Chapter 441

The auction hall fell into stunned silence as all bidding ceased.

Evelyn Carter's lips curved into a satisfied smile. The charity auction was off to an excellent start.

"Seven million dollars."

A deep, composed voice suddenly cut through the quiet from the back of the room.

Evelyn's breath caught. The pleased expression on her face vanished instantly.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Nathan Blackwood raised his bidding paddle high from the front row, his expression unreadable yet radiating absolute confidence.

"That's Nathan Blackwood—CEO of Blackwood Industries!"

"Oh my God! When did he get here? He just appeared out of nowhere!"

"He's always so low-key, but when it comes to spending, he doesn't hold back!"

Nathan didn't lower his paddle. His intense gaze remained fixed on Evelyn, unwavering.

Yet Evelyn didn't so much as glance in his direction.

Seven million dollars couldn't even earn him a backward glance from Evelyn Carter, the heiress of Monarch Group.

If that was the case, he'd just have to keep spending.

"Paying seven million for that necklace is ridiculous. Even if he's wealthy, he shouldn't throw money around like that." Vivienne Laurent, the editor-in-chief of Éclat magazine, shook her head in disapproval.

"The more fools like him there are, the more hope children in impoverished areas have." Evelyn smirked, already mentally cursing that bastard Nathan to hell.

"Congratulations, Mr. Blackwood! Thank you for your generous contribution to charity!"

The auctioneer slammed his gavel, and the room erupted into thunderous applause.

When the cameras turned to Nathan, he offered a perfunctory smile.

Meanwhile, Alexander Whitmore, seated not far from him, adjusted his glasses with a single finger, his gaze icy.

The auction continued smoothly.

Every piece of jewelry donated was sold at exorbitant prices. Even Penelope Whitmore made a symbolic purchase.

But what infuriated Evelyn was that whenever a less desirable piece went unnoticed, Nathan would deliberately outbid everyone—paying well above its value.

In just an hour, he had already bought three pieces, spending over thirty million dollars.

Evelyn's expression darkened. She wished she could throw this insufferable man out of the venue.

Just then, Nathan won yet another underwhelming piece, sparking murmurs among the crowd.

"Is that really worth four million? Mr. Blackwood must have terrible taste."

"He's handsome and rich—who cares if he's a little foolish? Nobody's perfect!"

"Foolish? Open your eyes! Haven't you noticed? Every piece he's bought is practically worthless. Even if you picked randomly, you'd land on something decent eventually. He's clearly doing this on purpose!" someone pointed out shrewdly.

The crowd exchanged glances. That made sense! So then...

"Mr. Blackwood is deliberately buying the cheaper items to support Ms. Carter and boost the auction's prestige. He's trying to win her over!"

Isabelle Montgomery watched as the man she desperately longed for went out of his way to please Evelyn Carter. Her eyes burned with fury.

She wanted Nathan so badly, yet he was throwing himself at Evelyn's feet—only to be ignored. The sheer contrast made Isabelle feel humiliated beyond measure.

The crowd nodded in agreement, finding the theory plausible.

Nathan caught snippets of their whispers, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

At least some people understood.

Too bad Evelyn never once looked back at him.

His faint smile faded.

"How pathetic," Alexander scoffed, utterly unimpressed.

What was the point of throwing money around? Did Nathan think Evelyn was some shallow woman who could be bought?

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present the next item!"

The auctioneer's voice boomed as he dramatically pulled away the velvet cloth covering the display case.

A breathtaking teardrop-shaped white diamond necklace was revealed, surrounded by hundreds of tiny blue diamonds. The craftsmanship was exquisite—chic, elegant, and utterly mesmerizing.

"This stunning piece was generously donated by Ms. Isabella Laurent and designed by the world-renowned jeweler, Ms. Alexa herself! Thank you, Ms. Laurent, for your incredible generosity!"

The moment the necklace appeared, Cassandra Blackwood jolted upright in her seat, her face twisting in shock.

At the same time, Isabelle's expression stiffened. Her fingers clenched together so tightly they turned white.