Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 430 430: Bid

A collective hush fell across the hall at the announcement. One of the agents stepped forward to unveil the item.

The glass dome was lifted, and the necklace was brought forward, displayed on a black velvet bust. Its glow under the lights drew gasps from the crowd.

Murmurings echoed softly across the hall as each of the guests had something to say about it.

"The Duchess's necklace," the auctioneer said proudly, "is a thirteen–carat blue diamond, rare in both color and clarity, surrounded by thirty-six flawless diamonds set in platinum. Crafted in the 1800s, it once belonged to the Duchess of Zainland.

Since then, it has passed through three generations of nobility and was last seen at the Duchess's coronation gala. Tonight, for the first time in over a century, it is presented to the world again. Bidding shall begin at one million dollars."

In Julian's cubicle, the digital bid pad glowed green, a sign to show it was ready to announce the buyer's bid, and numerics were displayed on the touch pad to be used for the bidding.

His gaze lingered for a while on the necklace glittering under the spotlight.

With the auctioneer already stating the bid to start off at one million, he took a deep breath and decisively pressed two million.

Gasps erupted in the hall, a low murmur coursing through the hall at how high the bidding had started off.

In Davis's cubicle, his brow furrowed as his gaze settled on the stage where the necklace was placed as though he was reassessing the worth.

A fierce determination brimming in his eyes as they locked on the digital bidding pad before him. His lips curled up with a smirk as he raised the bid to three million.

But just as he pressed three million, Julian raised the bid for four million.

"Who's in that room?" Davis asked coldly. It wasn't the price that concerned him but the intent and the urgency behind the other bidder.

"I'll go find out," Ethan offered, stepping toward the door.

"Forget it." Davis stopped him with a sharp tone. Without hesitation, he pressed again. "Seven million."

The hall erupted into loud gasps.

While Julian and Davis were busy bidding unscrupulously, the situation inside Jessica's cubicle was anything but calm.

She had arrived at this auction with the plan of searching out a particular piece of her mother's jewelry, sold away by George Brown immediately after she died.

For years, Jessica had chased every rumor, every auction, every lead but she didn't expect all her plans would always go south.

From the time of unveiling the last item on the list "the Duchess's necklace" Jessica felt her heart stir with an unfamiliar feeling.

Her gaze lingered on the necklace under the spotlight, the blue diamond glittering with such brilliance that it seemed almost alive, pulsing with a rhythm that tugged at her heartstrings.

She felt her breath catch, her head ache, but she didn't give it a thought and simply rubbed the throbbing temple dismissively.

Yet she couldn't bring herself to look away, but the longer she stared, the less she saw the auction house, the curtains, the polished stage or the auctioneer's smile.

blurred, as though she was being drawn into

then all she saw

same shade of

intricate design of a necklace but

"Familiar…" she whispered, dazed.

familiarity so uncanny as though she had come into contact

question pulsating in her mind was where

hammering against her skull,

hoping to block it out, but instead, flashes

as quickly as they came, and she was unable to register

first, it was a table with scattered sketches on papers under a bright light. A blurry image of a man beside her,

"Blue."

other word said. Yet it seemed the mouth was moving continuously, and the face, no matter how she tried, she

strained her ear hoping to hear

it throbbed harder, the pain sharpened, the buzzing louder now than what she had experienced

sweat dripped down her forehead

frantically clutching her

there was nothing he

his mind, yet he drew one conclusion…memory

her quickly, alarmed by her trembling. "Jessica? Jessica, can you hear

but seemed to be trapped

his phone to call Davis, but on a second thought,

studied the situation and decided she couldn't be taken out of the cubicle in this condition,

help her out of this situation. Though the environment was wrong, this would have

he called

aside from a low, deep chuckle. She could feel the softness and gentleness in the familiar voice, "Are

question was followed by several flashes she couldn't

the nerves in her head were struggling to secure a

the armrest of her seat, struggling

took deep, calming breaths hoping to ease

voice echoed through her

water had been poured on her. Her eyes snapped open. She glanced around

going on?" she asked, her voice

head. "Are you

it still felt heavy.

on her worriedly.

a while, trying to access her

lips parted to say more, but the voice of the auctioneer tore through the silence of the

"Nine million!"

his fist clenched briefly. He was now certain the person bidding against him must

also anxious to get this necklace, or he wanted

purpose was the latter, surely he had