dahlia also wanted it but knew she couldn't afford it even if her money and Polly were combined.
Polly, who was seated next to Emely, reached over and shook her brother's arm. “Hudson, you should bid it for Emely.”
Her voice was loud enough to be heard by everyone seated around them, and when they saw Hudson intensely looking at the diamond, they could already feel their defeat.
Emely nudged Polly and said shyly, “Hush, Polly. It's too expensive. I wouldn't want Hudson to waste that amount of money on me."
“Oh, poo.” Polly waved her hand. “He'll bid it and give it to you, so just accept it."
Emely pretended to blush and hid her face behind her hands. She really hoped Hudson would bid it for her, but if not, Polly had just humiliated her in front of everyone present!
Cherise, as Angel, was used to all sorts of stones for jewelry and when she saw the pretty pink heart- shaped, she was tempted to get it but then thought against it because where would she wear such an enormous diamond?
Furthermore, her style was more understated, and if she wanted, she could get a similar diamond from one of her suppliers.
The bidding started at $50 million and quickly escalated to $250 million because the ladies kept bugging their husbands to win it, claiming the money would go to charities, especially since Hudson did not raise his paddle to bid it.
Emely's heart was thumping loudly against her chest. Was Hudson not going to bid on it? Would Polly's words really turn into a humiliation for her? Would Hudson not help her? Then she shivered when she thought of how Hudson seemed not to care about her anymore.
But then her hope went up, and she let out a sigh of relief when Hudson suddenly held up his bidding paddle and casually said, “5500 million."
Emely turned to look at Cherise and smirked triumphantly. She still could get Hudson to buy a diamond worth millions of dollars.
Cherise looked at her and yawned boredly. If Hudson wanted to bid it and give it to Emely, that was his choice. Why would Emely look so smug?
Everyone immediately stopped bidding when Hudson started because they knew they couldn't win against him, but they were shocked when another gentle voice bid for the diamond again. “5600 million,” Theo said gently. Cherise was shocked at first, but then she thought he wanted to give it to Erica, so she just kept quiet.
Hudson frowned and, without looking back, increased the bid by another $I00 million, which Theo followed.
Bothered by how Theo stretched the bidding time, Hudson said, ” $I.5 trillion.”
His offer shocked the entire audience. The gentlemen were glad their wives had the decency to stop bugging them after Hudson started bidding; otherwise, they would have to fork out more than $I trillion if Hudson suddenly decided the diamond was not worth it anymore.
The auctioneer looked at Theo, but he shook his head sadly. Cherise was about to help him and raised her paddle, but Theo stopped her.
“I'm sorry I can’t get it for you, Cherise," he said with guilt.
Surprised, Cherise blurted out, “You wanted to get it for me?”
“Yes!” Theo nodded. “But it seems I still can’t go against Hudson Amery.”
Cherise was touched, so she squeezed his hand. “I'm really grateful for it, Theo. But I'l let you in on a little secret - I prefer understated jewelry pieces. You've never seen me wearing such in-your- face pieces, right?”
Theo looked at Cherise and finally chuckled. “So I just saved myself millions of dollars.”
“That you did.” Cherise winked at him, and they laughed.
With that, the auction closed, and the people of City Hall who ran the auction let their employees bring each item to those who had won the bid, together with a credit card reader for them to pay for the items they won.
One of the employees went to Hudson and showed him the diamond. It was even more beautiful up close, and Polly nudged Emely.
“Told you,” she said with a grin while Emely blushed and felt smug inwardly because every lady present was envious of her.
Hudson completed the transaction quickly, and the employee handed him his card back, along with the receipt and diamond in its beautiful casing.
He stood up, and Emely, being big-headed, was ready to receive the diamond. “Hudson, thank you for bidding the diamond for me; she said shyly as she tugged on his suit sleeve. Hudson did not seem to hear her as he walked away.
Emely was confused but decided to follow him. Maybe he wanted to give it to her in a more private environment, she thought.
Cherise was still sitting in her seat, chatting with Theo while finishing her transactions, when suddenly she felt a looming presence. When she looked up, she was surprised to see her ex- husband looking at her.
Emely suddenly had a bad feeling about this situation, and she was right because Hudson presented the diamond to Cherise the next moment.