Chapter 5
Michael looked at me like I'd just cracked the biggest joke in the world.
"Don't forget, we signed a divorce agreement. You can't touch a single cent of my money," he said.
No wonder he insisted on that divorce agreement. He was just afraid I'd dip into our shared assets.
He really had no clue who he was dealing with.
If he'd bothered to pay attention, he'd know that in five years of marriage, I never took a single dollar from him.
"Relax, your money doesn't even interest me," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
My taunting tone really riled Michael up.
He lost it, his face contorted with fury.
"So you're itching to lose, huh? Fine, I'll give you what you want. What's the game?" he shot back.
I spoke, my voice cool and sharp, each word landing like a challenge.
"How about this—let's put the controlling stake in your CoreTech Initiative at Westfield Tech Park on the line," I said.
The room went dead silent.
Mr. King sucked in a sharp breath, his jaw dropped so far you could've fit an egg in there.
The CoreTech Initiative was Michael's make-or-break project. He'd raised tens of millions of dollars for it, staked everything he owned, and even put The Manor up as collateral.
It was his only shot at making a comeback.
Michael froze for a few seconds, then burst out laughing even louder.
"Rachel, are you insane? You don't even have a stock account. Do you know what a controlling stake in CoreTech is worth? What could you possibly wager against me?" he scoffed.
"The White Family's secret debt-to-equity deal for the CoreTech Initiative, and..." I paused, letting the words hang in the air.
After a brief pause, I said, clear and confident.
"The exclusive mining rights to the Ocean Sapphire," I said clearly.
"What? The Ocean Sapphire?" Mr. King blurted out, his voice cracking with disbelief.
Even the seasoned collectors who had been quietly observing suddenly sat up, their jaws dropped in astonishment.
The Ocean Sapphire was the most mysterious and legendary gemstone mine in the jewelry world in recent years—its worth was simply unimaginable.
Mr. King's gaze shifted completely, his face now filled with disbelief and greedy anticipation.
Michael's smirk froze, and he stared at me, his eyes locked on mine.
"How the hell do you even know about the Ocean Sapphire? Are you making this up?" he demanded.
I pulled out my phone, shot off a quick message, then looked up at him.
"Before the hammer falls, I'll have copies of the agreements and the mining rights certificate sent over. You get the CoreTech Initiative share transfer documents ready. And we're getting this notarized right now," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.
When Michael realized I was dead serious, his face went ghostly pale.
Vivian panicked, grabbing Michael's arm without thinking.
"Mike, don't fall for it. She's totally bluffing. There's no way she actually has those things," she said, her voice trembling.
"She just wants us to back out of the bet and let her off easy," she added.
"If she actually begged you, maybe you could let her off the hook," she said, trying to sound reasonable.
"But with everyone watching, Mike, if you back down now, you'll lose face in front of everyone," she said, her voice urgent.
"You've been married to her for five years and you still don't know how much money she actually has? There's no way she can beat you. Go ahead, take the bet," Vivian urged.
Michael gripped Vivian's hand, his eyes scanning my face, searching for any sign that I was bluffing.
"So, are you in or not?" I asked again, my voice soft but weighty, like a hammer striking everyone's heart.
Michael gritted his teeth.
"Rachel, why keep bluffing? Viv is right. You're afraid to lose and trying to deceive me. If you insist on betting, I'll oblige you," he sneered.
"When you lose, even if you have to sell yourself on the street, don't expect me to feel a shred of pity for you," he spat, contempt practically oozing from every word.
Viv shot me a smug look.
"Rachel, stop bluffing. I just had someone check your accounts—you only have a few million dollars. What do you even have to bet against us?" she sneered.
"When Mike and I win, don't worry, I won't let him sell you off to some sketchy place overseas," she said, her voice dripping with mockery.
"I'll have Mike find you a bunch of sugar daddies who'll spoil you rotten. You'll be making so much money, you might even pay Mike back before you know it," she added, her tone full of sarcasm.
I looked at them coolly, a calm indifference in my eyes.
"Alright then, time to call in the notary and seal the deal," I said, my voice steady and full of quiet confidence.
The auction was interrupted once again.
Spurred on by Viv, Michael actually went through with it and put pen to paper. I finally let out a breath I'd been holding.
Love really does make people lose their minds.
The auction picked up again.
Vivian pushed the bid up to 30 million dollars.
The auctioneer lifted his gavel. "30 million dollars, going twice."
Just as I was about to raise my paddle...