Chapter 97
"But it only existed as a design sketch. By chance, it was later recreated by a world-class craftsman, and now it stands before us once again!"
"It represents the original dream and a hope that never fades! Starting bid: one million dollars!"
The red cloth was pulled away, revealing a delicate platinum chain on the display stand.
The bracelet was simple — no diamonds, no gemstones. Its only decoration was a small sphere at the center, made from countless tiny twisted metal strands, with a leaf-shaped letter "S" hanging beside it.
Once the crowd got a clear look at it, whispers broke out across the room. People wondered why such an ordinary-looking bracelet could possibly command such a high starting bid.
But the moment Charlotte saw it, her whole body went rigid.
The First Sight...
She had made this when she was twelve years old — in that dim, cramped little wooden cabin, using the cheapest copper wire and tools she could find. It was her first real piece of work.
The reason she called it The First Sight was simple: the young Charlotte had wanted this bracelet to capture the moment she first fell in love with design.
That "S" was her very first signature.
The design sketch had been lost in an accident years later. She had thought she would never see it again — yet here it was, after all this time.
The subtle shift in Charlotte's expression didn't escape the man beside her.
"You like it?" he asked.
She didn't answer. But for once, those usually calm eyes of hers held something unmistakable — quiet, absolute determination.
Alexander read the look instantly. He picked up the bidding paddle beside him and pressed it into her hand.
Charlotte took a slow, deep breath. When the host asked for opening bids, she raised it.
"Number 128, Ms. Johnson, one million dollars!"
A brief hush fell over the room. People exchanged glances, puzzled by what Charlotte had just done. Paying a million dollars for a bracelet that looked like it wasn't worth much — that seemed more than a little reckless.
"One point one million!"
From a low-key seat near the back, someone else raised their paddle right away.
Charlotte didn't even glance over. She raised hers again. "One point two million."
"One point three million!"
"One point five million."
Charlotte's expression stayed completely relaxed. She didn't even furrow her brow.
The price began climbing at an unsettling pace.
Whoever was bidding against her seemed dead set on going all the way. Every time Charlotte placed a bid, the other person followed immediately — but only ever raised by a hundred thousand. It was obvious they were deliberately driving up the price.
Nobody in the room was blind to what was happening.
This wasn't normal bidding. It looked like a targeted attack.
Eyes drifted back and forth between Charlotte and the figure in the back row, more than a few people watching with barely concealed amusement.
Before long, the price had climbed to three million dollars.
Three times the starting bid. Far beyond any reasonable value.
"Three million, going once. Any higher?"
The host could sense something was off, but there was nothing he could do. He pressed on.
Charlotte hesitated, gripping the paddle, her fingers tightening around it.
She knew exactly what that person was doing — trying to make a fool of her. She didn't care about the money, but she wasn't about to let herself be played like this.
She was just starting to think about backing off and finding another way after the auction ended, when Alexander quietly reached over and took the paddle from her hand. He raised it without a flicker of hesitation.
"Five million."
His voice was low and steady, and it hit the room like a thunderclap.
The whole hall erupted.
Three million to five million — just like that?! What on earth?!
Charlotte froze, turning to look at him in surprise.
"You—"
"You rarely want anything."
He didn't look at her, but his voice carried a quiet, easy warmth. "So spending a little money is nothing."
Those few words made Charlotte's eyes flicker. Everything she'd been about to say caught in her throat. A wave of warmth rose from somewhere deep inside her and spread through her entire body.
"Five million! Mr. Harris bids five million!"
The host's voice cracked with excitement. "Is there anyone going higher than five million?"
"Five million, going once! Five million, going twice!"
The person in the back row seemed rattled by Alexander's move. They stayed completely silent.
In a corner of the room, Nora's face had gone dark.
She had put that person up to driving the price higher — the whole point was to make things difficult for Charlotte, to make her waste a ridiculous amount of money.
But she hadn't counted on Alexander stepping in and ending it in one clean move.
Not only had her plan failed, it had somehow turned into proof of just how devoted he was to Charlotte.
"Useless," she muttered under her breath.
Chloe was shaking with rage, biting down hard on her lip, her eyes shot through with red.
Five million dollars. Five whole million.
And Alexander hadn't even blinked — all to buy Charlotte a bracelet.
The thought made Chloe's chest heave. Fury ricocheted around inside her skull until her temples throbbed.
"Are you ready?"
Nora pushed down her anger and turned to Chloe, her eyes cold.
Their plan had been thrown off — so they would move straight to the next step.
She wanted to see whether Alexander would still stand by Charlotte's side once her "scandal" came to light.
Chloe drew a slow breath and nodded.
"Ready."
"Good."
Up on the stage, the auctioneer's gavel finally came down.
"Five million, sold! Congratulations to Mr. Harris on winning The First Sight bracelet!"
Applause broke out across the room — full of admiration for Alexander who had thrown down five million dollars to make a woman smile, and no small amount of envy directed at Charlotte.
Moments later, a staff member approached carrying an elegant velvet box and handed it to Alexander.
He took it without opening it and passed it straight to Charlotte.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"You don't need to say that. Not between us."
Alexander looked at her, his eyes full of something deep and unhurried. "What's mine is yours."
He hadn't spoken loudly, but everyone nearby heard every word. Another wave of quiet gasps rippled through the crowd.
Charlotte's heart skipped. A strange light passed through her eyes and was gone.
She felt the heat of his gaze but didn't respond. Instead, she opened the box.
The bracelet — which had once existed only as a sketch on paper and a rough shape in copper wire — lay quietly against the velvet lining, giving off a soft, steady glow.
She reached out and ran her fingers gently over the letter. Her eyes grew warm.
After all these years, it had found its way back to her.
Alexander picked up the bracelet and fastened it around Charlotte's wrist himself. It fit perfectly.
For the rest of the auction, Charlotte barely registered what was happening around her. Her attention stayed on that small, simple bracelet.
Because it didn't just hold memories. It held a piece of a past that had been taken from her.
And now, at last, it was back in her hands.