Chapter 122
Chapter 122
Chapter 122
The Metropolitan Museum sparkled under crystal chandeliers as New York’s wealthiest gathered for the annual Children’s Hospital Benefit Auction. Camille stood just outside the entrance, her heart pounding against her ribs. Tonight marked their first public appearance as an acknowledged couple since the press conference three days ago.
“Nervous?” Alexander asked beside her, his hand warm against the small of her back
She smoothed her midnight blue gown. “A little. Everyone will be watching us.”
“Let them watch,” he replied. “We have nothing to hide anymore.”
The double doors opened. A hundred heads turned as they entered together. Conversations paused. For one breathless moment, the entire room seemed frozen, assessing, judging.
Then applause broke out, scattered at first, then spreading until it filled the hall. People were actually clapping for them, smiling in approval. Camille felt Alexander’s hand tighten slightly on her back, a silent signal of shared surprise.
“Well,” she murmured, maintaining her smile as they moved forward, “that wasn’t what I expected.”
As they mingled through the crowd, Camille noticed the changed atmosphere. These same people had viewed her primarily as Victoria Kane’s protégée before. Now they approached with newfound interest, as if her relationship with Alexander had somehow made her more accessible, more human.
“Everyone’s staring,” she whispered as they accepted champagne.
“Not staring,” Alexander corrected. “Admiring.”
They separated for a while, a deliberate choice to show their independence despite their connection. Camille spoke with hospital board members about the new pediatric wing Kane Industries had funded. Alexander discussed clean energy initiatives with the mayor. Yet they remained aware of each other across the room, exchanging glances that didn’t go unnoticed.
“He can’t take his eyes off you,” remarked Eleanor Westfield, chairwoman of the hospital board. “It’s refreshing to see genuine feeling in this room for once.”
The auction began at nine. Guests moved toward the arrangement of chairs facing a small stage. Camille felt Alexander beside her again, his hand finding hers as they took their seats.
After several items were auctioned, the auctioneer lifted a black velvet box. “Our next item, ladies and gentlemen, is truly exceptional. From the private collection of the Whitmore family, the ‘Ocean’s Heart‘ necklace.”
An assistant opened the box, revealing a stunning creation that drew audible gasps. A massive sapphire, deep blue and flawless, hung suspended from a cascade of diamonds that caught the light like captured stars.
“This historic piece features a twenty–carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by fifteen carats of diamonds, set in platinum. Truly extraordinary.” The auctioneer’s eyes twinkled as his gaze passed over Camille. “Bidding will start at ten million dollars.”
Beside her, Camille felt Alexander shift slightly, his shoulders straightening.
“Ten million,” called a voice from the back.
“Fifteen million,” countered another bidder.
Alexander remained silent as the figures climbed. The room hummed with excitement as the necklace became the center of a bidding war between a Saudi prince and a hedge fund manager.
“Twenty–five million,” the prince offered, voice bored as if the sum meant nothing.
The hedge fund manager shook his head, withdrawing from the contest.
The auctioneer beamed. “Twenty–five million for the ‘Ocean’s Heart.‘ Do I hear twenty–six?”
Alexander raised his hand. “Thirty million.”
The room went utterly silent. Camille turned to him, eyes wide with shock. He met her gaze with a small smile, private despite their public setting.
“Thirty million dollars from Mr. Alexander Pierce,” the auctioneer repeated, barely containing his delight. “Do I hear thirty- one?”
Successfully unlocked!
The Saudi prince considered for a moment, then hook his head slightly, conceding defeat.
“Thirty million going once… going twice…” The auctioneer paused dramatically. “Sold to Mr. Alexander Pierce!”
Applause erupted, this time with an undercurrent of excitement. Alexander stood, buttoning his jacket as he moved toward the stage to claim his purchase.
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Chapter 122
Camille watched him, heart racing This wasn’t planned. They had discussed their strategy for the evening in detail, and nowhere had it included Alexander bidding thirty million dollars for a necklace.
