The President’s Mistake A Tale of Love and Regret

Nathaniel felt as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over him, making him shiver uncontrollably.

"Alright! So you're really set on leaving me, aren't you?"

Freya observed him, noting how his demeanor crumbled before her eyes, leaving him looking like a ghost. He was fragile and as if he might float away.

She was surprised; she hadn't expected her divorce filing to shatter him so completely.

It puzzled her why he seemed so distraught when he was the one who had betrayed her first. If he was faking this display of anguish, he might have a future in acting.

Freya took a deep breath and replied, "Yes."

"Good!" Nathaniel's expression darkened, but he regained his composure quickly, as if the earlier moment of emotional breakdown hadn't happened.

He turned and walked back into the ballroom, with Grace scrambling to catch up, her high heels clattering as she hurried after him.

Nathaniel's actions weren't very courteous. He strode off, leaving his companion to chase after him.

Freya exhaled, still rattled by Nathaniel's intense presence.

"Are you okay?" Sawyer asked, coming over and steadying her arm.

She instinctively pulled her arm away from him, keeping her composure.

"We should head in as well; it wouldn't be appropriate for a jeweler to miss the auction," she said.

"Sure," Sawyer said, his hand falling away but still feeling the warmth where he had held her arm.

He accompanied Freya into the ballroom, where the auction was about to start. Today's auction focused on jewelry.

The collection included pieces from celebrities, items collected by charitable organizations from abroad, and new designs by Freya and Vault Corp.

While these pieces were not as prestigious as those from the Pontenero Jewelry Exhibition, they carried significant sentimental value.

Recent earthquakes in the western region had caused a humanitarian crisis, so Freya had contributed her best designs to be auctioned for raising funds for disaster relief and poverty alleviation in mountainous regions.

She also thought about Peyton, whose family lived in the mountains, and planned

to establish a foundation for Peyton to manage, aimed at helping impoverished students in those areas.

There was so much to do that Freya felt overwhelmed, as if there weren't enough hours in the day.

The auction featured a professional host who showcased each item.

Freya's jewelry designs were especially well-received by the high-society women present, driving up their prices significantly.

These women, by favoring Freya's pieces, indirectly supported her.

It was clear to everyone that Nathaniel's arrival with a celebrity was intended to embarrass Freya.

Despite being in a legal battle with Nathaniel, Grace had no right to comment on Freya's presence.

The high-society women had long looked down on Nathaniel, and the favor shown to Freya's designs during the auction made the situation awkward.

Business leaders and managers, uncomfortable with the scene, exchanged uneasy smiles.

Some of the wealthy ladies encouraged Freya and applauded when her designs were sold, which made Grace, standing beside Nathaniel, look displeased.

Grace, however, was determined to make the most of her opportunity to be close to Nathaniel and wasn't going to retreat.

The business figures admired Nathaniel's boldness, as he dared to bring another woman in front of his wife, something others would avoid.

The scene grew increasingly

ridiculous. One high-society lady et

approached Freya, took her hand,

and whispered, "Don't worry; we're all supporting you." fo

"She is just a mistress. Stay strong!"

Freya was surprised and somewhat touched by the support, even if it was awkward. It showed that even in Saeville's elite circles, one could find allies.

After the lady left, Mandy joked, "You should start a group called 'Mistress Busters Alliance'!"

Freya smiled at the joke, but before she could reply, the host introduced the next auction item: an antique gold necklace with a vintage design and a pendant featuring three ruby hearts of increasing size.

Freya's expression changed suddenly as she saw the necklace.noveldrama

She stood up abruptly, startling those around her and catching Nathaniel and Grace's attention.

Grace looked at Freya, puzzled by her reaction and wondering how Nathaniel had put up with her behavior for so long.

Ignoring the curious looks from others, Freya fixed her gaze on the necklace displayed on the big screen.

At the auction, as each new item is introduced, its image is displayed on a large

screen.

Mandy noticed that while everyone else was seated quietly, Freya was standing, looking oddly out of place. She gently pulled Freya back into her seat.

Freya was surrounded by murmurs and whispers, her ears ringing.

"Who donated this jewelry? It looks so outdated and useless," someone remarked.

"Probably Mrs. Camila. She's incredibly stingy," another person added.

"Though the three rubies could use some work, the quality is decent," someone noted.

"What's there to fix? It's a worthless piece of jewelry. Even someone as talented as Ms. Freya can't make it valuable," someone else said.

Freya, overwhelmed by the whispers, felt a buzzing in her ears. She recognized the necklace.

It was a wedding gift from her father to her mother twenty years ago.

Back then, it was a significant purchase, using up all his savings.

The gems were of poor quality, but her mother had loved them, interpreting the

three hearts as symbols of their family.

She wanted a daughter. The largest

heart symbolized her father, who would protect them, while the smallest heart represented their daughter, growing up happily under her parents' care.

The middle heart stood for her mother, who would cherish and nurture the family.

As Freya's eyes burned and her fists clenched, she remembered how the Gomez family's assets were auctioned off three years ago.

She hadn't anticipated that this cherished necklace would end up discarded.

The disdainful treatment of it was like a painful reminder of a lost dream she could never return to.