Chapter 22
Chapter 22
At the stroke of 7 PM, Natalie was nestled in her rooms, meticulously perfecting the sketches she’d need for the big meeting
the next day.
Sherry had filled her in that this client was the pampered princess of a major jewelry mogul in Janisburg. With a reputation for being choosy and a tad bit high–maintenance, the young lady was on the hunt for the perfect dress for her milestone. 18th birthday bash.
But the paycheck was worth the hassle–on top of the standard ees, there was a sweet 3% service charge.
With two little ones looking up to her, Natalie’s drive was through the roof. She was well aware of the financial
responsibilities that came with being a mom, so she was dead se on putting in the work and raking in the dough while she could
After her stint at Evercrest Group, she swiftly switched gears and immersed herself in her craft, determined to nail tomorrow’s meeting and seal the deal.
Natalie’s hand moved swiftly across the paper as a flash of inspiration struck. She revamped her older designs, and with a stream of fresh concepts, she crafted two more drafts as backup plans, ensuring she was ready for anything
As Sherry spent the day with the kids, the hours flew by. She called Natalie to fill her in on their dinner plans and invited her to join.
After dinner, the kids were so tired from playing that they fell asleep in the car. When they got home, Zayn woke up just enough to walk back to the apartment. Emma, however, was out like a light, and Natalie carried her in, tucking her into bed.
“Thanks for taking them out, Sherry. I bet it was exhausting Nacalie said
“Nah, I had a blast. It was fun,” Sherry replied, leaning in the doorway. Zayn and Emma played so hard they’re totally
zonked”
“I’ll let Emma rest and get Zayn tucked in. What time is our meet–up with Ms. Merritt tomorrow?” Natalie asked.
“Eleven in the morning, at the studio,” Sherry answered.
“Alright, make sure you get some rest. We’ll need to be there early, and we’ll have to bring the kids with us since we’ll be out.”
“Will do, Nat. You get Zayn cleaned up and try to get some rest too. I’ll have Vanessa come over tomorrow to help; it’ll be a breeze, Sherry said with a reassuring smile.
Sherry had been thinking about the babysitting situation for tomorrow, Since it was the weekend and the studio would be closed, she’d given Vanessa Hanks, one of her employees, a call earlier to see if she could come in and lend a hand.
“Sounds good,” Natalie said, feeling a bit more relaxed as she called for Zayn to follow her to the bathroom.
In the bathroom, Zayn spoke up. “Mom, I can help with Emma. You don’t have to stress. He’d caught bits of Natalie’s chat with Sherry
“I know you can, honey. I’m counting on you to be a great big brother,” Natalie said, giving him a warm smile.
Zayn’s face lit up with pride, his expression turning determined as he made a quiet promise to himself. I gotta grow up quick and take care of Mom, Emma, Sherry, and Courtney: With a young mind full of big responsibilities, Zayn felt like he was already taking on the world.
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19:20 Wed, Jan 29 GB
Chapter 22
In Janisburg, at the Summit Hotel, the place was buzzing. The city’s bigwigs had all gathered for a swanky gala hosted by a jewelry tycoon Derrick Merritt. The room was packed with influential business people and celebrities, all eager to catch a glimpse of the latest jewelry collection and to get in on the auction.
Every year, Evercrest Group received an invite. Shawn usually didn’t make an appearance. Instead, he’d send Hayden to these events. So, when Derrick spotted Shawn entering with Tracy, he was a bit surprised.
“Wow, Mr. Merritt really knows how to impress. Mr. Guzman from Evercrest Group is here in person!‘” one of the guests commented, glancing at Shawn and Tracy.
Yeah, and that has to be his future wife next to him. It was rare for him to attend events like this, and every time she was around, another added.
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“Usually, it’s Mr. Chavez who takes care of these things for Evercrest Group. Maybe Mr. Guzman is here tonight to get something for her in the auction. someone else speculated..
“If Mr. Guzman decides to bid, good luck to anyone trying to compete with him,” a third person laughed lightly.
“Absolutely, another voice chimed in enthusiastically, nodding in agreement.
Shawn had entered the hall with his lips pressed tight, revealing to emotion. Next to him, Tracy couldn’t help but smile, her joy clearly radiating as she listened to the chatter.
When Derrick caught sight of Shawn making his way over, he quickly strode up to greet him.
