The Hundred Million Dollar Tiara

Sylvia's sharp question hung in the tense air of the VIP section. Clara gritted her teeth, her face burning under the weight of a dozen staring eyes. She hated being publicly humiliated, but this was Nova Media's guarded turf. The security personnel hovering nearby made it crystal clear that any further retaliation would end disastrously for her. If she kept pushing, she would be dragged out by force, ruining whatever was left of her fragile social standing.

"Mommy, let's just go." Clara grabbed Sylvia's arm and pulled her away, her knees wobbling slightly as she retreated in a cloud of bitter resentment.

Stella remained unbothered by the dramatic exit. She smoothed the sleek fabric of her dress and settled back into her plush seat, acting as if the messy confrontation had never happened.

The brief pocket of peace did not last long. A sudden shift in the hall's atmosphere signaled a new arrival.

Declan and Vanessa strolled into the VIP section. The event staff immediately guided them to the plush seats right next to Stella and Nolan.

Whispers instantly rippled through the elite crowd like wildfire.

"That woman sitting there... Isn't she Stella?" A guest murmured, leaning across the aisle with widened eyes.

"Isn't she married to Young Master Declan? What is she doing sitting with that athlete?"

The bystanders' eager eyes darted wildly between the entangled quartet. They smelled juicy gossip like sharks circling fresh blood in the water. Although Stella had cleared up the cheating scandal four years ago and announced her peaceful separation, the sight of the four sitting shoulder-to-shoulder was too scandalous to ignore. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Stella noticed the probing stares and the rising volume of the whispers. She refused to let Nolan get caught in the crossfire of her messy past. She stood up with poised grace and looked out at the whispering crowd.

"Thank you for your concern, everyone, but Declan and I have already legally divorced." Stella announced clearly.

Declan’s face darkened instantly. A storm brewed in his cold eyes. He stared at her standing there, assuming she was deliberately flaunting her new wealthy companion just to humiliate him in public. He scowled aggressively, his jaw tightening into a hard line, but Stella ignored his palpable displeasure. She lowered her head and resumed chatting intimately with Nolan, pointing out a few details in the auction catalog resting on her lap.

The massive crystal chandeliers dimmed above them. A spotlight hit the center stage, signaling the official start of the auction. Excitement buzzed through the venue as various pieces of art and jewelry went under the hammer.

Then came the final, most anticipated item of the night.

The auctioneer lifted the velvet cloth to reveal a breathtaking, historically significant diamond tiara. Its intricate silver bands and teardrop diamonds sparkled brilliantly under the harsh stage lights, drawing loud gasps of admiration from the audience.

Vanessa immediately leaned into Declan’s shoulder. She made sure her voice carried over the murmurs.

"Declan, I want that diamond tiara really bad."

Her provocative, challenging gaze locked squarely on Stella’s profile.

Stella felt a sharp tug in her chest. That tiara was no ordinary piece of jewelry. It represented her long-shattered, deeply personal dream. She had always harbored a lingering desire to wear a grand diamond tiara at a beautiful European wedding with the man she loved. Her marriage to Declan had crushed that dream into dust, but her deep appreciation for the exquisite piece remained.

Vanessa knew this. She was openly trying to usurp the dream to assert her dominance over the situation.

Stella squared her shoulders. She was unwilling to yield to the woman who had systematically ruined her marriage. She confidently raised her bidding placard into the air.

Vanessa sneered and raised hers as well.

"Eight million! Nine million!" The auctioneer's voice echoed rapidly across the silent hall.

The starting price was steep, weeding out the casual buyers. The fierce bidding war quickly escalated into a two-woman battlefield. The crowd watched in stunned silence, exchanging meaningful looks as the price soared to twenty million.

A soft chime came from Stella’s clutch. She pulled out her phone and glanced at the glowing screen. It was a text message from an unknown number, but the blunt, insulting tone gave the sender away instantly.

*Don't overestimate yourself!*

Stella glanced sideways. Declan was staring straight ahead, his phone resting in his open palm. He clearly assumed she lacked the actual funds and was bidding purely out of spite to ruin Vanessa's night.

His indifference only poured gasoline on her resolve.

He can think whatever he wants of me. Stella set her jaw and thrust her placard up again.

"Forty million!" Stella called out.

The entire crowd gasped audibly. Heads whipped around to stare at her. The massive jump from twenty to forty million shattered the quiet tension in the room.

Knowing the price was now absurd for the piece, Vanessa strategically lowered her placard. She adopted a pitiful, wronged expression, biting her lower lip as she looked up at her fiancé.

Declan smoothly took the placard directly from her trembling hand.

"Forty-five million." Declan announced in a low, magnetic voice.

He stepped in publicly to protect his fragile lover from the slightest grievance. Another wave of murmurs swept the hall. Forty million was already highway robbery, yet he dared to raise it higher just to back up his woman. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the armrest, determined to win.

Stella met his aggressive challenge head-on. Her eyes locked onto his, cold and unwavering. She raised her placard without missing a single beat.

"Fifty million!"

The spite-fueled war skyrocketed. In the blink of an eye, the back-and-forth volleys pushed the price to a mind-boggling ninety million. It far exceeded the tiara's actual market value. The air in the room felt suffocating.

Suddenly, Vanessa stood up from her chair. Her face was a perfect mask of sincerity. She cast a tearful, wronged glance at Declan before turning to Stella.

"Miss Mercer, can I please have a word? I really, truly like this tiara, and I desperately want to wear it when I finally get married. I beg you, Miss Mercer. Give it to me. Please, stop bidding."

Vanessa pitched her voice perfectly, playing the helpless victim cornered by a bitter ex-wife.

Stella pursed her lips, her mind racing as she evaluated the trap. If she kept fighting this ridiculous war, the crowd would assume she was still hopelessly hung up on Declan. They would think she was desperately trying to sabotage his new marriage out of pure jealousy.

A piece of cold jewelry wasn't worth the lingering drama and public humiliation. She had already made her point.

Stella elegantly set her placard down on her lap. She leaned back in her plush chair, offering Vanessa a calm, unbothered smile.

"Ninety million going once." The auctioneer called out, his wooden gavel raised high in the tense silence.

Vanessa smiled triumphantly and sank back into her seat, pressing tightly against Declan's arm.

"Ninety million going twice. Ninety million going thri—"

"One hundred million!"

Just as everyone in the breathless hall believed the tiara securely belonged to Declan and Vanessa, a clear, loud voice shattered the silence.