He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 785

Veronica's eyes instantly lit up.

An emerald necklace... She knew exactly which one he meant. The starting bid was twenty million, rumored to be a centuries-old royal heirloom. It was exponentially more valuable than the purple diamond.

She eagerly agreed, convinced this was Yardley's way of spoiling her even more. Any lingering disappointment over losing the diamond vanished immediately.

Sitting in the third row, Scarlett took in their entire exchange.

Watching Veronica press herself against Yardley, looking like she wanted to crawl into his lap, Scarlett couldn't suppress a cold, cynical smirk.

"Thirty million going once! Thirty million going twice! Thirty million... Sold!"

The auctioneer's voice cracked with excitement as the gavel slammed down, triggering a wave of applause from the crowd.

Julian lowered his paddle and smiled warmly at Scarlett. "Mission accomplished."

Amusement danced in Scarlett's eyes. "Thank you."

Yardley happened to glance back at that exact second, catching their shared, intimate smile.

His expression turned thunderous. The suffocating irritation in his chest twisted into something much darker.

A few more items came and went. Some sold, some passed.

Soon, the lights dimmed again, and a blinding spotlight hit the center stage.

A breathtaking, flawless imperial emerald necklace was wheeled out on a velvet display.

"Honored guests, it is time for our grand finale—'The Queen's Tear'!" the auctioneer announced, his voice vibrating with theatrical flair, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

"Carved from a single, unblemished piece of imperial green emerald, this masterpiece was the crown jewel of a royal dynasty centuries ago. Its true value is simply incalculable! The bidding will start at twenty million!"

Gasps echoed across the room.

It was an undeniable museum-quality piece, but the astronomical starting price was enough to paralyze most of the room.

Veronica looked at Yardley, practically vibrating with anticipation.

A cool, clear female voice sliced through the silence.

"Eighty million."

The voice was so familiar that Yardley's hand froze in mid-air.

He whipped his head around in disbelief. Scarlett was casually holding up her paddle, her expression completely placid, though her eyes glinted with unmistakable provocation.

The entire hall was paralyzed in stunned silence before erupting into a frenzy of shocked murmurs.

Veronica stopped breathing. "Scarlett... is she out of her mind?"

"There's no way she has eighty million to blow! Yardley, she's just doing this to spite you!"

Yardley's face turned ashen. He glared at Scarlett's infuriatingly calm face, his chest heaving as rage consumed him.

"Ninety-nine million, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand."