A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 306

Without turning her head, Starla simply said, "Three hundred million."

A collective gasp went through the audience. All eyes swiveled from Fairfax, the formidable man everyone in Marina City knew, to Herbert, and then to Starla. The air crackled with unspoken conflict, and everyone held their breath.

"Three hundred and fifty million!" Fairfax bit out.

"Four hundred million," Starla countered, her expression unchanged.

Her calm demeanor only fueled Fairfax's fury. Four hundred million... did she think money grew on trees? Or was someone else backing her? His gaze flickered to Herbert, who had since sat down. After Herbert's initial declaration, no one had dared to challenge the bid—except him.

But his defiance was pointless. Darleen had her limits. Her grand gesture to save dignity had a price tag, and Brinley's value in her eyes did not exceed two hundred million.

Just as Fairfax was about to raise the bid again, Darleen tugged on his arm. "That's enough!"

She could see that Starla was determined to win, no matter the cost. They could bid on something else later. The auction was filled with fine items.

"Four hundred million going once! Four hundred million going twice! And sold for four hundred million!" the auctioneer announced rapidly. The price had far exceeded expectations, and she could feel the volatile energy from the two tycoons. If she didn't close the sale now, she worried the entire auction house might get torn apart.

With the blue diamond secured for four hundred million, Herbert turned to Starla. "Are you tired?"

Starla nodded. Her body was still weak, and she had only come to ensure her brother's gift for his girlfriend wasn't lost. Now that it was hers, she had no desire to stay.

"Then let's go," Herbert said, rising and taking her hand.

Starla instinctively tried to pull away, but with every eye in the room fixed on them, she hesitated. She shot a worried glance at Herbert, then allowed him to lead her out of the auction hall.

Starla calmly straightened the cuff of her sleeve, shot a disdainful look at the doubled-over Fairfax, and then turned to enter the elevator with Herbert.

Just as the doors were closing, Fairfax lunged forward, shoving his arm between them to block their path. In the next instant, a brutal kick landed squarely in his stomach.

"Nghh—" Another choked grunt escaped him.

This blow was far more powerful than the one to his ankle; it felt as if his internal organs had been crushed. It had come from Herbert.

Through a haze of pain, he roared, "Herbert!"

His only answer was the cold, final slide of the elevator doors shutting him out. This time, he didn't have the strength to stop them.