“Bidder No. 99 offers one million four hundred thousand!”
“One million five hundred thousand!” shouted a man sitting behind Fae Stonecrest, raising his paddle.
The number of bidders had thinned, but the price kept climbing.
“One million six hundred thousand!” Fae raised her paddle—she’d made up her mind to gamble.
The room fell silent. Ethan Blake noticed several faces filled with hesitation.
“Bidder No. 33 offers one point six million! Any higher bids?” the auctioneer’s eyes swept across the room.
Everyone here was wealthy, but even the rich felt pain throwing away a million and a half on a full-gamble jadeite rough. Losing meant watching that fortune turn to dust.
“One point seven million!” A bald, heavyset man gritted his teeth and raised his paddle.
Damian Vaughn turned to Fae,
