billion book
Chapter 354
Chapter 354
Chapter 354: Impossible!
Up to 30% off
After speaking. Claire held Sean Vanderbilt’s face and planted a firm kiss on his cool lips, then looking into his deep eyes, she smiled radiantly. “With you saying that, I don’t feel the pinch
anymore.”
Sean chuckled and ruffled her hair, then turned his attention to the ongoing auction. Claire’s diamond necklace, the one she designed and crafted, was now up for bidding and attracting a lot of interest.
“There,” he nudged Claire, signaling towards her necklace on display.
Claire smiled happily, tossed her paddle to Julia Sanders, and told her, “Bid for it.”
Suzanne Jenkins, hearing the commotion, turned and saw Julia handing her the paddle. She hesitated but accepted it. She knew Claire’s intention, but if the necklace’s price soared too high, she wouldn’t want Claire to bear the cost for her.
Claire seemed to sense Suzanne’s reluctance and reassured her with a smile, “Don’t worry about the money. Just bid if you like it. Think about it, even if you spend five hundred million, it’s as if you‘ re only spending one hundred and fifty million. Most of it will come back to us. So go ahead, bid freely. As long as you perform well in your next movie and establish a strong international presence, a few hundred million will be a trivial matter.”
Relieved by this thought, Suzanne’s spirits lifted. The necklace was a gift from Claire. Even if she won the bid, seventy percent of the money would eventually return to Claire. Paying thirty percent was within her means.
“Alright,” she said cheerfully, shaking the paddle, “Then I won’t hold back.”
The bidding for the diamond necklace had already reached two hundred and thirty million. Just then, a middle–aged woman in the front row raised her paddle with a steady voice, “Five hundred million!”
Her direct jump to five hundred million deterred many bidders. Claire was taken aback and looked towards the woman. From her position, she could only see the woman’s back, unable to discern her face.
Suzanne, caught off guard by the sudden bike in price, was still processing when another elegant lady
HAI
11.43 Fri, 1 Dec G
Chapter 354. Impossible!
Up to 30% off
Suzanne, caught off guard by the sudden hike in price, was still processing when another elegant lady from the second row raised her paddle, “Six hundred million.”
The entire room buzzed with astonishment. The Tears of the Rose reaching six hundred million wasn’t surprising, given its fame in the jewelry world. But this diamond necklace, worth only a few tens of millions in raw diamonds, being bid up to six hundred million seemed somewhat unjustified, even considering that it was designed and handcrafted by COCO. Most people thought it wasn’t worth that
much.
As the crowd thought six hundred million was the ceiling, the middle–aged woman in the first row raised her paddle again with a composed and elegant gesture, “Eight hundred million!”
Claire Donovan was stunned, “Eight hundred million?” Even she hadn’t anticipated her necklace would fetch such a price. She bit her lip, looking at Suzanne Jenkins, who hadn’t even raised her paddle yet. Claire wasn’t worried about the money; she felt she could design a new set of jewelry for Suzanne with that kind of money – after all, it was eight hundred million!
As Claire turned to Suzanne, their eyes met, and Suzanne gave a helpless laugh, gesturing with her paddle in a way that clearly said she couldn’t bid that high. Claire rubbed her forehead, chuckling
dryly.
Just as everyone thought eight hundred million was the final bid, the elegant lady in the second row raised her paddle again, “Nine hundred million!”
Claire was flabbergasted, “Nine hundred million?”
Julia Sanders and Cassie Palmer were ecstatic, remembering Luna Lyons‘ earlier words about the top jewel. They turned to see Mia Ashworth and Luna Lyons trembling with rage, bursting into laughter.
“Claire, I think you might just drive Mia Ashworth and Luna Lyons mad tonight,” Cassie said, nodding
vigorously.
“I think so too. Look at them shaking with anger. This is hilarious!” Julia added.
Claire touched her nose, as surprised as anyone. She hadn’t intended to drive the price this high; it was an unexpected delight.
Then, a woman’s voice rang out, “One billion!” Her voice brought a sudden hush over the room. Everyone held their breath, curious to see the woman who could spend a billion on a diamond necklace
mpossible!
Up to 30% off
“Claire, I think you might just drive Mia Ashworth and Luna Lyons mad tonight,” Cassie said, nodding vigorously.
“I think so too. Look at them shaking with anger. This is hilarious!” Julia added.
Claire touched her nose, as surprised as anyone. She hadn’t intended to drive the price this high; it was an unexpected delight.
Then, a woman’s voice rang out, “One billion!” Her voice brought a sudden hush over the room. Everyone held their breath, curious to see the woman who could spend a billion on a diamond necklace. The woman, however, remained seated and didn’t turn around, her gaze fixed on the stage.
Mia Ashworth and Luna Lyons were beside themselves with fury, their faces flushed red with anger. “She must be a plant!” Mia exclaimed, convinced that without Claire’s intervention, her Tears of the Rose wouldn’t have gone over five hundred million. She refused to believe Claire’s necklace could sell for that price.
Luna was beyond disbelief, her face turning the color of liver as she gripped the armrest tightly. her face twisted with rage. “Impossible! A diamond necklace can’t sell for that price. A billion
could buy half a jade mine!”
This logic wasn’t lost on the other guests, many of whom shared Mia’s suspicion that the woman was a plant by Claire.
Cheer 355 Was Just Joking