Chapter 5
“Sky’s the limit! Miss Lockhart has placed an unlimited bid!” the auctioneer announced excitedly. “Congratulations, Miss Lockhart, on securing the Tears of the Ocean!”
In that moment, Rianne felt the pressure in her chest finally ease.
But when it came time to pay, the auction house informed her that her card had been frozen!
“That’s impossible,” Rianne frowned. “My card has no limit–it can’t be frozen regardless of the
amount.”
She asked them to try again, but the card still wouldn’t process.
Julian stepped forward gracefully. “Didn’t I say I’d cover it today? Put it on mine.”
He smiled confidently as he handed over his card, but his card was declined too.
“How is this possible?” Julian frowned, showing genuine disbelief.
A commotion spread through the crowd, with some even laughing out loud. “Has the Lockhart family gone bankrupt? They can’t even come up with a hundred million?”
“What’s the point of making unlimited bids if you can’t back them up? How embarrassing!”
The mocking voices pierced Rianne’s ears, making her face flush crimson.
Ash, who had been watching the spectacle unfold from his seat, finally stood up with a satisfied smirk. He pulled out a black credit card and handed it to the attendant. “Put it on mine.”
This time the payment went through, and the auction staff handed the “Tears of the Ocean” to Ash.
In front of everyone, Ash placed the necklace around Sophia’s neck instead.
In that moment, Rianne became the laughingstock of the entire auction.
Her eyes stung and reddened, but she forced herself not to shed a single tear.
“That bastard!” Julian muttered under his breath. “Our cards not working? This has Ash’s fingerprints all over it.”
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Billionaire Heiress Burns Seven Traitors in Epic Revenge
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Chapter 5
“He’s a top–tier hacker. I saw him on his laptop earlier–he must have hacked our accounts and
frozen them so we couldn’t pay!”
Rianne laughed, but the tears finally escaped, streaming down her face.
So that was it. Ash had deliberately humiliated her. With just a breath, he could turn the tables on her. With just a flick of his finger, he could push her into an abyss…
After fastening the “Tears of the Ocean” around Sophia’s neck, Ash’s cold eyes swept toward Julian. “Don’t play the hero without enough power to back it up.”
Then he looked at Rianne, his tone flat: “You should have come in my car.”
Rianne gave a bitter smile. “But your car already has someone in it.”
With that, she turned and left, not sparing Ash another glance.
Humiliated at the auction, Rianne locked herself in her room for several days, refusing to go out.
Julian came to check on her several times, bringing her favorite desserts. But Rianne barely acknowledged him, knowing now that Julian didn’t truly care for her.
He’d admitted it himself that night–he’d even jumped from a building just to drive her away…
“Rianne’s been hiding in her room for days. We need to figure out how to coax her out, or things will get messy if Mr. Lockhart finds out.”
“Such a pain. I don’t want to go–I’d rather be with Sophia.”
“You think I don’t want to be with Sophia? But the rule still stands–serve your time with Rianne first, then you get to see Sophia.”
The suitors gathered in the living room, passing the buck, none wanting to go upstairs to comfort Rianne.
But what they didn’t know was that Rianne could hear everything they said.
Since discovering her suitors‘ secret, Rianne had planted hidden cameras and listening devices throughout the house. She refused to remain an oblivious fool–she wanted to hear firsthand how these seven men talked about her behind her back.
‘I’m not going,” Julian said angrily. “Every time Ash upsets Rianne, we have to clean up his mess.
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Billionaire Heiress Burns Seven Traitors in Enic Revenge
Chapter 5
That’s not fair!”
“Whoever caused the problem should fix it themselves!”
At that moment, Ash’s tall figure appeared on the surveillance feed.
“You don’t need to go,” he said coldly. “I’ll handle my woman myself. Don’t concern yourselves.”
With that, he headed upstairs carrying a gift box.
Rianne quickly shut off the monitor, so she didn’t see the furious expressions on the other suitors‘
faces.
“He’s so arrogant,” Zach clenched his fists. “Rianne hasn’t even chosen him yet. What gives him the right to call her ‘his woman‘?”
Upon hearing this, Julian’s face fell with a sad smile. “Does it matter? Rie will choose him anyway.”
“We’re… just along for the ride.”
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