Chapter 2

The necklace was my grandmother's gift for my eighteenth birthday.

When Lance went bankrupt, I took the necklace and its matching earrings to the pawnshop, trading them for cash to ease the financial crisis that had come crashing down on us.

He saw the hesitation in my eyes as I handed it over, and he pulled me close, his arm around my shoulders. "Lucy, this is from your grandmother. Why don't you hold onto it?"

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head, refusing his suggestion.

At that point, our phones were ringing non-stop with calls from creditors. Day and night, the relentless sound of debt collectors pushed me to the brink of collapse. And then there was Lance, already sinking into depression.

His hand trembled on my shoulder as he watched me cry, promising me through the tears that once he got back on his feet, he would buy the necklace back.

But a year had passed since. I'm twenty-nine now, and his promise remained unfulfilled.

The necklace, sealed away in the pawnshop for a year, had finally come back to light. But I still didn't have the means to buy it.

The auctioneer's voice rang out, full of energy, "The starting price for this item is 1.5 million. Each bid must be at least thirty percent higher than the last."

The room buzzed with excitement as people raised their paddles, eager to outbid one another. The air felt charged, as if everyone in the room had their sights set on this particular piece of jewelry.

In just a minute, the price had climbed to 13 million, driven by the crowd's feverish energy.

When the number was announced, a wave of disappointment spread through the room. Most people shook their heads, accepting that 13 million would be the final bid.

"13 million, going once."

Silence fell over the hall.

"13 million, going twice."

The silence persisted, thick and heavy.

Just as the auctioneer raised his microphone for the third call, a paddle lifted slowly in the air, accompanied by a voice I knew all too well.

"14 million."

The hammer struck down with a resounding thud. "Congratulations to Mr. Ford for acquiring tonight's star item!"

As the auctioneer's enthusiastic voice echoed through the hall, a wave of applause followed.

For a moment, I thought I had misheard.

The man who raised his paddle stood up from the VIP section, and the woman clinging to his arm rose with him.

Even then, I was still trying to explain it away. Maybe the voice just sounded like his. Maybe it was only a similar silhouette. Maybe it was all a coincidence.

Besides, wasn't he supposed to be in his therapy session? He couldn't be sitting here in the VIP section and casually bidding 14 million.

But when the camera zoomed in on the pair, I couldn't deny the truth any longer.

The man on the screen, larger than life, was Lance.

I hadn't been wrong. That fleeting figure I'd glimpsed earlier, disappearing into the crowd—it had been him.

The auctioneer, with a professional smile, addressed him. "Mr. Ford, would you mind sharing why you decided to raise your bid and secure this set of jewelry?"

The microphone was passed to Lance, and his voice, warm and indulgent, filled the room as he glanced at the woman beside him. "My beloved wanted it, so I bought it. It's not that much money."

The woman at his side smiled sweetly for the camera, her cheeks slowly turning pink. "It's because I like it that Lance made the purchase," she said softly. "He's my first love, and I'm his."

The crowd stirred, a wave of astonishment rippling through the room. Many wore expressions of shock.

The auctioneer maintained his smile. "Really? If I'm not mistaken…" He paused for dramatic effect, letting the moment hang in the air.

He didn't need to say more. Anyone who had followed the news even a little would know that Lance was a married man. His wedding had been a spectacle of such grandeur that it was still hailed as the "wedding of the century," known by all.

And here this woman was, blushing and shyly declaring to everyone that this married man had spent a fortune casually to make her happy.

Wasn't this, in every sense, a public admission of his infidelity?

The wealthy crowd didn't seem shocked by his presence here, as if they had long known something I hadn't.

So was the bankruptcy a lie? A deception spun by the world to me?