Chapter 985

Claire didn’t even spare Felix a second glance. Instead, she turned to Wilbur, her voice thick with worry. “Did he hit you? Are you hurt? Is it bad? Do we need to go to the hospital?”

“I’m fine,” Wilbur assured her immediately.

But Claire could clearly see a trace of blood near the corner of his mouth.

She assumed Felix was having a complete meltdown because he misunderstood her relationship with Wilbur-after all, he had spouted insane, baseless accusations before.

Turning her fury entirely on him, she demanded, “If you have a problem with me, Felix, deal with me! Why are you taking your psycho rage out on innocent people?” Watching this play out, all Felix saw was his wife viciously defending Wilbur.

His own wife, witnessing a conflict between him and another man, actively choosing to stand on the enemy’s side.

The realization left a sickening, bitter taste in his mouth.

His face darkened as he scrambled up from the floor. His jaw was set in a hard, unforgiving line. He marched forward, clamped an iron grip around Claire’s wrist, and ordered, “We’re going home.”

Claire’s immediate reaction was to violently yank her arm back.

But his grip was brutal. It genuinely hurt.

Not only did she fail to break free, but his sudden, aggressive pull nearly sent her crashing to the floor.

It was only because Wilbur lunged forward and caught her other hand that she didn’t hit the marble.

Suddenly, a tense, physical tug-of-war erupted.

“Let her go.”

“Let her go!”

The two voices rang out simultaneously by her left and right ears.

One was chillingly deep; the other was blazing with fury.

Wilbur met Felix’s eyes directly, his voice dropping to a warning register. “You’re hurting her.”

Felix’s gaze flicked down to Claire’s wrist.

He had squeezed it so hard the skin was already turning a furious red.

The second he loosened his grip slightly, Claire ruthlessly ripped her hand away and immediately stepped behind Wilbur.

Once again, she had physically chosen to stand against him.

The suffocating weight in Felix’s chest intensified.

Claire opened her mouth to ask Wilbur why Felix had attacked him.

But before she could speak, Felix’s proxy bidder returned, bowing respectfully to deliver his report “Mr. Quigley, I’ve followed your orders and personally handed The Aquaria Tiara over to Miss Lynwood.”

It felt as though a knife had just been driven straight into Claire’s heart.

The astronomical twenty-million-dollar bid for The Aquaria Tiara had come from Felix!

And he had bought it just to give it to Madeline?!

The proxy continued, oblivious to the tension. “Oh, and Mr. Quigley, Miss Lynwood asked me to pass along a message. She said she is incredibly thankful for the birthday present, and that she wants to celebrate privately with you on her special day.”

A flash of deep discomfort crossed Felix’s face.

He actually looked guilty as he quickly cut his eyes toward Claire.

Claire just let out a hollow, self-deprecating laugh.

Not even two hours ago, this very man had looked her in the eyes with absolute

sincerity and begged her to trust him one more time.

What an absolute joke.

Wilbur broke the silence, his tone

clipped. “Tapproached Mr. Quigley because wanted to buy The

Aquaria Tiara from hit, I just didn’t

expect him to give it away quite so quickly.”

So quickly he couldn’t even wait for the auction to officially end.

Just how desperately devoted was he to her?

Claire took a long, trembling breath before looking dead at Felix. “So… you were the one ruthlessly driving up the price the entire time?”

Felix frowned. “You wanted to buy it too?”

“That tiara was the only reason I came today,” Claire said, laying all her cards on the table. “Tell me, Felix. If I said I wanted it… would you have given it to me?”

If it were anything else, he would have nodded without a second thought.

But he had already given the tiara away. He couldn’t exactly take it back. Besides, it was just a completely ordinary piece of jewelry to him.

If she wanted jewelry, he could buy her something a hundred times better, a thousand times more expensive.

“The auction isn’t over yet. Just tell me what you want, and it’s yours,” Felix said, dodging her question completely.

But Claire held her ground, her voice unyielding. “I only want The Aquaria Tiara.”

He frowned deeper. “That piece doesn’t even suit you.”

The mocking smile on Claire’s face only grew wider.