Chapter 4: All for Susie Landry Again!

Graham Whitaker sat in the VIP front row, with Susie Landry seated beside him. Her head tilted slightly as she listened to his low murmurs, a sweet smile lingering on her lips. Their intimate posture resembled that of a long-married couple.

Stella Summers's gaze swept over Susie's perfectly healthy profile, recalling the photos she had seen earlier that morning. The irony was almost unbearable.

She smirked faintly. "Didn’t you all claim last night that she was on her deathbed? How does she still have the energy to attend an auction?"

Around her, hushed whispers accompanied Graham’s bidding voice.

"Is that Mr. Whitaker? Who’s the woman beside him?"

"They look perfect together. Could she be his wife? I heard they recently got married."

Each word was like a dull knife slicing repeatedly into Stella’s heart. As the rightful Mrs. Whitaker, she could only watch helplessly as her husband flaunted his closeness to another woman.

Noticing her gaze, Graham turned his head slightly. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment before Stella quickly looked away, avoiding him.

The auctioneer’s voice broke the silence.

"Six million dollars, once!"

"Seven million!"

The bidding intensified. The necklace's price shot up like a rocket, soon reaching eight million.

Sweat began to bead on Stella’s palms. She clenched her dress tightly, her mind a chaotic mess. Her savings were nowhere near enough to compete for the necklace—unless she used the supplementary credit card Graham had given her.

But she had already decided to divorce him. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to spend his money anymore. Yet, this necklace was a irreplaceable relic of her late mother. She couldn’t let it fall into someone else’s hands.

As the price climbed even higher, Stella made her decision.

"Ten million!" she called out, her voice trembling slightly as she raised her bidding paddle.

Please, no one else bid, she prayed silently. But fate had other plans.

"Eleven million," came Graham’s firm, undeniable tone.

Stella’s heart sank. Gritting her teeth, she countered, "Twelve million!"

"Thirteen million," Graham shot back without hesitation. It was as if the two of them were locked in a personal battle.

Stella’s mind spun. Had Graham recognized her earlier? Was he bidding to help her reclaim her mother’s keepsake? Yet, an ominous feeling gnawed at her.

Her hesitation allowed the price to soar to fifteen million, an amount she simply couldn’t afford.

"What should I do?" Stella breathed deeply, trying to steady herself. But she couldn’t control the impulse to raise her paddle again.

Yvette, her loyal friend, quickly grabbed her arm. "Stella, this price is insane! Even if we win, we can’t pay for it. Let Graham have it. He’s still your husband for now. You can demand it back from him later."

Stella looked at the necklace under the dazzling lights and then at the wealthy bidders surrounding her. Her arm fell limply to her side. She gave in.

"You’re right," she whispered.

In the end, Graham Whitaker won the necklace for sixteen million dollars. As the auctioneer struck the gavel, declaring the deal closed, an overwhelming exhaustion washed over Stella.

In the face of absolute wealth and power, she felt so small.

After the auction ended, Stella didn’t linger. She headed to the exit, intending to confront Graham about the necklace.

But before she could approach, she saw Graham and Susie walking side by side toward her.

Susie clung to Graham’s arm, her entire body leaning against him as if she could barely stand. The picture of frailty.

What shocked Stella most was the necklace itself. It now rested elegantly around Susie’s neck, its diamonds shimmering under the lights.

The realization hit her like a punch to the chest. Graham had bought the necklace to gift it to Susie!

"I can’t believe this!" Yvette, fuming with rage, stormed forward. Her eyes bored into Susie with contempt. "You shameless woman! Stealing Stella’s husband wasn’t enough for you? Now you’re taking her things too?"

Graham noticed Yvette and, behind her, Stella. His expression darkened instantly.

Startled by Yvette’s sudden outburst, Susie shrank closer to Graham. "What are you saying? I don’t understand."

Yvette pointed at the necklace around her neck. "That’s Stella’s mother’s keepsake!"

Stella took a deep breath, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay composed. Her eyes, filled with pain, locked onto Graham. "You promised me, Graham. You said you’d help me find my mother’s keepsake."

Graham didn’t respond. Instead, Susie covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with crocodile tears. "I didn’t know it was yours," she said softly. "If that’s the case, Graham, maybe we should give it to Stella?"

Stella’s body shook. Her heart filled with mockery. The necklace was hers to begin with—what was this act Susie was putting on?

But before Susie’s hands could even reach the necklace, Graham stopped her firmly.

"No need," he said coldly. "You said you liked it, didn’t you? If you like it, then wear it."

His icy gaze turned to Stella, carrying a warning. "Stella, don’t push your limits."

"Push my limits?" Stella stared at him in disbelief. All she wanted was her mother’s keepsake. How was that too much to ask?

Her chest swelled with a mix of anger and humiliation. She took a deep breath, ready to argue further.

But Yvette, fiery and protective, couldn’t stand to see her friend wronged. She stepped forward, her hand reaching for the necklace.

"If you won’t give it back, I will! This belongs to Stella. You have no right to wear it, you homewrecker!"

Before Yvette could touch the necklace, Susie let out a dramatic gasp and collapsed to the floor.

"Susie!" Graham caught her swiftly, his expression filled with alarm.