My Evil Crown Prince-Chapter 66: The Black Diamond

She was staring at the woman in the red dress who was busy chatting with the man beside her. She had a gut feeling that the woman was Dr. Mary Watkins.

If she calculated correctly, the doctor was just around twenty years old when she became part of a research team for the memory serum.

Her name was included on the list of doctors andn researchers under Blue Horizon. They tried to search for information about the former employees of the company, but everything had been erased.

She had that thought when the host’s assistants brought the last piece of the auction.

"And now, I think this is the piece you’re all waiting for. The black diamond!" The host shouted as the assistants presented a necklace with a black heart diamond pendant.

Everyone’s eyes gleamed at the wonderfully crafted piece at the center. She stared at it, trying to see if it was her great-grandmother’s necklace.

"Do you think that’s the necklace?" Caden mumbled.

"I’m not sure. I saw the necklace twice and touched it once when Mom asked me to try it on." She said.

Brie turned to her. "What’s the story of the necklace?"

She let out a deep breath, still, her eyes were focused on the necklace.

"It was passed down to every heiress of the Hoseki Empire. The last person who had it was my Mom." She paused.

Brie frowned. "Why? You’re the current heiress of Hoseki."

"I was the one who suggested donating it. When Mom asked me to try it on, it felt so heavy, I didn’t like it. I told her I wouldn’t want it in my hand and the necklace already served its purpose so I think it’s time to donate it in a museum."

"Will you be able to confirm its authenticity if you have it?" Caden asked.

She nodded. "Yes."

He smiled at her. "Then I’ll just have to buy it for you."

Her heart thumped seeing Caden’s smile. It didn’t really matter if he would win the auction or not, but catching a glimpse of his smile, made her happy.

"The Black Diamond was considered the most expensive jewelry in the world. The inspiration for the necklace was the heart of the ocean of Titanic. The diamond was found in the mid-17th century in Brazil and clocks in at forty-five carats. It was gifted to the King of France by a wealthy businessman. Then it was passed down to another royalty." The host paused and glanced in their direction.

She had no knowledge of the necklace’s history, and she was sure it was the same for Lucas. When the host glanced at them, specifically at Caden, her heart pounded.

"It was passed down to the royal family of Flousia in the year 1900s. To the King to be exact. The fourteenth King of Flousia then gave the necklace as a gift to the heiress of the Hoseki Empire in 1985." The host continued.

Chatters started in the hall and eyes were glancing at them. She had mixed feelings about it. She wanted to run away and hide from the people who looked at her and Lucas with disbelief.

She turned to Caden when he took her hand. He was just staring at the necklace, but his expression was a bit cold.

They waited for the host to continue. To tell the crowd how it landed at the hands of the Garcia Clan, but the host stopped and didn’t continue and instead, started the bidding.

"Let’s start with fifty million dollars?"

Almost all the guests raised their numbers, but the woman who wanted to buy the sword was the first to bid.

"Sixty million!" The woman exclaimed.

"Seventy million!" The woman in a red dress who they suspected to be Mary Watkins shouted.

"Eighty million!"

"Eighty-five!"

"One hundred million!"

Her eyes widened when she realized it was Caden who shouted.

"Love, you don’t need to buy it." She whispered.

Caden grinned. "Let me because I’m pissed. They didn’t continue their stupid story on purpose and I’m dying to hear the rest of it."

His voice brought shivers down her spine so she turned to the center of the hall again to get distracted.

"One hundred million from the Crown Prince. Any higher takers?" The host asked.

The woman in red raised her number. "One hundred twenty million!"

Caden smirked. "One hundred and fifty million!"

"One hundred sixty!"

"One hundred seventy!"

"One hundred and eighty-five million!"

Caden chuckled. "Two hundred million!"

She frowned when the host didn’t close the bidding.

"This is interesting." Caden mumbled.

"What?" She asked with a frown on her face.

"The game just started." Caden smirked.

The host then turned around and a white screen display slowly descended from the ceiling. A short slideshow of images appeared on the screen and they were photos of women who wore the black diamond.

"As you can see, the necklace was worn by women of royal descent. Having a necklace with so much history in it would make you feel like royalty. Two hundred million dollars? Anyone who would like to risk for three hundred million dollars?" The host grinned.

She tilted her head to Caden. "Do you think this is too much?"

"It’s an auction. Most of the people here have a taste of luxury. They don’t care about money. They only care about their image. Look at their faces, flaunting and boasting about what they have and what they could give." Caden commented.

"Three hundred million!"

Her eyes widened. It was the woman who bided for the sword, Veronica St. Clair. She had a wide grin on her face as she stared at her with disdain.

She was about to raise her number when Caden stopped her.

"Why did you stop me?" She asked, confused.

"Let them." He said.

She couldn’t understand Caden’s reason, but she was certain he already had a plan in mind.

"Any takers higher than three hundred?" The host asked.

"Three fifty!"

"Four hundred!"

The woman in red and the man in a blue suit shouted.

"Five hundred!" Veronica St. Clair yelled.

She gulped. She had attended various auctions before, but it was the first time she encountered bidders who were willing to pay half a billion dollars for a necklace.

She wanted the necklace because it was a family heirloom. It couldn’t be bought with any amount of money. The necklace was passed down to her mother and if it wasn’t for her, the black diamond would still be in their possession.

It was her fault that it was stolen. Her parents didn’t blame her, but she did. She remembered her grandmother wearing it at one of the special events of their family and on her parent’s wedding, her mother wore the necklace.

She wanted to take it back so badly. But Caden held her hand, making sure she wouldn’t dare to raise her number.

"Six hundred million!" The man in a blue suit shouted.

She turned to Caden with pleading eyes. "Love, please?"

Caden stared into her eyes. He had a mischievous smile on her face.

"I told you to let them be. But you know I can’t say no if you look at me like that. If you raise your number and bid, then what would they think about me?" He chuckled. "Now, I’m like them. Thinking about my image in front of those people."

"I—I didn’t mean it that way. I—I just want —"

"One billion dollars!"

Her eyes widened while looking at Caden. Did he just say one billion? She thought to herself.

"Oh my goodness! One billion dollars from the Crown Prince of Flousia." The host exclaimed.

She could hear the chatters from the crowd and felt their gazes toward them. She moved her eyes to see the people’s reaction and all she could see was envy.

Then she heard Lucas chuckle. "You really know how to show off."

"I know you would do the same if your woman wanted it." Caden responded.

"Hey, it’s not like that." She pouted.

Caden suddenly pulled her, kissing her on the lips.

"I know how important it is to you. If that’s the real thing, then we have to get it." Caden smiled.

Her heart skipped a beat. She wanted to jump into her man’s arms and be pampered by her forever.

"Any takers more than one billion?" The host asked.

But no one dared to raise their number. They were busy whispering to each other while looking at her and Caden.

"No one? Then sold for one billion dollars to the Crown Prince of Flousia!"

Juliano Garcia walked into the center, clapping his hands in excitement.

"I guess this is the end of the auction and it was a great honor to our clan to have all of you as our guests. Our staff will approach those who won the bidding to claim the items."

Four men approached them and asked to them to step out of the hall. She saw Caden nodded at Elijah who were just behind them.

They were taken into one of the hotel rooms and after a few minutes, Juliano Garcia came in.