"Three hundred million."

Alexander's piercing gaze locked onto Amy, his expression unreadable.

"Is she serious?"

Nathan shot Alexander a questioning glance—should they continue?

Alexander's dark eyes were fathomless, swirling with unspoken thoughts.

A barely perceptible nod.

Nathan cleared his throat. "Three hundred and fifty million."

He refused to match Amy's reckless jumps.

But Amy didn't hesitate. "Four hundred million."

The auction hall, previously buzzing with excitement, fell into stunned silence.

All eyes turned to Amy as if she had lost her mind.

Even among the elite, such extravagance was unheard of.

Victoria's face cycled through shock, disbelief, and fury.

This necklace was the one thing she truly desired, and now Amy was willing to bankrupt herself just to spite her?

Victoria couldn't stay silent. "Ms. Sinclair, I know we have our differences, but is sabotaging this auction really worth it?"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.

The bid was absurd.

Who in their right mind would pay four hundred million for a necklace?

No one believed Amy had that kind of money.

As for Alexander...

He could afford it—but he wasn’t foolish enough to indulge in such a spectacle.

Even the auctioneer faltered.

Auctions were binding. False bids carried consequences.

A staff member approached the auctioneer, whispering urgently.

The auctioneer nodded, then signaled another attendant, who swiftly made his way to Amy.

"Ma'am, if this was a mistake, we can reset the bidding from the last valid offer."

The implication was clear—they didn’t believe her.

Alexander had the wealth. This woman in the fourth row? Impossible.

Before Amy could respond, Nathan pointed accusingly. "She can't pay! She's just here to disrupt the auction!"

The attendant’s expression hardened.

"Ma'am, this isn’t a game."

Had she not already purchased other items, they wouldn’t have bothered with courtesy.

Amy smiled faintly. "I’m perfectly serious. Four hundred million for the necklace. Is that an issue? Or does your auction have a spending cap?"

The attendant frowned. "Ma'am, are you certain you can fulfill this bid?"

Then Sebastian’s smooth, languid voice cut through the tension.

"Sir, by repeatedly questioning my friend’s credibility, are you insulting us? If so, perhaps you should just eject us now. That would certainly reinforce the integrity of your event."

Recognition flashed in the attendant’s eyes at the sight of Sebastian. His tone shifted immediately.

"Mr. Kingsley, I didn’t mean to imply—it’s just an unusually high bid. We must confirm the lady’s intent."

"I am serious."

Amy’s gaze flickered toward Alexander and Victoria, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Mr. Blackwood, do you still want the necklace?"

The challenge hung in the air.

Daring Alexander to respond—now that was bold.

But if he backed down from a woman’s public provocation, what did that say about him?