He Cheated I Rose Making Him Regret Everything (Chloe and Arthur) novel Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Dragged Down

“Sixty million!” Arthur’s voice rang out once again as he raised his hand, determined to push the bid even higher.

Anthony shot Arthur a sharp glare, barely managing to mask his growing irritation. Arthur had just driven the price up to an astonishing sixty million dollars. As the president of Myers Group, money was never really a concern for him, but this sum far exceeded the jade’s true value. Everyone in the room was left wondering what had possessed Arthur to act so recklessly, throwing money around without a second thought.

“Arthur, what are you doing? Stop bidding now. Mr. Ruiz clearly wants this jade—just let him have it,” Madilyn urged, trying to calm the tension thickening the air.

But Arthur didn’t even seem to hear her. His gaze was fixed unwaveringly on the jade displayed on the stage, as if the stone itself held some hypnotic power over him.

“Arthur, don’t be so impulsive,” Jennifer said softly, gently shaking his arm in an attempt to bring him back to reason.

She’d been holding onto him, trying to restrain his enthusiasm, but every time he raised his bid, it happened so quickly she couldn’t stop him in time.

Jennifer bit her lip, exchanging a helpless glance with Madilyn, silently shaking her head in disbelief.

Madilyn returned the look with a sharp glare, her face a mask of barely controlled frustration and anger.

Sixty million for a piece of stone? Arthur must have lost his mind today. And it was all because Chloe had shown up—Arthur’s strange behavior had started only after her arrival.

Madilyn’s eyes flicked toward Chloe. The woman sat quietly, almost detached, while three men battled fiercely over her, driving the price to outrageous heights.

No matter how exquisite the jade was, it was still just a stone. Twenty million would have been excessive enough.

Now the price had soared to sixty million. The guests were captivated by the spectacle, watching the drama unfold with rapt attention—everyone eager to see who would be foolish enough to pay such an exorbitant sum for a mere stone.

All this just to impress a beautiful woman? Spending a small fortune for a single smile? It was certainly a story everyone would be talking about for a long time.

Madilyn’s anger simmered beneath the surface.

Let Anthony and Landon duke it out. Why did Arthur have to get dragged into this mess?

Arthur and Chloe were divorced; their family was finally free from that country girl. She should have been relieved, even happy. When Joseph had asked Arthur about his relationship with Chloe earlier, Madilyn had been satisfied with Chloe’s simple response—just an ex-wife, nothing more. Another pretty face Arthur had long since moved on from.

If Chloe had admitted to being his ex-wife, things would have gotten much messier.

And now Arthur seemed to be inviting gossip? How utterly clueless.

The host’s eyes widened in surprise. Was Joseph really going to withdraw the item?

At the manor, there was an unspoken rule: once an item was withdrawn, it would never be auctioned again.

Chloe’s expression darkened. If Anthony won the jade, she could find a way to get it back later. Even if Arthur won, she had her own tricks to reclaim it. But if the manor withdrew the jade? She might never see it again.

Once withdrawn, an auction item essentially vanished forever.

“Sixty-four million!” Arthur shouted, rising to his feet with determination.

The host immediately announced, “Sixty-four million, going once…”

“Arthur, that’s enough!” Madilyn stood abruptly, ignoring all formalities. She reached past Jennifer and grabbed Arthur firmly, pulling him back down to his seat. “Sit down right now.”

She forced him back into his chair and turned to the host with an apologetic smile. “Please forgive his reckless behavior. Since Mr. Ruiz has shown such interest in the jade, we’ll let him have it.”

The room buzzed with anticipation as the bidding war finally seemed to draw to a close.