He accepted the velvet box, then turned to face the audience. “I believe jewelry this beautiful deserves to be worn, not kept in a box. With your permission, I’d like to present this necklace to the woman who has brought unexpected joy to my life.” All eyes turned to Camille. She sat frozen, caught between self–consciousness and a fluttering excitement in her chest.
“Camille, Alexander said formally, though his eyes held warmth only she could recognize. “Would you do me the honor?”
The room held its breath as Camille rose from her seat. Her legs felt unsteady as she walked toward him, aware of hundreds of eyes following her every move, of phones discreetly recording.
She reached Alexander’s side, turning so her back was to him. With careful movements, he removed the sapphire necklace from its velvet nest. The weight of it settled against Camille’s collarbone as he fastened the clasp, his fingers warm against her neck.
When she turned to face him again, something in his expression made her breath catch. This wasn’t just for show, not just another strategic move. This was real.
Alexander cupped her face in his hands with unexpected tenderness. “Perfect, he murmured, quiet enough that only she could hear. “It matches your eyes.”
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Then he kissed her, not a polite peck for their audience, but a real kiss, deep and unhurried. Carnille felt herself responding without thought, her hands finding his shoulders, her body leaning into his as if they were alone instead of surrounded by New York’s elite.
The audience erupted in applause and cheers. Camera flashes surrounded them, capturing the moment for tomorrow’s society pages.
“You planned this,” Camille accused softly, her fingers touching the heavy sapphire at her throat.
Alexander’s smile held secrets. “Not entirely. I knew the necklace would be auctioned. I didn’t know it would match your dress so perfectly.”
“Thirty million dollars,” she murmured, still stunned. “For a necklace.”
“For you,” he corrected. “And for them.” He gestured subtly to the watching crowd. “Sometimes theater serves a purpose beyond entertainment.”
She understood then. This wasn’t just a gift. This was Alexander cementing the public narrative they wanted, the billionaire besotted with his powerful girlfriend, their relationship too genuine to be questioned, too public to be undermined by further scandal.
The remainder of the auction passed in a blur. Camille was acutely aware of the necklace’s weight against her skin, of the occasional brush of Alexander’s hand against hers, of the changed quality in the glances sent their way, no longer merely curious but openly approving, even envious.
When the formal proceedings ended and the crowd dispersed for dancing and further socializing, Alexander led her to a quiet alcove partially hidden by potted palms.
“Too much?” he asked, studying her face. “I should have warned you.”
Camille touched the sapphire. “It’s beautiful. But thirty million, Alexander… What are we doing here? Is this still about countering Rose and Herod? About protecting our companies? Or is it something else now?”
Alexander’s fingers traced the line of the necklace, then the curve of her jaw. “Does it have to be just one thing?”
The question hung between them, weighted with possibilities neither had fully acknowledged. Camille thought of how far they had come since Victoria’s collapse, from strategic allies to something much more complex, much more real.
“No,” she admitted finally. “I suppose it doesn’t.”
His smile warmed his eyes, crinkling the corners in a way Camille had come to cherish. “Then let’s enjoy tonight. Just us, no strategy, no planning.”
For the rest of the evening, they danced, they laughed, they mingled with genuine ease. The sapphire gleamed against Camille’s skin, catching the light with every movement, drawing admiring glances from everyone they passed.
By the time they left, photos of their kiss had already spread across social media, accompanied by headlines celebrating New York’s newest power couple. What Rose had intended as a weapon against them, the exposure of their relationship had become their greatest strength.
As they stepped into the waiting car, Alexander lifted Camille’s hand to his lips. “Successful evening?”
She smiled, touching the necklace that now symbolized not just his extravagant gesture but the public declaration of their relationship. “Very successful.”
The sapphire glowed in the dim light of the car, a brilliant blue reminder that they had taken control of their narrative.
