Chapter 64

Evelyn didn't choose an elaborate gown for the occasion. She wore a sleek pantsuit of her own design, tailored to perfection.

Pinned to her lapel was Aurora's Tear, a breathtaking yellow diamond brooch crafted by the legendary jewelry house Celestial Atelier.

Her confident stride turned heads as she moved through the elite crowd, her presence commanding attention where others merely existed.

While the society ladies resembled pampered dolls, Evelyn carried herself with the regal bearing of a queen.

Victoria's nails dug into her palms as she watched her rival become the center of attention.

The whispers started immediately among Victoria's circle of friends.

"Good heavens! Who is that stunning woman?"

"She can't be more than twenty-five, yet she carries herself like a Fortune 500 CEO!"

"That brooch...is that really Aurora's Tear? Three years ago, someone offered nine figures for it and was flatly refused!"

The mention of Aurora's Tear sent shockwaves through the crowd.

Every jewelry connoisseur knew about Celestial Atelier's masterpiece that had caused a sensation at its debut exhibition.

Victoria's rage blinded her to Evelyn's accessories until now. The sight of that brooch made her jaw clench painfully.

"Look at Evelyn, already milking Sebastian Kingsley for all he's worth," Margaret sneered, her envy barely concealed.

She turned to her daughter with disdain. "I raised you with every advantage, yet some country bumpkin outshines you! If not for my sister's connections introducing you to Nathan, you'd never have caught his eye!"

"Mother! I've already won him! Why must you undermine me?" Victoria's fists trembled at her sides.

Her eyes burned with unshed tears. "So what if Evelyn's sleeping with Sebastian Kingsley? The Sterling family rivals the Blackwoods! Besides, Evelyn's divorced goods - Nathan would never return to her. He's mine forever!"

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," Margaret warned darkly. "Nathan's grown distant, even I can see that. And Reginald still refuses to acknowledge you - he's delaying the divorce proceedings at every turn. That means there's still a chance for reconciliation. If you think the battle's won just because Evelyn moved out, you're a fool!"

Victoria knew Nathan's affection had cooled, but his recent absence left her no opportunity to rekindle his interest.

As Evelyn passed the back rows, her subtle perfume wafted over Penelope and Cassandra.

"Mother, where is that peasant sitting?" Cassandra asked nervously.

Penelope's smile faltered. She'd thought Evelyn lucky to get any seat at all, yet here she was striding toward the VIP section where the elite gathered.

Nathan watched Evelyn approach, his pulse quickening unexpectedly.

But Evelyn's gaze swept past him without recognition, as if he were a stranger. She took her seat gracefully beside Sebastian's reserved place.

"Sebastian sent Evelyn as his representative? Since when?" Julian murmured in shock.

Nathan exhaled sharply, his brow furrowing as he studied the woman now sitting mere feet away.

Evelyn's crimson lips curved in a faint smile, her luminous beauty radiating cool detachment.

Her deliberate indifference stung more than any insult.

"Bloody hell! She's had Aurora's Tear all along!" Julian slapped his knee. "Three years ago I offered a fortune for that piece as my mother's birthday gift. Begged Celestial Atelier to sell it! And now Evelyn's wearing it casually? Sebastian must be utterly smitten to gift something so priceless. The man has my respect!"

Nathan's chest tightened at Julian's words.

He knew exactly what it meant to go to extraordinary lengths for jewelry meant to impress a woman.

Nathan had once taken two weeks from his packed schedule to personally travel to Belvaux, enduring countless rejections before securing The Crimson Promise for Victoria's birthday.

In three years of marriage, he'd never given Evelyn a single meaningful gift.

Now Sebastian showered her with treasures beyond imagination.

Nathan's frown deepened as an unfamiliar bitterness settled in his chest.

Seeing another man cherish his ex-wife so extravagantly left him unsettled.

The contrast made him feel painfully inadequate.

With all attendees seated, the auction commenced.

Julian, representing the Montgomery family, took the stage for opening remarks. His YSL couture suit accentuated his natural charm.

Cassandra gaped openly, already fantasizing about their future together and mentally listing baby names.

As applause thundered through the hall, Julian descended from the stage. His dazzling smile included a playful wink directed solely at Evelyn.