No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 163

CHAPTER 0163

LAUREN’S POV

“So what do we do now?” I asked quietly through my earpiece, trying to sound composed even though my heart was pounding fast. The sheer number of people, the smell of expensive perfume mixed with cigar smoke, and the heavy tension in the air were enough to make anyone’s nerves tighten.

Roman’s calm voice came through the earpiece, steady and grounded like always. “We’re going towards the main auction hall in front. The ones you’re seeing here are all stolen or illegal items. Nothing we came for.”

I nodded slightly, even though he couldn’t see me. My eyes scanned the crowd men in finely tailored suits, women in glittering gowns, and faces that reeked of old money and dangerous power. The low hum of conversation carried a mix of arrogance and thrill.

I noticed that the room in front of us was much more crowded than the others. The air there felt heavier, thicker, buzzing with excitement. That had to be the main hall. The genuine artifacts. The real treasures. The reason we were here.

“Well,” I whispered, adjusting the strap of my purse, “looks like that’s where everyone important is heading.”

“That’s good,” Roman replied. “That’s exactly where we’re supposed to be.”

I started walking toward the room, my heels clicking softly against the floor, each sound oddly amplified in the tense silence. My pulse quickened with every step, and though I didn’t look back, I could feel Roman’s presence not too far behind me quiet, controlled, reassuring.

—

When I stepped into the main room, I had to pause for a second. The space was much larger than it looked from the outside. The rows of chairs arranged in perfect symmetry. At the front, a small stage stood under a spotlight. On it sat several covered items, one of which, I already knew, was our target.

A large digital timer was projected onto a screen at the back of the stage, counting down from two minutes. Just two minutes until the auction begins. I let out a slow, steady breath. We made it just in time.

I found an empty seat in the middle row and carefully sat down, keeping my expression neutral. I could feel the weight of the people around me, their eyes, their money, their ambitions. Roman took his seat just a few chairs away, his face unreadable beneath the cap and glasses he’d put on earlier.

Then the host stepped onto the stage, his movement smooth and confident. He picked up the microphone, adjusting his sleeves like he owned the room.

Roman had already briefed me earlier about what he wanted to win first: the Pink Star Diamond Ring. Even just thinking about it made me a little anxious.

It wasn’t an ordinary ring, it was the ring. A flawless, rare pink diamond, the only one of its kind left in the world. Back in 2017, it had been sold at an international auction for seventy–one million dollars. Seventy–one million. I couldn’t even begin to imagine that much money spent on something so small that it could fit in a pocket.

It was beautiful, yes, but what fascinated me more was why Roman wanted it. Was it for his company, some strategic investment? Or was it something personal?

1/3

The host’s voice boomed across the room, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Hello ladies and gentlemen,” he began smoothly. “I’ll be your host for today. Since we’re all here, I’ll go straight to business and not waste anyone’s time.”

He smiled slightly, then with a dramatic flick of his hand, he lifted the small black cloth covering the ring.

The collective murmur that rose through the crowd was instant. The diamond glittered beneath the spotlight, its pink hue glowing like captured fire. I couldn’t help but stare. Even from this distance, I could see the brilliance of the cut. It was mesmerizing.

“Wow,” I breathed softly, almost to myself.

“Don’t let it get to your head,” Roman said through the earpiece, amusement in his tone. “Remember, it’s still just a stone.”

I smiled faintly, shaking my head. “Says the man about to spend millions on it.”

“It’s not going to be easy getting that ring,” I murmured, lowering my voice so only he could hear.

“Don’t worry,” Roman’s voice came through, calm and confident. “It’s not my first time. Trust me.‘

His assurance should have comforted me, but I still felt the tension creeping up my shoulders. The room was alive now, people straightening in their seats, paddles already in their hands, excitement gleaming in their eyes.

The host raised a hand. “Alright, ladies and gentlemen. The bidding for the Pink Star Diamond Ring begins now. The starting price will be thirty million dollars.”

The air shifted instantly.

“Thirty–five million!” someone shouted from the left side of the room.

“Forty million!” another voice countered from the back.

I watched as paddle after paddle lifted high in the air. The energy was electric, competitive, almost predatory. Each bid came sharper than the last, like a series of blows in a silent war.

“Forty–five million!”

“Fifty!”

“Fifty–five!”

The numbers kept climbing, and I had to force myself not to gape. It was almost absurd, tens of millions thrown around like loose change.

I leaned slightly forward, whispering, “Forty million for just one ring…? I love luxury, but I don’t think I’ll ever understand this.”

Roman chuckled softly. “You will. It’s not about the ring itself, it’s about power. About owning something that no one else can have.”

I frowned, glancing at the shining diamond under the lights. “So it’s about pride, then.”

2/3

“Exactly,” he said. “Everyone here is addicted to it.”

I exhaled quietly, settling back in my chair. He wasn’t wrong. These weren’t just buyers, they were collectors of status. They wanted that ring not because they needed it, but because having it meant winning over everyone else in the room.

Roman’s voice came again, low and strategic. “We’re not raising our paddle yet. People will eventually get filtered out as the price rises. We’ll come in when it’s down to the last two.”

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