Sorry My Step-Uncle, I'm Not Your Backup Plan novel Chapter 48

At the auction, the auctioneer moved through the early lots with practiced elegance. Neither Asher nor Drake showed interest until the pink diamond necklace appeared.

"Opening bid at £400,000," the auctioneer announced with polished precision.

Drake immediately raised his paddle. After several rounds, the price reached £600,000, most bidders falling away.

"£620,000," Drake called.

The auctioneer gestured elegantly. "£620,000. Shall we try £650,000?"

Asher raised his paddle with casual indifference.

"£650,000. Do we have any advance?"

Drake shot Asher a venomous glance before bidding again. A subtle war unfolded between them, the price climbing steadily.

At £700,000, Drake remained resolute. The necklace would be worth every penny if it helped secure Sterling Industries' investment. The old saying rang true - sometimes you had to spend money to make money.

"£750,000," Asher countered smoothly.

"£800,000," Drake snapped.

As Asher moved to bid again, Gabriella touched his arm. "Let it go. It's not worth this."

The necklace was barely worth half its current price, and she preferred the sapphire piece coming up later. There was no point in a petty bidding war with Drake.

Watching from beside Drake, Sienna smirked triumphantly in Gabriella's direction. Clearly her new man didn't value her enough to continue.

Later in the ladies' room, Gabriella was applying lipstick when Sienna sauntered up.

"My, my, how quickly you found a replacement," Sienna's reflection sneered. "Though Drake just spent £800,000 on a necklace for me, while yours couldn't be bothered. But then," she studied Gabriella through the mirror, "you're hardly worth the investment, are you?"

Gabriella finished her lipstick with steady hands. "Best of luck with that," she said simply, turning to leave. Sienna's words were meaningless now - like a small dog yapping at a distance.

She had barely settled onto a sofa when Mrs. Clarke approached with pearl earrings.

"Miss Rodriguez, you forgot these when you left. Your stepmother asked me to bring them."

"Oh!" Gabriella touched her bare earlobes. "How careless of me."

"Shall I help you with those?" Mrs. Clarke offered warmly, the same maternal care in her touch that had comforted Gabriella through her mother's death.

"Well, well. Gabriella Rodriguez." A famiGabbyr voice cut through the moment. Margaret Ashcroft, Drake's mother, stood there with Sienna. Her eyes moved between Gabriella and Mrs. Clarke's uniform with calculated disdain. "So your mother's a servant? How... illuminating."

"No, madam, you misunderstand," Mrs. Clarke quickly protested, distressed at causing Gabriella potential embarrassment. "I'm the Rodriguez' housekeeper."

Margaret's laugh was brittle. "Oh, darling, no need for pretense. We all saw that touching little moment with the earrings. How... quaint."

Sienna covered her mouth, giggling. "No wonder you're embarrassed. I'd simply die if my mother was a servant."