Wife by Day, Boss by Night

Brian's gaze lingered on the glossy pages of the catalog, showcasing an array of dazzling, naked diamonds. His fingers paused, flicking through the pages as he glanced at Bagot sidelong.

Visibly uncomfortable and avoiding Brian's penetrating stare, Bagot cleared his throat and said hesitantly,

Seems like some of the press didn't get the memo. They've leaked the news about you and the lady attending the exhibition."

"Is that so?" Brian's response was cold and measured, his eyes still on Bagot. He had always known that Bagot, one of Davis' royal servants, couldn't be fully trusted.

Bagot seemed to freeze in place, not daring to utter another word.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Brian chuckled lightly, "It's not like I'm going to eat you alive for messing up one little thing."

Not fully grasping the nuances of Brian's temper, Bagot mistook the lightness in his tone for a sign that he was off the hook.

The auction had already commenced below them, with the first diamond displayed on the stage.

Brian took Natalie's delicate hand in his, gently kneading it, his attention shifting from Bagot to the auction.

The bidding moved quickly. And within minutes, the first diamond was closing at a bargain, less than thirty million.

Ten minutes later, the second diamond found its new owner.

Many in the crowd remained silent, their sights set on the few exceptional gems yet to come.

"And sold! The second diamond goes for thirty-six million! Next up, ladies and gentlemen, we have lot number three, the champagne diamond boasting the highest purity to come out of South Africa in years!"

A murmur of excitement rippled through the audience. Champagne diamonds, while not necessarily more valuable than their clear counterparts, were coveted for their rare hue.

The Howard family's butler glanced at Brian and Natalie, seated not far before them, and whispered to Gracia, "We must secure this diamond. We can't let Mr. Brian win this one."

The more Natalie seemed to like it, the more they were determined to keep it from her.

Gracia looked up, her eyes briefly meeting Natalie's, who was intently watching the stage, and she smirked subtly.

"Five million!" came the first bid from the floor.

"Ten million!" another voice quickly outbid the first.

"Fifteen million," Gracia announced coldly, raising her paddle.

"Twenty million," came another increase.

"Thirty million," Gracia bid again, unfazed by the leap in price.

Most would raise the bid by millions, but Gracia's jump by tens of millions made

many shake their heads in resignation.

"Fifty million," another voice dared after a few seconds.

"Sixty million," Gracia said, her expression restrained.

Onlookers murmured among themselves, "Give it up. It's not worth it beyond fifty million."

"Yeah, let it go. We could spend the money on something else."

The auctioneer, equally stunned, scanned the crowd, seeing no further challengers, and began excitedly, "One hundred and twenty million for

Gracia. Do we have any higher bids?”

Gracia's eyes locked onto Brian.

Based on what she

and

knew about him,

he would enter the fray if Natalie fancied the diamond,

"Sixty million million for the first, Sixty million for the second..."

"One hundred million," a deep voice resonated from a corner of the room.

Hearing Brian's voice, Natalie was shocked, her brows knitting together as she turned to look at him. She had only casually admired the small champagne diamond during the exhibition, drawn to its pure color, but

it wasn't an object of deep desire for

her.

Brian met her gaze, his deep eyes harboring a hint of something hard to tell.