I Served My Country for Three Years—He Spent My Reward on Her

Chapter 3

Leo slapped down a black card and announced that he would pay on the spot.

A cold laugh escaped me. Leo had grown so used to spending my money that he was using a supplementary card tied to our joint account to buy gifts for his mistress.

Just 5 minutes later, the auction representative returned with sweat beading on his forehead.

"Mr. Astor, this card has been frozen."

Leo stared at him in disbelief. He handed over one of his own cards, then headed toward the restroom while the representative went to run it.

My phone rang a moment later. As soon as I answered, Leo's gentle voice came through the receiver.

"Vera, one of my cards seems to be having a problem. I'm in the middle of a major deal and urgently need 100 million dollars. Send it over for now."

I feigned confusion. "The signal is terrible. What did you say? I can't hear you."

I hung up before he could repeat himself. He wouldn't even spend his own money on his mistress. He really was a piece of work.

My assistant sent another message. When Leo couldn't reach me, he started calling company directors in my name and asking them for money.

Fortunately, I had warned everyone in advance, so he failed to fool them.

Their responses were remarkably consistent. Everyone sounded helpful and sympathetic, but each person passed him on to someone else, placating him without sending a cent.

15 minutes later, Leo returned with a stormy expression. His assistant handed the declined card back with an ingratiating smile.

During our 3 years of marriage, Leo had profited enormously from his connection to my company.

The Astor family had burned through its fortune 10 years earlier. At our wedding, Leo wore a custom suit I had paid for. He founded his company with my money and lived in a house I owned. Yet he still presented himself to the world as the heir to the Astor title.

I had thought I was helping the man I loved. In reality, I had been bankrolling him.

Even with the best divorce attorney, Aldercrest State law might not help me recover much of the money Leo had hidden away.

In that case, I might as well use tonight's auction to take back every dollar I could.

Leo sat down with a livid face. The gemstone painting he had bought for 5.5 million dollars had become a liability he couldn't afford. Tiffany remained blissfully unaware. She shoved her "trophy" toward the camera and showed it off while comments poured across the livestream.

A: [Tiffany is so lucky! Leo adores her!]

B: [Claire got put in her place. Let's see whether she still acts arrogant after this!]

C: [Now that's old money. He dropped 5.5 million dollars without even blinking!]

At that moment, the auctioneer raised his voice. A spotlight fell on the center of the stage, where a blue diamond the size of a sugar cube rested on a velvet tray. Its facets flashed like stars beneath dark water.

"Distinguished guests, our premier lot of the evening is the Tear of the Deep, a 17-carat fancy intense blue diamond. Bidding opens at 40 million dollars."

A wave of subdued gasps passed through the hall.

My adviser leaned toward me. "Ms. Grant, 40 million dollars is a very reasonable opening bid for a fancy intense blue diamond of this size. It may be worth considering."

I nodded. From the corner of my eye, I saw Tiffany link her arm through Leo's. Her eyes brightened at the apparent bargain, and she raised her paddle without hesitation.

Bids came from every direction until the price reached 65 million dollars. Tiffany shook Leo's arm and whined, "Darling, that's the one! You promised me!"

Leo rose and declared loudly enough for the entire hall to hear him.

"No matter the price, that diamond is hers. Anything my woman wants, she gets it."

Heads turned throughout the room.

"Mr. Astor really doesn't hold back."

"Once Mr. Astor starts bidding, the rest of us should step aside. Losing the diamond is one thing, but offending him could cost us valuable contracts."

Tiffany's livestream filled with praise as well.

A: [Now that's a grand gesture. This is what real wealth looks like!]

B: [He really knows how to spoil his woman. Is this how the ultra-rich live?]

Sure enough, the hall quieted. Several previous bidders read the room and dropped out.

'No limit, huh?'

I wanted to see how far his own money would take him once mine was gone.

I took a sip from my bone china coffee cup and gave my adviser a slight nod.

"70 million dollars."

After my adviser announced the bid, an uproar rippled through the hall. People whispered around us.

"Is she insane? She's still bidding?"

"Who's in Suite 8? Doesn't she know Astor Group has Grant Technologies behind it?"

Leo's face visibly darkened. Tiffany's eyes filled with tears as she huddled against him, her voice trembling.

"Leo, it's Claire again. She's doing this on purpose. She used to turn everyone against me and spread lies about me. So many years have passed, but she still can't stand to see me happy. Now she's even trying to steal the jewelry you're buying for me."