The True Heiress Reborn And Slays (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 178

Chapter 178 The Fool of the Night

Chapter 178 The Fool of the Night

She simply sat there, quiet and detached, like she had no stake in any of it.

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By all logic, Sophia came from a well-off family and had seen plenty of nice things in her life. Even through a screen, she should’ve been able to tell those earrings weren’t worth anywhere near the asking price.

But no-she just had to dig in. Her eyes flashed with nothing but pure jealousy, not a hint of the taste or poise you’d expect from someone raised around money.

That thought crossed Lucas’ mind for the first time, and it brought with it a sharp wave of irritation he couldn’t push down.

He watched the auctioneer start the final countdown. The pearl earrings were about to go to some slick-haired middle-aged guy for two-point-eight million. Lucas’ hand, still holding the bid paddle, stayed frozen at his side.

Just then, Riley tilted her head slightly and spoke up, her tone light and teasing.

“Lucas, I thought you wanted to get those earrings for your mom?

“They’re almost at three million now… you’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

That put him right on the spot.

He forced a tight smile and answered through gritted teeth, “Of course not. No way.”

Before the words had fully left his mouth, he raised his paddle again, his voice dropping to a low, decisive tone. “Three million.”

After several more rounds of jaw-dropping bids, he finally won the pearl earrings for a staggering three-point-five million.

The moment the gavel came down, Sophia, watching the livestream from her apartment, almost jumped off the couch in

excitement.

She pictured herself wearing them someday-imagined how she’d casually flaunt them in front of Riley, who’d have no idea they were really meant for her.

What she didn’t know was that, back in the ballroom, Lucas was already seething.

He could practically see Sophia’s smug expression in his mind, and he mentally cursed her pettiness and lack of judgment over and

over.

But what was done was done.

He took the small velvet box from the staff, and the longer he held it, the heavier it felt.

He’d now bought two lavish gifts for his mother, while Riley-his actual wife-hadn’t received a single thing.

A nagging sense of guilt settled over him. Leaning closer to the display screen, Lucas pointed to the next item and tried to sound cheerful. “Riley, look-this next piece is a mother-of-pearl vanity case. Don’t you usually like collecting vintage accessories? Let me get it for you.”

His voice was careful, almost eager to please.

But Riley only glanced at the poorly crafted box before looking away, her expression cool

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Chapter 178 The Fool of the Night

“Don’t bother,” she said, her tone flat. “I don’t like wasting my attention on things that aren’t worth the price”

Then she turned to face him directly, her gaze sharp and openly mocking

“Or can you really not tell this whole auction is a sham? Are you planning to keep playing the fool and buy up all of Aiden’s overpriced junk?”

Her words landed like a slap.

Lucas’ face burned with humiliation.

Of course he could tell.

Starting with those clumsily painted cups earlier…

But what choice did he have? On one side was Aiden, a business contact he needed to keep happy. On the other, Sophia, directing him through the screen like a remote-control puppet. He was stuck right in the middle, forced to play the sucker.

Right then, his phone lit up again.

Sophia had already sent an excited screenshot of the next lot-a gaudy, mass-produced abstract painting. “Lucas, this would look perfect in my lounge! Bid on it!”

A dull throb started at his temples.

The next hour felt like a public walk of shame.

Between Sophia’s nonstop “I want that” texts and Riley’s icy, detached silence, Lucas ended up buying one questionable item after another: a painting with no artistic merit, a clumsily carved figurine, a bottle of wine with a dubious vintage…

He became the center of attention in the worst way. Every time his paddle went up, the room watched him with either envy or plain pity.

By the end of the auction, he’d dropped close to twenty million.

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