Chapter 126
Chapter 126:
Turning, Sierra was about to share this thought with her. However, she noticed Nellie’s ashen face. Dread settled heavily in her stomach, as she remembered Nellie’s long-held affection for Aiden. Now, with Aiden tied to Janice and having gone to great lengths for her, the realization must have struck Nellie with crushing force.
Sierra paused, the right words eluding her, and she chose silence instead. She decided it was best to tread lightly around Nellie. Any attempt to comfort Nellie might provoke her temper, and she wasn’t eager to face Nellie’s wrath.
Nellie’s heart ached profoundly. In the past, she had worked tirelessly to become the pride of the Ramirez family, all in the hopes of being closer to Aiden. The Ramirez and Green families seemed like a perfect match—everything about their union had felt possible.
But life had other plans. A car accident had turned Aiden, once the embodiment of strength and success, into someone the world now labeled as disabled.
The Ramirez family, ever pragmatic, would never permit her to marry a man who might lose his heir status at any moment. Yet, for Nellie, Aiden’s condition didn’t matter to her; he was the man she had always loved, regardless of his circumstances. But what could she do? Her life was no longer her own. It was inextricably tied to the interests of the Ramirez family. To them, she wasn’t a person with hopes and dreams—she was a bargaining chip.
“Nellie, what are you doing?”
Leonie’s sharp voice snapped Nellie out of her reverie. Nellie looked down and realized, to her shock, that she had unconsciously reached to place a bid.
“Aiden has already raised the stakes. Bidding now is pointless. And if you’re thinking of raising the price just to spite him, you’ll only end up offending the Green family.” Leonie’s cold gaze turned to Aiden, who remained poised and resolute on the stage. “I underestimated Janice. I never imagined Aiden would go to such extremes for her.”
She had undeniably underestimated Janice before. How could a woman, cast out by the Edwards family, possibly command her respect? And yet, Aiden’s actions forced her to see Janice in a new light. Without the support of the Edwards family, Janice still had the unwavering backing of the Green family. If their marriage were simply a matter of convenience, there was no way Aiden would go to such extraordinary lengths for her.
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Meanwhile, Bart toyed with the idea of raising the price, just to needle Aiden. But he knew better. Such a move would undoubtedly provoke a stern rebuke from Alcott and risk Nina’s ire. Reluctantly, he held back, suppressing his spiteful impulse. As for the rest of the crowd, they didn’t dare to challenge Aiden.
In the end, Aiden won the painting for thirteen million. Janice achieved her goal and, even more importantly, earned the respect of the crowd. From that day forward, everyone in high society would remember one truth: Janice was not a mere pawn in the game of shares, but Aiden’s rightful wife through and through. The atmosphere was peaceful on the deck of the Starlit Club.
Janice sat by the pool, gazing up at the night sky, completely relaxed. The painting, valued in the tens of millions, lay unattended beside her. Aiden, positioned behind her, watched as she beamed a joyful smile towards the heavens. It was a spontaneous, radiant smile.
“Thank you, Aiden,” Janice said as she turned around, running her fingers through her hair. “Thank you for securing this painting for me.”
She lifted the painting beside her, and as she looked at the family portrayed in it, her eyes shimmered with a mix of sorrow and resentment. “Thirteen million for this painting is really excessive. I’ll give you the money.”
Aiden raised an eyebrow and responded casually, “Do you think the money means a lot to me?”
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