Chapter 440

The moment the emerald diamond necklace was unveiled, the crowd erupted into excited murmurs.

Anyone with eyes could see it was a masterpiece—the flawless clarity of the gemstone, the precision of its cut. A piece like this could easily fetch millions.

Whitmore Enterprises had truly outdone themselves, donating such an exquisite piece for the charity auction.

Then, a spotlight swept across the room, illuminating Alexander Whitmore's striking figure.

All eyes turned toward him, and gasps of admiration rippled through the crowd. His aristocratic features, sharp yet refined, commanded attention.

But his gaze never wavered from Evelyn Carter, as if she were the only person in the room.

He had come for her.

Only her.

"That man is breathtaking! His face looks like it was sculpted by the gods themselves. Who is he?"

"He must be Victor Whitmore's son. Who else could afford to donate something so valuable?"

"Victor Whitmore's son? Why haven’t we seen him before?"

"Look how devoted he is to Ms. Carter. Are they involved?"

"And why not? She’s stunning. They’d make a perfect match!"

The whispers buzzed in Nathan Blackwood’s ears like a swarm of wasps. A perfect match?

The thought made his jaw tighten.

Alexander’s polished appearance and the way his dark eyes lingered on Evelyn reminded Nathan of a serpent—charming but dangerous.

"The starting bid for this emerald diamond necklace is two million dollars. Let the bidding begin!"

The auctioneer’s voice barely faded before paddles shot up across the room.

"Three million!"

"Four million!"

"Four and a half!"

"Five million!"

The energy in the room was electric, the competition fierce.

Before the auction began, Evelyn had been nursing a dull ache in her stomach.

But watching the bids skyrocket in mere moments?

Suddenly, she didn’t feel a thing.

Money was the best painkiller.

Meanwhile, Penelope Whitmore and her daughter, Cassandra, sat seething in their seats.

They had come expecting Evelyn to fail spectacularly.

Instead, the auction was off to a roaring start, and their carefully laid plans to humiliate her were crumbling before their eyes.

"Mother!" Cassandra hissed, her nails digging into her palms. "Alexander Whitmore is here representing his family’s company, and he brought that necklace just to support her? He’s clearly obsessed!"

Penelope smirked. "Jealous?"

"Of course I am!"

Cassandra’s chest burned with resentment.

No man had ever doted on her the way Evelyn’s brothers did.

No one had ever looked at her the way Nathan once had—before Evelyn came back into his life.

Even now, Alexander Whitmore, a man of wealth and status, only had eyes for her.

"Why does she get everything?" Cassandra whispered bitterly. "Perfect brothers, powerful admirers… while I’m stuck with a useless sister and a future tied to Julian Montgomery!"

Penelope pinched her daughter’s thigh sharply.

Cassandra yelped, drawing irritated glances from nearby guests.

"Stop wallowing," Penelope snapped under her breath. "Julian Montgomery is your fiancé. That alliance is non-negotiable. And as for Alexander Whitmore?"

Her lips curled into a cruel smile.

"Let Evelyn have him. He’s Victor Whitmore’s least favorite son—no shares, no real power. Just a pretty face with a famous last name."

She leaned closer, her voice dripping with malice.

"Let her shackle herself to a man with no future. It’ll keep Nathan out of her grasp and ruin her in one stroke."

By then, the bids had climbed to six million.