Auctioning Ava: A Billion-Dollar Betrayal

hed the sapph

m lights, a piece of history h

d it for her anniv

, that things cou

gacy, was struggling, whispers

Innovations, sat beside her, hi

charming smile for the

eer started

sed her

across the room countere

ce, Ethan

, always by Ethan'

d her hi

bid

higher, her eyes wide, as if

ckled, a

d to Ava, "she admire

cio

like a stone i

graciousness, it wa

opping Ava by a trivial sum, Ethan w

oom b

ing glances, the

old-money family had both pr

d not be

nnounced, her voice clear and st

nt around

an instant buyout, a

tered, her eyes f

e, a flicker of some

enough for those nearby to hear, his sm

klace w

a picture of disa

furious beneath t

hollow, the neckl

just a necklace,