“Mr. Guzman, I’m thrilled you decided to join us tonight! Your attendance has really elevated the whole evening. I doubt any of the auction items can compare to the honor of having you here,” Derrick said, his smile stretching wide as he glanced over at Tracy, who was accompanying Shawn.
As a savvy businessman, Derrick could pick up on the closeness between them. With a flattering smile, he added, “If your spot anything that interests you, I’ll personally ensure it’s sent right over to Evercrest Group.”
The other women at the event couldn’t help but eye Tracy with a hint of envy; there was no denying the radiant presence. she had by Shawn’s side..
“Now that I’m here, let’s keep things as they usually are,” Shawn responded.
“Absolutely! Right this way, Mr. Guzman. Allow me to guide you to your seats,” Derrick said, his excitement clear as day.
Shawn gave a nod and led Tracy as they followed Derrick to the front. They settled into the best seats in the house, smack dab in the middle of the first row.
Soon, the unique auction got rolling, showing off the newest “the one” collection–earrings, studs, brooches, and necklaces
Every piece was up for grabs in no time, and everyone noticed that Shawn hadn’t made a single bid. They all felt more comfortable raising their bids, knowing that if Shawn wanted something, there was no way to outbid him. Nobody was looking to get on the bad side of Evercrest Group over a piece of jewelry.
The host stepped onto the stage and got everyone’s attention with the next item up for auction: a dazzling pink diamond, cut into a heart–shaped ring. The leftover gems were turned into a dazzling diamond necklace.
Nobody was really expecting to go for the ring, but lots of people were eyeing the necklace, especially since it was the first time in years the diamond had been shown off. The crowd was stoked to see such a high–class piece at the gala
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Chapter 22
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The necklace was the first to hit the stage, with a crazy starting bill of 15 million dollars. One had to toss in at least 1.5 million more with each new bid. The auctioneer got everyone hyped, and the bidding war was on.
Paddle number seven was the first to make a move, offering up hold 16.5 million. But paddle number eight quickly followed with an 18 million bid. It was a fierce competition, but when paddle number one, Shawn, came in with a massive 30 million dollars, the other bidders started to step back, realizing that 30 million was a monster number to try and top.
Then it was the ring’s turn, with a jaw–dropping starting bid of 30 million dollars, and each bid had to be at least 3 million. dollars higher. Paddle number one was the first to jump in with bid.
That hefty number made sure only the big guns were left in the light. Just as the auctioneer was about to wind things up, paddle number seven decided to get back in the game. And the real battle began.
Paddle one and seven were like two heavyweights in the ring, each one throwing bigger bids. It was a face–off that had everyone’s attention. When the bids hit a crazy 90 million dollars, the whole crowd was on the edge of their seats, watching this high–stakes showdown with bated breath.
Tracy leaned forward, her nerves zinging as she watched Shawn go for the ring again with his paddle. The stakes were shooting up, and her grip on the chair’s arms was getting tighter
“150 million dollars,” Shawn said, cool as a cucumber, raising his paddle without even looking around to see who paddle number seven was.
“150 million dollars! That’s from Mr. Guzman of Evercrest Group, the host shouted, his voice crackling with excitement. “Is there anyone else who wants to up the ante? If not, this one–of–a–kind pink diamond ring will be Mr. Guzman’s. Going once… going twice… sold! Congratulations, Mr. Guzman
The host’s enthusiasm was catching, and a wave of gasps rippled through the crowd. “Wow, can you believe he just dropped that much cash?” someone whispered.
“No way! I’m so jealous of Ms. Grant,” another person chimed in. That ring’s gotta be for a proposal. She’s got to be the luckiest girl in the world.”
As Shawn got up and started heading out, Tracy stuck close to his heels. The buzz from the crowd made her think the diamond was a sure thing for her, and she could almost taste the Mrs. Guzman‘ title.
pink
But just as they were about to hit the door, a dude in a sharp black trench coat blocked their path. “Congratulations, Mr. Guzman. You got what you wanted,” he said.
Shawn looked up, his face getting serious as he checked the guy out.
The guy smirked. “Number Seven,” he added.
Shawn didn’t say a word; he just kept moving, brushing past the guy like he wasn’t even there. Tracy was right on his tail, not wanting to fall behind.
The man didn’t go all red–faced or anything, but his grin faded bit by bit as he watched Shawn strut–away, his expression turning all cryptic.
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