Chapter 52
The lights dimmed as golden dragon like beams swept through the venue, wearing between floors and circling the ceiling before finally settling on Nathan and that deep blue tanzanite.
Above the mansion, the drone lantern began releasing fireworks–long, flowing flame streamers painting the quiet night sky.
Gorgeous, breathtaking, brilliant.
Until they faded.
The venue lights came back up.
Only then did the previously silent room absolutely explode.
“Clap clap clap clap clap…”
Thunderous applause and buzzing chatter were several times louder than before.
Even outside the soundproofed mansion, you could hear the chaos.
“Something huge just went down!”
“Find out what! We’ve been waiting forever and still know nothing!”
“Nobody’s talking! Everyone who knows is keeping quiet, and they’re all rich as hell–can’t even buy the info!”
“What the fuck happened? I’m going insane!”
.“Get everyone here, now! The second this thing ends, we mob them!”
“On it!”
“Call backup! Get everyone over here!”
“Not just reporters–bring the janitors!”
“Fuck janitors, bring the damn dogs!”
Paparazzi and reporters frantically contacted their networks as countless vehicles and personnel converged on the location!
Inside was total bedlam.
“That was fucking incredible! I’ll be bragging about this at 80, telling my great grandkids!”
“Same! So intense. 823 has massive balls–I’m a dude and even I think she’s a legend.”
“Nathan was smooth as hell too though. No–limit bid, unlimited cash, and he actually won. They were perfectly matched!”
“I’m more blown away by 823. Without any advantages, she danced on Nathan’s psychological pressure points and bailed at the perfect moment. Total inspiration!”
“Who would’ve thought some random million–dollar tanzanite would create this epic drama! Plus Grandpa Cavendish personally running the auction–we just witnessed history!”
The crowd was going wild while Vivian’s eyes absolutely glowed.
“Nathan, you really did all that… for me…” Her eyes got misty. “Thank you. I…could die happy right now.”
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Chapter 52
Inside, Vivian was over the moon.
No–limit bid for her, 25x markup for her–once this gala ended and word spread, she’d instantly become New York’s queen socialite.
Starting now, Amelia would never be a threat again.
Who cares if Amelia was Nathan’s wife once?
Who cares if Amelia spent seven years with Nathan?
Who cares if Amelia carried Nathan’s baby!
None of that meant shit compared to her!
Nathan Harrison’s wife, CEO of Harrison Group, leader of New York’s power to–that was definitely going to be her!
But Nathan just glanced at Vivian without much response.
That tanzanite.
At first, he’d only asked if Vivian liked it, but after intermission, he understood he hadn’t bid on that stone for Vivian.
Nathan looked up at the woman settling back into her shadowy seat, eyes narrowing dangerously.
This woman could always mess with his judgment and emotions.
Those few rooftop words had made him realize he wanted that tanzanite, and at had nothing to do with Vivian.
Her bidding strategy, the psychological warfare.
She was always so unreadable while he was completely transparent to her.
Ice–cold fury flashed in Nathan’s stare.
On the rooftop, he’d told her not to follow up. Had she already calculated everything that would happen next?
After he went no–limit, her bids were 5 million, 10 million–perfect 5x and 10x timing.
When Grandpa Cavendish showed up for head–to–head bidding, her offers were 15 million, 20 million. Bid, read his psychology, then exit at the perfect
moment.
She’d played him like a fucking violin.
Even Nathan had to admit that while she’d forced him to pay more for that tanzanite, while he’d been publicly challenged-
What he felt toward her right now wasn’t hatred.
It was respect.
Her guts, tactics, psychological control and understanding of him–all world–class.
He’d won, but he’d also lost.
She’d lost, but she’d also won.
7
Who the hell was she?
Meanwhile, on the mezzanine platform, as lights slowly dimmed, Percival watched the woman fade into shadow below.
“Truly his daughter. If he were still alive…”
As the lights went completely dark, Percival sighed deeply and shook his head
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Chapter 52
No “ifs.”
Just like his beloved son who’d died at sea, that brilliant young man had also fallen from a building, dying in front of his most precious daughter.
“Let’s go. I’m tired,” Percival’s voice suddenly sounded much older.
Just a frail 80–year old, after all.
“Yes, sir.”
Second floor, seat 823–Amelia sat quietly, suddenly feeling exhausted. She leaned back into the couch.
Still recovering from the crash, miscarriage, and stair fall–her body couldn’t take much more.
Louie had watched everything and was practically vibrating with excitement
“Elena, I’m so fucking proud of you!”
Louie whispered: “You handled my grandfather, and even with Nathan going nuclear, you pulled off something impossible.”
“Situations I thought were hopeless, problems I thought were fucked–you solved everything.”
“How the hell did you do it?”
Amelia stared at the scented candle on their table, flame flickering bright yellow.
How had she done it?
Her father’s gentle smile flashed through her mind again.
Simple. She’d lost enough to finally understand.
She’d loved deep enough to know him completely.
The moment she’d heard Nathan’s rooftop warning, she’d known.
Mission impossible.
But she’d done it anyway.
Her family training, years of struggle and hard–won wisdom–none of it was amateur hour.
She was Amelia Visconti.
6
Not Mrs. Harrison, but Visconti heiress Amelia.
“But what about the tanzanite?” Louie finally asked, worried. “Are we really letting Nathan hand it over to Vivian?”
He knew what it meant–the birthstone she’d chosen for her child.
She’d donated it for sick kids.
If Vivian actually got it…
Amelia didn’t answer right away. Instead, she looked across at Nathan.
(15)
