The Unwavering Heart That Broke novel Chapter 129

Nathalie sat stiffly, her knuckles white around her bidding paddle. The sudden leap to ten million was all the proof she needed. Only Lance would do something this reckless.

Those sapphire earrings weren’t even a big deal. They didn’t have any legendary story or serious collector’s value. Eight million would have been more than enough. Anything higher, and people would just roll their eyes and move on to the real treasures still up for auction. That’s why the room got so quiet after the price hit six million. No one else was interested.

It just had to be him.

Nathalie clenched her jaw, her eyes burning. As the auctioneer called out, “Ten million, going once!” she shot her paddle back in the air.

“Ten and a half million!”

Across the crowded room, Felice was already starting to smile, convinced the earrings were hers—until someone outbid her again. Her smile froze as she turned to Lance, worry flitting across her face. She whispered, “Lance, if the price gets too crazy, maybe we should just let this one go. Spending all that money on earrings seems… kind of pointless.”

She was trying to play it cool, but Nathalie could see right through it.

Lance didn’t react. Sitting under the dim lights, his face difficult to read, he calmly lifted his paddle.

“Eleven million!”

A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd. People kept glancing around, whispering. What was so special about those earrings? Why was the price going up so fast?

Felice looked like she wanted to keep protesting, but there was a glint of excitement in her eyes. “Lance, seriously. It’s way too expensive. Maybe it’s not worth it.”

Lance glanced at her, his voice soft but firm. “Isn’t my life worth eleven million?”

Felice stopped short, lips parted. She didn’t argue anymore.

Nathalie kept going, refusing to back down. Back and forth, the numbers climbed. Fifteen million, no hesitation from him. She could feel her pulse racing.

“Lance, you have to stop,” Nathalie blurted out. “Those earrings belonged to my grandmother—I’ve spent forever trying to find them.”

But it wasn’t Lance who answered.

Instead, Felice’s surprised voice came over the line. “Nathalie? Oh my god, you were the one bidding all this time? You should’ve said something. I’ll tell Lance to stop.”

Nathalie felt a lump form in her throat. It was hard to swallow, hard to even breathe. “Why do you have his phone?”

Felice didn’t answer. She just continued in that breezy tone, “Honestly, though, I kind of want the earrings too. Let’s see what Lance decides.”

And with that, she ended the call.