Chapter 194
Chapter 194:
Alexander’s smile held secrets. “Not entirely. I knew the necklace would be auctioned. I didn’t know it would match your dress so perfectly.”
“Thirty million dollars,” she murmured, still stunned. “For a necklace.”
“For you,” he corrected. “And for them.” He gestured subtly to the watching crowd. “Sometimes theater serves a purpose beyond entertainment.”
She understood then. This wasn’t just a gift. This was Alexander cementing the public narrative they wanted, the billionaire besotted with his powerful girlfriend…
Their relationship was too genuine to be questioned, too public to be undermined by further scandal.
The remainder of the auction passed in a blur. Camille was acutely aware of the necklace’s weight against her skin, the occasional brush of Alexander’s hand against hers, and the changed quality of the glances sent their way. No longer merely curious, the looks were openly approving, even envious.
When the formal proceedings ended and the crowd dispersed for dancing and further socializing, Alexander led her to a quiet alcove partially hidden by potted palms.
“Too much?” he asked, studying her face. “I should have warned you.”
Camille touched the sapphire. “It’s beautiful. But thirty million, Alexander… What are we doing here? Is this still about countering Rose and Herod? About protecting our companies? Or is it something else now?”
Alexander’s fingers traced the line of the necklace, then the curve of her jaw. “Does it have to be just one thing?”
The question hung between them, weighted with possibilities neither had fully acknowledged. Camille thought of how far they had come since Victoria’s collapse, from strategic allies to something much more complex, much more real.
“No,” she admitted finally. “I suppose it doesn’t.”
His smile warmed his eyes, crinkling the corners in a way Camille had come to cherish. “Then let’s enjoy tonight. Just us, no strategy, no planning.”
For the rest of the evening, they danced, laughed, and mingled with genuine ease. The sapphire gleamed against Camille’s skin, catching the light with every movement, drawing admiring glances from everyone they passed. By the time they left, photos of their kiss had already spread across social media, accompanied by headlines celebrating New York’s newest power couple. What Rose had intended as a weapon against them, the exposure of their relationship had become their greatest strength.
As they stepped into the waiting car, Alexander lifted Camille’s hand to his lips. “Successful evening?”
She smiled, touching the necklace that now symbolized not just his extravagant gesture but the public declaration of their relationship. “Very successful.”
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